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Post-natal bleeding (nifas) problems

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Hamza Karamali, SunniPath Academy Teacher

I usually used to have 7 to 8 days of menses. I had my third baby on July 23rd of this year, alhamdulillaah and my nifaas continued until the 11th of September, i.e., I had just spotting after almost 25 days and that too after 3o days I would see some drops once every 2 to 3 days. After the 11th I didn’t see any spotting whatsoever. Then on the 16th of October I saw some stain of blood on the tissue when I wiped after istinja. After that I didn’t see anything until the 30th of the same month when I saw a blood stain again twice (at the interval of 2 hours nothing in between). Then after that I saw on the 3rd, another stain after performing istinja’ with nothing after that. Then again the next morning, I saw another stain once, and then again on the 7th, then again on the 10th and 11th (after performing istinja). Then I saw another on the 18th, then again on the 21st. On the 22nd I saw the same stain 4 times on the tissue with nothing in between. Then again on the 24th which is today where I saw it 3 times already. In between these spottings I have pale yellow discharge. I keep cotton balls to see if blood comes on it but there is nothing. What I see is just there momentarily. I use the restroom and perform istinja’, then I wipe with the tissue which is when I see the stain. What do I do?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Here is my summary of your situation, followed by what you should do. If you find a mistake in my understanding of your situation, please point it out to me and I’ll in-sha’Allah get back to you immediately with the revised rulings.

Your Situation:

July 23 – Sep 11 — Nifas

Oct 16 — Nov 24 — You see spots of blood at random times. These spots do not add up to 24 hours within a 15 day period. In addition to spotting, throughout this period, you also notice pale yellow discharge. This pale yellow discharge is continuous and never stops. It does not smell like your regular menstrual flow.

What you should do:

According to the soundest (asahh) position in the Shafi`i school, yellow or dusky-coloured discharge is considered menstrual blood, provided it meets the other conditions of menstruation. Post-menstrual discharge must be white (without any discoloration) before it is no longer considered menstrual blood. There is another position in the school that says that yellow and dusky-colored discharge is not considered menstrual blood. This is weaker than the first position, but strong enough to be followed. You therefore have two options.

Option 1: The strongest position in the school

The way of caution is to follow the stronger position in the school. According to this position, you are in a state of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Given your circumstances, you should follow your last valid menstrual cycle. So if your last valid menstrual cycle before your nifas was 7 days of bleeding followed by 23 days of purity, then starting October 16, you will consider the first 7 days as menstrual blood and the following 23 days as purity, then another 7 days of menses followed by another 23 days of purity, and so on.

Option 2: The weaker position in the school

It is also permissible for you to follow the weaker position in the school, which holds that yellow discharge is not menstrual blood. According to this position, you have not had any menstrual bleeding since your nifas. The spotting that you see is all abnormal bleeding. If you missed any prayers during this period, they would have to be made up. Even though the yellow discharge is not considered menstruation, it is considered filth (najasa) and it does invalidate your ablution. You would have to pray as a woman with chronic vaginal discharge does.

Please don’t hesitate to follow up with further clarification requests.

And Allah knows best.

Hamza

 

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