Blood after miscarriage

Women’s Corner

Mufti Muhammad Hashim Khan Attari Madani

1. Recurrence of menstruation after Umrah

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following matter: the normal habit of a woman in relation to menstruation is seven days. She entered the irām state and went to perform umrah. According to her routine, she performed ghusl on the seventh day and completed umrah. At the time of performing ghusl, she was certain of purity, but later on after the completion of umrah there was a perceived recurrence of menstruation. This discharge was reddish in colour, typical of the first day of menses; the next day it was more brown, followed by clear discharge on the morning of the tenth day. During these days, she consumed medicine for an infection and in all probability attained complete purity due to it. What is the ruling of the umrah she performed? Please advise regarding prayer as well.

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: If the menstruation is less than 10 days, for example 7 days, and blood flow ceases according to this habit, then blood reappears on the eight day and stops before 10 days or on the completion of 10 days, all these days will be counted as menstruation. Therefore, the umrah that was performed will be considered as having been offered in a state of impurity.

Colourless discharge is not included in menstruation whereas brown discharge is. Prayer is pardoned in the state of menstruation. Therefore, in the scenario described in the question, it will be necessary to repeat the awāf as long as she remains in al-Makkah al-Mukarramah. Otherwise, a ritual slaughter (damm) will have to be offered as expiation since ritual purity is necessary (wājib) for awāf and recommended (mustaabb) for say. She should repeat the say with the awāf.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

2. Blood after miscarriage

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following issue: Zayd’s wife miscarried two months into her pregnancy. Blood continued to flow from her for two days and then stopped. Is this blood counted as lochia (nifās) or menstruation (ay)? Moreover, what is the ruling for prayers during these days?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: In the mentioned scenario, the blood that flowed for two days after the miscarriage is classified as irregular discharge (istiāah). If prayers were not offered in those two days, it is necessary to make up these missed prayers.

Details of the ruling: According to the principles of Islamic law, if there is a miscarriage before 120 days and it becomes known that it has occurred after any limb [of the child] such as a finger, nail, hair, etc. has formed, the blood will be lochia (nifās). In this case, the woman will act upon the rulings of lochia. This is because the bodily limbs begin to form before four months, whereas the soul is blown into the body upon the completion of four months, and the blood that flows following a miscarriage and after the formation of limbs is lochia.

However, if the miscarriage occurs before four months, i.e. 120 days, and it is not known whether any limb has formed or not or it is known that no limb was formed, the blood that flows will not be lochia. In this scenario, if the blood flow is for at least three days and nights, i.e. 72 hours, and the woman has remained pure for 15 days prior to it, this blood will be menstruation. In this scenario, the woman will act upon the rulings of menstruation. If the blood ceased before three days and nights, or did not cease, but the woman was not pure for 15 days preceding this blood, this blood will be irregular discharge (istiāah). In this scenario, the woman will act upon the rulings of irregular discharge.

Therefore, in the scenario of the question, because the miscarriage occurred after only two months into the pregnancy, before 120 days, and the blood that followed ceased after two days, then according to the principles this blood is irregular discharge. Prayer and fasting are not waived in this scenario. Therefore, if Zayd’s wife did not perform prayers in these days, it will be necessary upon her to make them up as missed prayers.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم


Share