Can women fast or pray before 40 days after giving birth if they are clean?

The 40 day period mentioned in the ruling of Nifaas is to set a limit, so that of a woman bleeds for more, it can be considered Istihaadha. This does not mean that if a woman becomes clean before 40 days then she still has to wait for the 40 day period to come to an end. It is like Haidh, in which each woman has her own habit, some bleed for 5 days whereas some bleed for 10. those who bleed for five, start to perform their salaah and observe fasting as soon as she become clean.

If a woman became clean before 40 days and due to misunderstanding she waited for 40 days to pass in order to start praying, then she will have to do Qadhaa for all the days of purity in which she missed Salaah.

And Allah knows best.

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Mufti Yaseen Shaikh