Is blood that returns after menstruation has ceased and purification has occurred considered menstruation or istihadah (post-menstrual bleeding/irregular bleeding)?

The maximum duration for menstruation, according to the majority of scholars, is fifteen days. If a woman observes purity after five days, she must perform ghusl (ritual bath) and pray. If the bleeding resumes after three days, she is considered a menstruating woman again and should stop praying. She should not perform ghusl until the bleeding stops. This blood is not considered istihada (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding) unless the total number of days, including the intermittent days of purity, exceeds the maximum duration of menstruation, which is fifteen days.

Performing ghusl and praying after two days of resumed and continuous bleeding is incorrect, and the woman is not permitted to pray because she is still menstruating. If the bleeding stops before fifteen days, she has become pure, and ghusl and prayer become obligatory for her. All of this is considered menstruation. However, if the bleeding exceeds fifteen days, she becomes a mustahada (woman experiencing istihada). In this case, she should refer to her previous habit, or act based on discernible characteristics (of blood), or revert to the predominant habit of women in her family. Any blood beyond that is considered istihada. When the designated period for menstruation ends, she should perform ghusl and then perform ablution for each prayer, taking precautions by tying a cloth over the area.