| Bismillah
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah’s guidance)
Women must keep one Qadha fast due to Haidh (Menses) or Nifas (postnatal bleeding).
The state of Nifas is like Haidh. The legal ruling for Haidh is valid for Nifas too.
The scholars of Islam agreed that the regulation of Nifas is like haidh (menstruation) (Nayl al-Awtar, I, 333)
Narrated Abu Said:
The Prophet said, “Isn’t it true that a woman does not pray and does not fast on menstruating? And that is the defect (a loss) in her religion.” (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 31, Number 172)
Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Chapter 14: It is obligatory for a menstruating woman to complete the abandoned fasts but not the abandoned Salahs.
Mu’adha said: I asked ‘A’isha: What is the reason that a menstruating woman completes the fasts (that she abandons during her monthly course). but she does not complete the prayers? She (Hadrat ‘A’isha) said: Are you a Haruriya? I said: I am not a Haruriya, but I simply want to inquire. She said: We passed through this (period of menstruation), and we were ordered to complete the fasts, but were not ordered to complete the prayers.(Muslim, Book 003, Number 0662)
A woman called Muaza asked: “Why can’t a woman repay the canonical prayers after her purification from menstruation, but can repay fasting in the number days which she missed?” Aisha, the Prophet’s wife answered: “Are you from the sect of Haruriya which maintain that women should repay the prayers which they missed during menstruation?” She said: “No, I am not the one belong to Haruriya. I only ask for purpose of learning.” Then Aisha said: “After the period of menstruation, we were charged with the repay of fasting, not with daily prayers.” (Muslim)
The reason for postponed fasting but exemption from prayers to a menstruating woman:
Ibn Qayyum (RH) has said:
The obligation on a menstruating woman to fast but exemption allowed to her from prayers are among the beauties of Islam and its philosophies and concessions. The reason is that the menstruating is a form of worship so the act of worship itself is not allowed during this period. The woman’s praying in her clean days is enough for her prayers during her days of menstruation because prayers are repeated again and again, everyday. On the other hand, fasting is not an everyday affair but there is only one month in a year when fasting is compulsory and if the fasting on the menstruating days are exempted then their excellence cannot be compensated and the wisdom behind the fasting is lost to the woman.
Therefore, it is Wajib (necessary) on the woman to redeem the fast in her clean days so that she continous to recieve the benefits of fasting that Allah has allowed His slaves to enjoy- merely through His mercy and favour. (The wisdom behind the commands of Islam Pg. 124,125)
And Only Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.
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Moulana Qamruz Zaman
London, UK
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