Tirmidhi

Urdu Footnote:
Note:
(In the chain of narration, Musah Azdiyyah is weak in hadith, i.e., she is considered weak, but on the basis of supporting evidences, this hadith is hasan sahih.)

Commentary:
(1)
Nifas refers to the blood that comes to a woman after childbirth. There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding its maximum duration. The inclination of most scholars is towards forty days; if the blood continues even after this period, it will be considered istihada (irregular bleeding), and the woman should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) and begin to perform prayer and fasting. If the blood stops before this period, it is not necessary to abstain for the full forty days; after becoming pure, she should perform a ritual bath (ghusl) and begin prayer and fasting.

(2)
Wars is a herb; women used it to treat facial spots. This herb is also beneficial for several other ailments.

The Maximum Duration of Postnatal Bleeding (Nifas)
«وَالنَّفَاسُ أَكْثَرُهُ أَرْبَعُونَ يَوْمًا»

The maximum duration of postnatal bleeding (nifas) is forty days. 1

1. ➊ It is narrated from Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha that «كانت النفساء تجلس على عهد رسول الله أربعين يو ما» “Women experiencing postnatal bleeding during the time of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would observe a waiting period of forty days.”

[حسن: صحيح أبو داود 304، كتاب الطهارة: باب ما جاء فى وقت النفساء، أحمد 300/6-304، ترمذي: 139، ابن ماجة 648، دارقطني 221/1 - 222، حاكم 175/1، بيهقي 341/1]

➋ It is narrated from Anas radi Allahu anhu that «كان رسول الله وقت للنفساء أربعين يوما إلا أن ترى الطهر قبل ذلك» “The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam set forty days for women in postnatal bleeding, unless they attained purity before that.”

[ضعيف: ضعيف ابن ماجة 138، كتاب الطهارة وسننها: باب ما جاء فى النفساء كم تجلس، إرواء الغليل 201، الضعيفة 5653، عبدالرزاق 312/1، دار قطني 220/1، بيهقي 343/1، حافظ بوصيريؒ نے زوائد ميں اس حديث كي سند كو صحيح كها هے۔ 232/1]

(The Majority) The maximum duration of postnatal bleeding is forty days. This is also the position of Ali, Uthman, Umar, Aisha, Umm Salamah radi Allahu anhum, Imam Ata, Imam Thawri, Imam Shabi, Imam Muzani, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam Malik, and Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahumullah ajma’in.

(Shafi’i rahimahullah) This duration is sixty days. According to one narration, this is also the view of Imam Malik rahimahullah.

(Hasan al-Basri rahimahullah) This duration is fifty days.

In addition, some have mentioned a duration of seventy days.

[المجموع 539/2، المغنى 345/1، المحلى 203/2، الإفصاح 108/1، بدائع الصنائع 41/1، مراقي الفلاح ص/ 23 مغني المحتاج 119/1، حاشية الباجورى 113/1، المهذب 45/1، كشاف القناع 226/1]

(Nawawi rahimahullah) According to most of the Companions, the Followers, and those after them among the scholars, the maximum duration of postnatal bleeding is forty days. Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah and Imam Khattabi rahimahullah, among others, have also transmitted this as the view of the majority. Imam Khattabi rahimahullah states that Imam Abu Ubaydah rahimahullah said, “The consensus of the people is upon this.” Imam Ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullah has narrated this view from Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Abbas, Anas, Uthman ibn Abi al-As, A’idh ibn Amr, Umm Salamah radi Allahu anhum, Imam Thawri, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad, Imam Ibn al-Mubarak, Imam Ahmad, Imam Ishaq, and Imam Abu Ubayd rahimahumullah ajma’in. [المجموع 524/2]

(Zayd ibn Ali rahimahullah) Postnatal bleeding does not exceed forty days. [الروض النضير 513/1]

(Siddiq Hasan Khan rahimahullah) This is the correct view. [الروضة الندية 191/1]

(Shawkani rahimahullah) It is obligatory for women experiencing postnatal bleeding to observe a waiting period of forty days. [نيل الأوطار 414/1]

(Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah) He also holds this view. [تحفة الأحوذى 452/1]

(Tirmidhi rahimahullah) There is consensus among the Companions, the Followers, and the scholars who came after them on this.

[ترمذي بعد الحديث 139، كتاب الطهارة: باب ما جاء فى كم تمكث النفساء]

(Preferred View) This position is the preferred and correct one.

------------------

If bleeding continues after forty days?

Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah says, “Most scholars have said that after forty days, she should not leave the prayer.”

[ترمذي بعد الحديث 139، كتاب الطهارة: باب ما جاء فى كم تمكث النفساء]

(Shaykh Abdul Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa’di rahimahullah) If blood comes after forty days, its ruling will be that of a woman in postnatal bleeding.

[فتاوى المرأة المسلمة 300/1]

(Shaykh Uthaymin rahimahullah) If the woman’s habit is already more than forty days, then she will act according to her habit. If not, then there is a difference among the scholars. Some have said that she should perform the ritual bath (ghusl), then perform prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship, and she will be considered in the ruling of a woman with irregular bleeding (mustahadah). Others have said that she should wait up to sixty days, after which she will be considered like a mustahadah.

