Q: If a woman miscarries, does she have to make up for the Salah (Prayers) and Sawm (Fasts) she missed from the time of bleeding before the miscarriage or does she fall under the same ruling as the menstruating woman? If there is no bleeding, what will the ruling be? If she had a miscarriage, will she be considered in postpartum period or not?

A: All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, and his family and Companions. If a woman suffers miscarriage of a fetus that is just a clot or a little lump of tissue with no discernible human features, she will not be considered in postpartum period. Whatever blood she passes before or after the miscarriage is considered abnormal vaginal bleeding. So, she must observe Salah and Sawm in spite of the presence of that bleeding; she only has to perform Wudu’ (ablution) before offering every Salah. She must keep herself clean from the blood by placing a cotton pad or something of the kind. If the miscarried fetus has developed human features, then she falls under the ruling of postpartum women and she must stop observing Salah and Sawm. It will also be unlawful for her husband to have sexual intercourse with her until she is purified, or forty days elapse. If she becomes pure before the passage of forty days, she has to take Ghusl (ritual bath) and then observe Salah, Sawm, and it becomes lawful for her husband to have sexual intercourse with her.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.