Is it obligatory for a woman to wait sixty days to pray after giving birth to a female, or should she pray after the bleeding stops and she sees the white discharge, even if the bleeding, yellowish discharge, and brownish discharge return later?

Blood and yellowish discharge that return within the 40-day period after childbirth are considered lochia (nifas). Whatever exceeds 40 days is considered irregular bleeding (istihada), and ghusl (ritual bath) and prayer become obligatory thereafter.

The majority of scholars hold the view that the maximum duration of lochia is 40 days, and this is the madhhab of the Hanafis and Hanbalis. In contrast, the Shafi'is and Malikis believe it to be 60 days. The majority of scholars based their view on the hadith of Umm Salamah, which states that women in postpartum bleeding used to stay (without praying or fasting) for forty days and nights during the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him. They also relied on the fact that this was the opinion of most scholars among the Companions and their successors. If the bleeding continues after 40 days and coincides with the woman's regular menstrual period, it is considered menstruation. Otherwise, it is irregular bleeding (istihada), and the woman should perform ghusl, pray, fast, and will be subject to the rulings for ritually pure women.