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:

What is the Islamic ruling concerning woman's bleeding after childbirth? What if the bleeding extends over 40 days? Should she wait for the bleeding to stop completely before taking ghusl and resuming her prayers? Is she allowed to have a normal relationship with her husband during this period?

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Answer:

Bleeding after 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.70a

Topic: 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 restrictions would end and she would be obliged to fast, pray, and so on. The maximum duration is forty days. Said Umm Salamah, "During the lifetime of the Prophet (saws), the post-childbirth woman would be deemed in restriction for (a maximum of) forty days." (Related by Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi.)

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."

Firstly sister, there is a specific time period a woman would be considered to be in post-childbirth impurity; and during the lifetime of the Prophet (saws), the accepted period of post-childbirth impurity of the woman was considered to be a maximum of forty days. If the post-childbirth discharge or bleeding stops before forty days, the woman should purify herself with a ‘ghusl’ and make herself available for prayer.

In the event that a woman experiences prolonged bleeding after 40 days of childbirth, the absolute majority of the scholars are of the opinion that this discharge is mere spotting rather than the regular post-childbirth discharge…..in such a situation the believing woman is recommended to perform the ‘ghusl’ for purification after 40 days, tie something around her private parts, and make herself available for prayer.

When the woman performs the ‘ghusl’ to purify herself from her state of impurity, all the restrictions of menstruation are lifted from her, and she may enjoy full marital relations with her husband.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan