Question Summary:
Maximum period of Nifaas

Question Detail:

 
My wife and I were blessed with a daughter in mid July of this year Alhumdulillah. She had no complications and it was a natural birth. It is now towards the end of September and my wife continues to have bleeding due to birth. The first few weeks it was a little heavy, but since the past 3-4 weeks, it has been gradual like menstrual bleeding.
 I have heard that post-partem is bleeding is typically 40 days and women should not pray during that period. Is that true? However in the case of my wife, the bleeding has been going on for almost 70 days. She now regularly takes a shower, changes clothes everytime she wants to pray. She feels bad and guilty because she is unsure if the bleeding will make her prayers be accepted or not. 
 
We want to ask if she should continue pray in her condition and if so, what would be best course because of the bleeding. 
Thank you for taking the time to read this and respond. I look forward to you answer. May Allah give you health and His Blessings.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, the maximum period of nifaas (lochia) is forty days while the minimum duration has no limit[1]. The rules concerning salah, fasting and conjugal relations that apply to a woman during the state of haidh are the same as nifaas.
If one’s bleeding exceeds the limit of forty days then she will revert to her original habit[2]. As such, the woman in reference has completed her period of nifaas after forty days. After the fortieth day she will revert to her regular habit of tuhr (purity) and thereafter her regular habit of haidh (menstruation). Due to the bleeding in the days of her tuhr, she is considered to be in istihaadah. Therefore, she will continue to pray salah in the days of tuhr and she is only required to renew her wudhu for each salah time[3].
Furthermore, one is required to make up for the prayers that were missed during the days of istihaadha i.e. days of tuhr[4].
If there was a change in her original habit then you may revert to us with further details.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Fahad Abdul Wahab
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai                                                                                                                                                                                                                
www.Daruliftaa.net