Muslim scholars have different views regarding the minimum and maximum period of postpartum bleeding. However, they have agreed that if a woman’s bleeding stops 15 days after she gives birth, she is required to perform ghusl and resume prayer.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states the following: If postpartum bleeding has stopped after 15 days, then a lady is certainly required to resume her regular prayers following ghusl (ritual bath).
Scholars have held different views concerning the minimum and maximum period of postpartum bleeding. But they have unanimously agreed that a woman is required to resume her prayers if her bleeding stops after 15 days, following ghusl.
The scholars, however, disagree in regards to the maximum number of days if the bleeding lasts more 40 days. While some of them hold the view that she must resume prayer following ghusl after 40 days, others, such as Imam Ash-Shafi`i and others are of the opinion that the cut-off point is 60 days, if the bleeding continues unabated.
It is, however, possible for us today to come out of the above controversy by seeking expert medical opinion as to whether the bleeding thus experienced is related to child birth or menses or due to other complications. A woman can thus refrain from prayer only when it is established that bleeding is certainly related to childbirth. If, however, that is not the case, she is required to resume her prayers and fasts, following a complete bath (ghusl).