Nifas refers to "Post-Natal Bleeding" after childbirth. In Islamic law, a woman in a state of Nifas is exempt from the five daily prayers and the fast of Ramadan (which she makes up later). She is also prohibited from having intimate relations with her husband until the bleeding stops or a maximum of 40 days has passed. Once the state of Nifas ends, she performs "Ghusl" (a ritual bath) to return to a state of purity. These rulings are intended to provide the mother with a period of rest and physical recovery.