Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I have a question on sex education. I wanted to know is it true that a husband is not allowed to have sex with his wife for 4o days after she gives birth. is that true. My second question is ther nething wrong havin sex with ur wife while she is pregnant. should the husband abstain from sex during her pregnancy because that can be very frustrating for a husband who is really sexually active. i have one request from you brothers. i want you to email me with the lastest questions and answers about Islam at my email address because i use to receive email the islamhelpline before at my old email address and i hope u can email with the lastest information at xxxxxx@aol.com thank you very much .

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Answer:

Sex in pregnancy and post childbirth

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I wanted to know is it true that a husband is not allowed to have sex with his wife for 4o days after she gives birth. is that true.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 222: They ask thee concerning women's courses.  Say: They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses and do not approach (have sexual intercourse with) them until they are clean.  But when they have purified themselves ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by Allah.  For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.70a

Post-Childbirth bleeding

Such bleeding occurs after the birth of a child, regardless if the child survived the birth or not. This type of bleeding has no minimum duration, for it could stop right after the birth, or there could even be no blood. Therefore, her confinement would end and she would be obliged to fast, pray, and so on. The maximum duration is forty days. Said Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (saws): "During the lifetime of the Prophet (saws), the post-childbirth woman would be in confinement for forty days." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim.)

After recording the hadith, at-Tirmidhi states, "The knowledgeable companions, the following generation and those that came later, agree that a woman experiencing post-childbirth bleeding had to stop praying for forty days unless her blood stopped. If her bleeding stops before that time, she is to make ghusl and start praying. If she sees blood after forty days, most scholars say that she is not to stop praying."

The maximum time allocated by Shariah under normal circumstances for post child birth menstruation is forty days.  But if the woman’s menstruations stops earlier than that, say 10 or 20 or 30 days, then she must purify herself with a ghusl or full bath; and then it would be absolutely legal for her to have full conjugal relations with her husband.

Thus forty days is the absolute maximum period for a woman experiencing post childbirth menstruation; but if her menstruation stops earlier, she should purify herself with a full bath and then it would be legal for her to enjoy full sexual relations with her husband.

But even when the wife is experiencing her monthly periods or during her post childbirth menstruation, it is absolutely legal in Islam for the husband and the wife to enjoy all relations except the ‘actual’ act of sexual intercourse. 

Masruq ibn al-Ajda' asked the wife of the Prophet (saws), Hadrat Aishah (r.a.), "What is off limits to me sexually during my wife's menstruation?"  She said, "Nothing, except her private parts."

Related by Bukhari.

Your Question: My second question is ther nething wrong havin sex with ur wife while she is pregnant. should the husband abstain from sex during her pregnancy because that can be very frustrating for a husband who is really sexually active.

There is absolutely no restriction in Islam for the husband and wife to enjoy full sexual relations during the complete pregnancy duration of his wife.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan