𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (313)

The Weakness of Hadiths Restricting Nifās to 40 Days In this regard, there are several marfū‘ (elevated) hadiths, though they contain weaknesses. Among the strongest of them is the narration reported by Imām Aḥmad (26561), Abū Dāwūd (311), Ibn Mājah (648), and al-Tirmidhī (139) from Mussah Al-Azdiyyah, who narrated from Umm Salamah that she said: ((كانت النفساء تجلس على عهد رسول الله ﷺ أربعين يومًا)). "During the time of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, postpartum women would remain [in their state] for forty days." Abū Dāwūd (312) also reported it with a different wording: ((كانت المرأة من نساء النبي ﷺ تقعد في النفاس أربعين ليلة، لا يأمرها النبي ﷺ بقضاء صلاة النفاس)) "A woman from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ would observe postpartum bleeding for forty nights, and the Prophet ﷺ would not command her to make up for the missed prayers of nifās (postpartum bleeding).” Al-Ḥākim authenticated the hadith, but there is nakārah (discrepancy) in its text, as none of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ gave birth after the obligation of prayer had been established. Khadījah (peace be upon her) had passed away before prayer was made obligatory. [Fatḥ al-Bārī, 2/187] As for Mussah, she is majhūlah (unknown). Al-Bukhārī stated: «لَا أَعْرِفُ لِمُسَّةَ غَيْرَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ» "I do not know of Mussah narrating any hadith other than this one." [‘Ilal al-Tirmidhī, 77] Ibn Al-Qaṭṭān said: «وَعلة الْخَبَر الْمَذْكُور، مسَّة الْمَذْكُورَة، وَهِي تكنى أم بسة، وَلَا تعرف حَالهَا وَلَا عينهَا» "The defect in this report is Mussah herself, who is also known as Umm Bissah. Her condition is unknown, and her identity is uncertain." [Bayān Al-Wahm wa Al-Ēyhām, 3/329] Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in Tahdhīb Al-Kamāl: «وقد روى عنها أبو سهل كثير بن زياد والحكم بن عتَيبة ومحمد بن عبيد الله العرزمي وزيد بن علي بن الحسين» "She was narrated from by Abū Sahl Kathīr ibn Ziyād, al-Ḥakam ibn ‘Utaybah, Muḥammad ibn ‘Ubaydillāh al-‘Arzamī, and Zayd ibn ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn." Al-Albānī commented on this, saying: وهو يشير بذلك إلى ارتفاع جهالة عينها برواية هؤلاء عنها؛ وكأنه يرد بذلك على ابن القطان "By mentioning these narrators, Ibn Al-Qayyim is indicating that her identity is no longer entirely unknown, and he seems to be responding to Ibn Al-Qaṭṭān." [Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd, 330] Adh-Dhahabī quoted Ad-Dāraquṭnī as saying: »لا يحتج بها» "She is not a reliable authority." Then Adh-Dhahabī commented: «لا يعرف لها إلا هذا الحديث» "I do not know of her except through this hadith." [Mīzān Al-I‘tidāl, 10996] Al-Ḥāfiẓ (Ibn Ḥajar) also classified her as majhūlat al-ḥāl (her reliability is unknown). [Al-Talkhīṣ, 238] There are many other supporting reports from Anas, Abū Hurayrah, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr, Abū Ad-Dardā’, ‘Uthmān ibn Abī Al-‘Āṣ, and ‘Ā’ishah. However, they are not suitable for consideration as corroborative evidence. Al-Bayhaqī stated: «كلها ضعيفة» "All of them are weak." [As-Sunan Al-Kubrā, 1611] ‘Abdul-Ḥaqq Al-Ishbīlī remarked: «وَهِي أَحَادِيث معتلة بأسانيد متروكة، وأحسنها حَدِيث أبي دَاوُد –يعني حديث مسة-» "These are all defective hadiths with abandoned chains of narration. The best among them is the hadith of Abū Dāwūd, meaning the narration of Mussah." [Bayān Al-Wahm wal Ēhām, 3/329] Ibn ‘Abd Al-Hādī stated: «هذه الأحاديث ليس فيها ما يصحُّ» "None of these hadiths are authentic." [Tanqīḥ al-Taḥqīq, 1/418] While some scholars have strengthened the hadith—such as Al-Ḥākim, An-Nawawī, and Al-Albānī—the correct view is that it is weak, as explained above. And Allāh knows best. Accordingly, the correct ruling on this matter is that there is no fixed limit for the maximum duration of nifās, just as there is no fixed minimum. The ruling is contingent upon the presence or absence of blood—whenever postpartum bleeding occurs, it is considered nifās, and when it ceases, the woman is considered pure.