Salaamalaikum, InshaAllah this email finds you well. I have never been married but sometimes never get my period for up to 5 months. After consulting a doctor, I confirmed that it is normal. Now, after a couple of months of no period, I get a very light brown discharge, that only happens if I use the bathroom but never actually forms into a period. I get it for up to 9 days with sometimes nothing on days in between. Should I pray or not during this time and fast in Ramadan. I am very worried because I do not want to not fast or pray when I am supposed to. Please help since we are in Ramadan now and I don’t want to miss any days without a proper reasoning. JazakAllah Khair

All praise be to Allah, and may His blessings and peace be on His last messenger, Muhammad,

You should confirm the nature of this discharge by asking your physician. If you can clearly distinguish this from your menstrual blood, and it doesn’t happen at the tail of a period, then it is not a period for you. The messenger of Allah said,

«إِنَّ دَمَ الْحَيْضِ دَمٌ أَسْوَدُ يُعْرَفُ، فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَأَمْسِكِي عَنْ الصَّلاةِ وَإِذَا كَانَ الآخَرُ فَتَوَضَّئِي وَصَلِّي، فإنما ذَلِك عِرْقٌ ».

“If it is the blood of menstruation, it will be dark and recognizable. If it is that, then leave the prayer. If it is other than that, then make ablution and pray, for it is only due to a vein.” [Al-Nasa’ee]

There are two major types of vaginal discharge other than blood: physiological, which is whitish and thin and very common. This is basically like the mucous secretions of that body passage, like what is found in the nostrils and other body passages. This discharge in non-consequential, as far as rulings are concerned (according to what this writer believes to be the stronger position, even though it is a minority position). There are other types of (yellowish-to-brownish) emissions, that are neither blood, nor leucorrhea, and upon their occurrence (detached from the period), they require one to wash them away from the external genitalia and make wudu’. This is probably what you are having.

See here for more on menstruation and spotting.

Allah knows best.