Menstruation

While I was still in my forties, and menstruating regularly...  I realised that I had never really kept count of the Ramadhan obligatory fasts that I had missed, nor of the extra fasts I occasionally kept during the year. So there was no way of knowing how many of my total obligatory fasts were still due.  

I started counting the obligatory Ramadhan fasts that I had missed since I entered adulthood. So, that would be approximately seven days every year. Then, I added to the total the four months of Ramadhan of my four pregnancies / lactation. The total came to around one year. Hmm... 

I started to keep fasts as often as possible, and give fidya whenever I could. Many months passed. Now only two months remained to the next Ramadhan. Also, an almost equal number of fasts also remained. 

I wanted to complete the balance before the next Ramadhan. However, there was one hurdle. Two monthly  periods would reduce the count by fourteen days. What to do? 

I had recently understood that its not right to 'kill' progeny, and had given up contraception. 

I also did not want to get pregnant. 

I didn't want to take pills to interfere with the menstrual cycle. 

I didn't know of any other natural way of avoiding menses. 

I prayed. I asked Allah to forgive me for thinking such things, and I asked for His help to complete my fasts. I admitted I didn't know how. It was a passionate, informal, monologue. 

Guess what? 

Allah ﷻ responded. 

Allah  سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎  accepted my prayer.  

I didn't menstruate the next two months, and thus was able to complete my count a few days before the next Ramadhan began.