What is the Proper Procedure After an Early Miscarriage?

Answered by Ustadha Shaista Maqbool

Question: Salam,

My wife recently had a very early miscarriage (1-2 weeks into the pregnancy). What do we have to do now? Must there be a burial or janaza? Can she pray? (She is bleeding very strong) If not, how long must she wait? What else do we have to do now?

Answer:  Wa’alaikum assalaam warahmatu Allah,

May this find you and your family in the best of states.

When the miscarriage is such that no features of the fetus are apparent (such as an early one like in your case), then the bleeding after it will not be considered postpartum bleeding but will go according to the rules of menstruation. Whether your wife must pray or not depends on if the bleeding she is seeing would be considered menstruation or istihadah (intermittent bleeding) according to the purity she has/has not seen and/or her habit.
Please refer to the rules of menstruation for details.

There is no burial/janazah prayer for such a miscarriage.

As for now, have patience and make dua to Allah ta’ala, striving to be of those who Allah says of them: “Indeed Allah is with those who are patient.”

wasalaam,
Shaista Maqbool

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani