What is the ruling on one whose days of nifas exceeded forty, and she subsequently stopped praying, not knowing the number of days she missed? And what should a woman do who had an IUD inserted and experienced light bleeding for 20 days after her menstrual period, and does she have to make up the prayers, and what is the method for making up prayers?

If you stopped praying after forty days, thinking you were still in a state of nifas (definition) (postpartum bleeding), there is no harm, in consideration of the opinion of some jurists who state that the maximum period of nifas is sixty days.

As for the continued bleeding for twenty days after inserting the IUD, this exceeds the maximum period of menstruation. Therefore, you are in a state of istihadah (definition) (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding), and you must refer to your previous menstrual habit. If you do not have a habit, then differentiate (between menstrual and non-menstrual blood). Otherwise, you should observe six or seven days of menstruation each month. You are obligated to make up the prayers you missed during the days of istihadah.