Is there a specific duration for post-natal bleeding, and if it exceeds forty days and the blood does not stop, what should she do?
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The questioner : A questioner says: She did not see the white discharge until 47 days had passed since the birth, and therefore she did not pray during this entire period, based on a fatwa by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah that she had read and understood to mean that the stronger position in his view is that there is no fixed duration for post-natal bleeding. Is what she did correct? Please rule for us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes, the duration of post-natal bleeding has no minimum limit. That is, if a woman gives birth and becomes pure after two days, she performs the full ritual bath, fasts, prays, and her husband may come to her, and there is no harm in that because she has become pure. But if it exceeds forty days, does she perform the full ritual bath or what does she do? We say: If it exceeds forty days, and it coincides with the days of her usual menstruation, then it is menstruation. If it does not coincide with the days of her usual menstruation, then it is corrupt blood. She performs the full ritual bath and prays, and her husband may come to her. Yes, her husband may come to her.
And some of the scholars said: "Post-natal bleeding extends to sixty days, so as long as the blood remains in its natural state and has not changed, she remains in that state until sixty days." And whatever exceeds sixty days, if it coincides with her usual custom, it is menstruation; and if it does not coincide with her usual custom, it is corrupt blood that does not prevent her from prayer or from anything else that post-natal bleeding prevents. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. This is a questioner.
The Shaykh : As for this woman, she now saw yellow discharge after the completion of forty days. The precaution is that she makes up the seven days in which she left off prayer. Yes.
The questioner : It is after forty-seven days.
The Shaykh : What? Forty-seven days, but after forty days she saw yellow discharge, she says. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, the duration of post-natal bleeding has no minimum limit. That is, if a woman gives birth and becomes pure after two days, she performs the full ritual bath, fasts, prays, and her husband may come to her, and there is no harm in that because she has become pure. But if it exceeds forty days, does she perform the full ritual bath or what does she do? We say: If it exceeds forty days, and it coincides with the days of her usual menstruation, then it is menstruation. If it does not coincide with the days of her usual menstruation, then it is corrupt blood. She performs the full ritual bath and prays, and her husband may come to her. Yes, her husband may come to her.
And some of the scholars said: "Post-natal bleeding extends to sixty days, so as long as the blood remains in its natural state and has not changed, she remains in that state until sixty days." And whatever exceeds sixty days, if it coincides with her usual custom, it is menstruation; and if it does not coincide with her usual custom, it is corrupt blood that does not prevent her from prayer or from anything else that post-natal bleeding prevents. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. This is a questioner.
The Shaykh : As for this woman, she now saw yellow discharge after the completion of forty days. The precaution is that she makes up the seven days in which she left off prayer. Yes.
The questioner : It is after forty-seven days.
The Shaykh : What? Forty-seven days, but after forty days she saw yellow discharge, she says. Yes.