Ruling on Prayer After Postpartum Bleeding and the Forty-Day Period

Source: Ahkam wa Masail – Ghusl ka Bayan, vol. 1, p. 96

Question​

A woman gave birth and experienced postpartum bleeding (nifas). After some days the bleeding stopped.

• Does she have to wait until forty days are complete before resuming prayer?
• Or should she perform ghusl and start praying as soon as the bleeding stops?
• If she resumes prayer and the bleeding returns before forty days, what should she do?
• Since this is her first childbirth, and she does not know her usual nifas duration, is waiting forty days necessary?

Answer​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:

• As soon as the postpartum bleeding stops, the woman should perform ghusl and resume prayer.
• If the bleeding returns before forty days are complete, she must stop praying.
• Once the bleeding stops again, she should perform ghusl and resume praying.

Key Point​

• Waiting for forty full days is not obligatory.
• The woman is considered pure (tahirah) and may pray as soon as the bleeding ceases—whether after a few days or several weeks.
• If the bleeding returns within the forty-day period, she pauses prayer until it stops again.

هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب