After a month and a half from the end of postpartum bleeding, my wife occasionally finds a small amount of blood, and she is breastfeeding. What is this blood, and should she fast and pray when she experiences it?
This is postpartum bleeding, so she should not fast or pray until she sees the signs of purity, unless it exceeds sixty days, as the maximum duration for postpartum bleeding is sixty days, and the majority of women experience forty days. If it exceeds sixty days, it is considered irregular bleeding (Istihada). It would be advisable to consult a doctor after the sixty days. And Allah Knows Best.
Is it permissible for a Muslim physician to specialize in gynecology obstetrics, and what is the ruling on working as such?
Some fields of knowledge are an individual duty while others are a collective one, and specializing in gynecology obstetrics is a collective duty. However, if there were female physicians to treat women, then there is no need for a male gynecology obstetrics specialist to look at women`s Awrahs (private parts) except in necessary situations since the jurisprudential maxim says:” Necessity must only be assessed and answered proportionately.” And Allah Knows Best.
If the fasting of nine years has accumulated upon me, I wish to make them up by dividing them over several years, as it is difficult to fast them all in one year due to their large number. Consequently, expiation will be due on me. Is it permissible to pay the expiation after completing all the make-up fasts, even if it takes years?
If the fasting was broken due to a valid legal excuse, it is permissible to divide the make-up fasts over several years based on one’s ability. However, if a person passes away before completing the make-up fasts, the heirs must fast on their behalf or feed one needy person for each missed day.
If the fasting was broken without a valid excuse, one must hasten to make it up. Should the person die before completing the make-up fasts, the heirs must either fast or feed the needy on their behalf. As for the expiation, it is calculated after completing all the make-up fasts. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling of Sharia on male doctor delivering a baby?
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The person most entitled to deliver a baby is a Muslim woman, then a woman from the People of the Book, then a woman from the disbelievers, then a Muslim man, then a man from the People of the Book. However, if there was no woman to deliver the baby, then it is permissible for a male doctor do deliver it. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
