Understanding Postnatal Bleeding: Myths and Islamic Guidelines

Clarifying the Practices Around Postnatal Bleeding and Bathing in Islam

Question: It has become common that women in postnatal bleeding are bathed in water on five different occasions over forty days, and some refrain from worship even if the bleeding stops before forty days. They also bathe the mother and the child together after forty days. Is there any basis for this?

Answer: Like menstruation, postnatal bleeding is a state of impurity, and washing does not remove this impurity. However, a woman may bathe for personal cleanliness. The practice of bathing a woman five times during postnatal bleeding, known as “Chhati” or “Chela,” has no basis in Shariah and results from societal ignorance. In Shariah, a woman should perform the purifying bath and resume prayer as soon as she becomes pure before the forty days. Some women mistakenly believe they must wait forty days even if their bleeding stops, but this contradicts Islamic teachings, which dictate that as soon as a woman is pure, she should perform Ghusl and resume prayer. The newborn has no connection with the fortieth day or with performing Wudu, so bathing the child on the fortieth day is also due to societal misconceptions. According to Islamic teachings, a newborn should be bathed on the seventh day, and afterward as needed, but there is no basis for specifically bathing on the fortieth day.

Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah 

Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia  

Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail