Short answer
No. A miscarriage is a test and a loss, not a punishment and not your fault. The Prophet ﷺ said that every pain and grief a Muslim suffers wipes away sins, and patience in loss brings great reward. Grieve, rest and look after yourself. A baby lost after four months is named, washed, wrapped and buried.
Miscarriage is from Allah's decree, and the mother is rewarded for her pain and patience. If the baby's features had formed, it is named, washed, wrapped and buried; janazah is prayed only if it was born alive. Bleeding after a miscarriage where some features had formed is nifas.
Other madhhabs
- Hanbali
- A miscarried baby of four months or more is washed and the janazah prayer is offered for it, even if it showed no sign of life.
Explanation
Losing a pregnancy is painful, and many mothers ask what they did wrong. Most early miscarriages happen for reasons no one could have prevented. Islam does not teach that it is a sign of Allah's anger. The prophets were tested more than anyone, and Allah says He will test us with loss of lives and give good news to the patient, who say, "We belong to Allah and to Him we return."
The Prophet ﷺ said that no fatigue, illness, worry, grief or harm reaches a Muslim, not even a thorn's prick, except that Allah wipes away some of their sins by it. He also said that the believer's affairs are all good: in hardship he is patient, and that is good for him. Crying is not a lack of patience. He wept when his son Ibrahim died.
What to do after a miscarriage:
- If the baby's limbs or features had formed (usually by about four months), give the baby a name, wash, wrap and bury them. The janazah prayer is offered only if the baby showed signs of life. See janazah for a stillborn baby.
- For prayer and bleeding afterwards, see bleeding after a miscarriage.
- Rest, eat and follow a qualified doctor's advice on recovery and on trying again.
- Fathers grieve too. Talk to each other, and do not blame each other.
Many parents find comfort in making dua for the baby and for themselves, and in giving charity. If sadness stays heavy for weeks, speak to your doctor; grief after pregnancy loss can turn into depression, and getting help is part of looking after the trust of your body.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:155-156
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦﴾
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."
Loss is a test, and patience in it is rewarded.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5641
Sahih... ما يصيب المسلم من نصب ولا وصب ولا هم ...
"No fatigue, illness, worry or grief befalls a Muslim, not even a thorn's prick, except that Allah expiates some of his sins by it."
Pain and grief bring forgiveness, not punishment.
Sahih Muslim 2999
Sahih... عجبا لأمر المؤمن إن أمره كله خير ...
"How wonderful is the affair of the believer: all of it is good for him."
Patience in hardship is good for the believer.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salah, Bab Salat al-Janazah. A baby born without signs of life is named, washed, wrapped and buried without the prayer.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Bab al-Hayd, on nifas after miscarriage. Bleeding after a miscarriage in which some features had formed is nifas.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.