the time for the noon prayer begins and she has not seen any blood, she does not perform ghusl; rather, she performs ablution and prays.
If a woman in postnatal bleeding sees blood for one day, two days, ten, twenty, thirty, or forty days, it is postnatal bleeding. Whatever exceeds that, according to the established position of the school, is not postnatal bleeding, because the maximum duration of postnatal bleeding is forty days.
They cited as evidence the report from Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: “During the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, a woman in postnatal bleeding would refrain from prayer for forty days.” (1) Some scholars have judged this hadith weak, while others have deemed it sound and strengthened it; it has corroborating reports that raise it to the level of a fair hadith.
It may mean that this is the maximum duration of postnatal bleeding, or it may mean that this is what usually occurs.
According to the first view, once forty days have been completed and the bleeding continues, then it
(1) Reported by Ahmad (6:300, 304, 309, 310); Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, chapter: “What Has Been Reported Regarding the Duration of Postpartum Bleeding,” no. 311; al-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Purification, chapter: “What Has Been Reported Regarding How Long a Woman with Postpartum Bleeding Remains,” no. 139; Ibn Majah, Book of Purification, chapter: “How Long a Woman with Postpartum Bleeding Remains Seated,” no. 648; al-Hakim (1:175); and others, through Kathir ibn Ziyad, from Massa al-Azdiyyah, from Umm Salamah, with this wording.
Its chain was deemed weak because of Massa al-Azdiyyah, whose status is unknown. Al-Hafiz classified her as maqbul (acceptable), in al-Taqrib, no. 1372; that is, when she is corroborated.
The hadith has numerous supporting reports, but none of them is free from criticism, and whether they are suitable for corroboration is open to question. See Nasb al-Rayah, 1:204.
Al-Hakim graded the hadith authentic, and al-Dhahabi concurred. Al-Nawawi said: “It is a sound hadith, reported by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and others. Al-Khattabi said: Al-Bukhari commended this hadith. As for the claim of some authors of legal works that it is weak, this is refuted.” Al-Khulasah, no. 640. Al-Bukhari’s commendation of this hadith is therefore what should be relied upon. And Allah knows best. See al-Tirmidhi’s al-Ilal al-Kabir, 1:193.