she must perform ghusl, pray, and fast—unless it coincides with her usual menstrual period, in which case it is menstruation—because the maximum duration of postnatal bleeding is forty days.

According to the second view, she remains in postnatal bleeding until she reaches sixty days. This is the view of Malik (1) and al-Shafi‘i (2), and Ibn ‘Aqil related it as a narration from Ahmad (3).

They reasoned that the matter is determined by actual occurrence, and cases have in fact occurred in which a woman’s postnatal bleeding lasted sixty days.

They interpreted the hadith of Umm Salamah as referring to what usually occurs.

Supporting this interpretation is the fact that some women continue to bleed after forty days with the same characteristics, odor, and uninterrupted pattern.

How, then, could it be said, for example, that if she gave birth at twelve o’clock in the afternoon, and her forty days were completed at twelve o’clock on the fortieth day, that at five minutes before twelve on the fortieth day her blood is postnatal blood, yet at five minutes past twelve on that very same day her blood is blood of purity? The sunnah does not make such a distinction where there is no relevant difference.

If it is said: This objection also applies to sixty days,

then the answer is that this is the longest period stated by the recognized scholars in this issue. Although some scholars have said that its maximum is seventy days (4), this is a weak and anomalous view.