[فتاوى المرأة المسلمة 303/1]

(Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al Shaykh) If this is her established habit, then she will act accordingly. If not, then after completing forty days, she should perform the ritual bath (ghusl) and then perform fasting and prayer. [فتاوى المرأة المسلمة 297/1]

(Preferred View) The statement of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim rahimahullah appears to be the prevalent one. (And Allah knows best)

------------------

«وَلَا حَدَّ لِأَقَلِّهِ وَهُوَ كَالْحَيْضِ»

There is no minimum limit prescribed for it 1, and it is (in rulings and issues) like menstruation (hayd). 2

1. As in most other issues, there is a difference of opinion among the jurists.

(Shafi’i rahimahullah, Ahmad rahimahullah) There is no minimum duration for postnatal bleeding.

(Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Abu Yusuf rahimahullah) Its minimum duration is eleven days.

(Thawri rahimahullah) This duration is three days.

(Zayd ibn Ali rahimahullah) He holds the duration to be fifteen days.

(Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali rahimahullah) There is no minimum duration for it; whenever she feels pure, she should perform the ritual bath (ghusl), and after that, she is pure.

[الأم 64/1، المجموع 228/1، المغني 225/1، الأصل 458/1]

(Preferred View) The first opinion is preferred, because there is consensus among the Companions, the Followers, and the scholars after them that women in postnatal bleeding will leave prayer for forty days unless they feel pure before that, in which case they should perform the ritual bath (ghusl) and pray. [نيل الأوطار 414/1 - 415]

And in a hadith mentioned on previous pages, these very words are stated «و إلا أن ترى الطهر قبل ذلك» “These words are evidence that there is no minimum duration for postnatal bleeding.”

2. It is narrated from Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha that «وكانت المرأة من نساء النبى تـقـعـد فى النفاس أربعين ليلة لا يأمرها النبى بقضاء صلاة النفاس» “Among the wives of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, (none of them) would wait forty nights, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not command them to make up the prayers missed during postnatal bleeding.”

[حسن: صحيح أبو داود 305، كتاب الطهارة: باب ما جاء فى وقت النفساء، أبو داود 312، حاكم 1745/1، بيهقي 341/1، دارقطني 223/1]

There is consensus among the scholars on this issue that in all matters—whether lawful, unlawful, disliked, or recommended—postnatal bleeding is like menstruation.

[نيل الأوطار 415/1، المجموع 520/2]

(Siddiq Hasan Khan rahimahullah) Postnatal bleeding “is like menstruation in the prohibition of intercourse and in leaving prayer and fasting,” and there is no difference of opinion in this.

[الروضة الندية 192/1]

(Shawkani rahimahullah) This is the correct view. [السيل الحرار 150/1]

(Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali rahimahullah) The ruling for women in postnatal bleeding is the same as for menstruating women in all matters that are prohibited for them or are waived from them, and we do not know of any difference of opinion in this issue... And this (ruling) is because the blood of postnatal bleeding is in reality the blood of menstruation; it only ceases during pregnancy because it becomes nourishment for the fetus, and when the pregnancy ends, it begins to flow again. [المغنى 432/1]

------------------

Miscellaneous

Can a pregnant woman menstruate?

There are two opinions among the jurists on this issue:

(Malikis, Shafi’is) A pregnant woman can sometimes menstruate. The evidence is the application of «آيتِ محيض», and also that menstruation is natural to women. [بداية المجتهد 15/1، الشرح الصغير 211/1، مغنى المحتاج 118/1]

(Hanafis, Hanbalis) Undoubtedly, a pregnant woman cannot menstruate. The evidence is the hadith in which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in response to a question from Umar radi Allahu anhu, prescribed divorce only in two states «ثم ليطلقها طاهرا أو حاملا» “Then he should divorce her in a state of purity or in a state of pregnancy.”

[بخارى: 7160، كتاب الأحكام: باب هل يقضى القاضى أو يفتي وهو غضبان، مسلم 1090، كتاب الطلاق: باب تحريم طلاق الحائض بغير رضاها، أبو داود 500/1، عارضة الأحوذى 123/5، دارمي 120/2، موطا 576/2، أحمد 43/2-51]

The point of evidence is that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam considered pregnancy itself as a sign of not menstruating, just as he considered purity as its sign.

[الدر المختار 263/1، المغني 361/1، كشاف القناع 232/1]

(Shaykh Abdul Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa’di) There is another narration from Imam Ahmad rahimahullah that sometimes a pregnant woman can menstruate, and this is the correct view... and this is what we have chosen. [الفتاوى السعدية ص/ 134، فتاوى المرأة المسلمة 266/1]

. . . For the original article, see . . .
Fiqh al-Hadith by Imran Ayub Lahori, Volume 1, p. 284

Lexical Explanation:
«نُفَسَاء» The letter "noon" has a dammah (u-sound) and the letter "fa" has a fathah (a-sound), or both "noon" and "fa" have a fathah, or "noon" has a fathah and "fa" is sakin (silent). This term refers to those women who have given birth to a child. Nifas is the blood that is discharged from a woman's womb after childbirth, generally for up to forty days.
«أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا» Forty days is the maximum common duration of nifas.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that the usual maximum duration of nifas for women is forty days. There is no minimum duration. However, if it exceeds forty days, then that state will be considered as istihada (irregular bleeding), and in that condition, prayer and fasting should not be abandoned. Marital relations may also be resumed. However, the rulings of nifas are similar to those of menstruation (hayd). A woman in nifas is excused from prayer and fasting, and she cannot stay in the mosque. She also cannot perform tawaf of the Ka'bah. According to the opinion of one group of scholars, she should also refrain from reciting the Qur'an and from touching the Qur'an. During this period, any fasts that were missed must be made up on other days, whereas missed prayers do not need to be made up.