In
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, ''iddah'' or ''iddat'' ( ar, العدة, al-ʿidda; "period of waiting") is the period a woman must observe after the death of her husband or after a
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
, during which she may not
marry
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
another man.
One of its main purposes is to remove any doubt as to the paternity of a child born after the divorce or death of the prior husband.
The length of ‘iddah varies according to a number of circumstances. Generally, the ‘iddah of a divorced woman is three
lunar months
In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive syzygies of the same type: new moons or full moons. The precise definition varies, especially for the beginning of the month.
Variations
In Shona, Middle Eastern, and Euro ...
(i.e. about 89 days), but if the marriage was not
consummated there is no ‘iddah. For a woman whose husband has died, the ‘iddah is four lunar months and ten days (i.e. about 128 days) after the death of her husband, whether or not the marriage was consummated. If a woman is pregnant when she is widowed or divorced, the ‘iddah lasts until she gives birth.
Islamic scholars consider this directive to be a balance between mourning of husband's death and protecting the widow from criticism that she might be subjected to from remarrying too quickly after her husband’s death. This is also to ascertain whether a woman is
pregnant
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestation, gestates) inside a woman, woman's uterus (womb). A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Pregnancy usually occur ...
or not, since four and a half months is half the length of a normal pregnancy.
Iddah for widows
Scriptural basis
The directive within the Quran (
Al-Baqarah
Al-Baqara, alternatively transliterated Al-Baqarah ( ar, الْبَقَرَة, ; "The Heifer" or "The Cow"), is the second and longest chapter (''surah'') of the Quran. It consists of 286 verses ('' āyāt'') which begin with the "mysteriou ...
2:234-235), regarding the waiting period for a widow, is:
Main directives
The following is a summary of the main directives (for widows) contained in these verses:
# The waiting period (Iddah) of a widow is four months and ten days;
# During this period, the woman is not to marry another man;
# During this period, a person may declare his intentions of marrying the widow — in a socially acceptable manner — or he may keep such intentions to himself, yet he should not make a secret commitment of marriage with the widow; and
# The time and place of the marriage-contract should be finalized and committed to only after the period of four months and ten days has expired.
These are the basic
Sharia
Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...
directives regarding the waiting period for a widow. It is also clear from another directive of the Quran that during this waiting period, the woman should not be turned out of her house.
Iddah for divorced women
Scriptural basis
The directive within the Quran (
Al-Baqarah
Al-Baqara, alternatively transliterated Al-Baqarah ( ar, الْبَقَرَة, ; "The Heifer" or "The Cow"), is the second and longest chapter (''surah'') of the Quran. It consists of 286 verses ('' āyāt'') which begin with the "mysteriou ...
2:228), regarding the waiting period for a divorcee, is:
In surah
Al-Ahzab it is stated:
In the Quran surah
At-Talaq
"Divorce" ( ar, الطلاق, ''aṭ-talāq'') is the 65th chapter of the Qur'an with 12 verses ('' ayat''). At-Talaq is not only the name of this Surah but also the title of its subject matter, as it contains commandments about Talaq (divo ...
Verse 65:4, it is stated:
The directive within the Quran Surat
At-Talaq
"Divorce" ( ar, الطلاق, ''aṭ-talāq'') is the 65th chapter of the Qur'an with 12 verses ('' ayat''). At-Talaq is not only the name of this Surah but also the title of its subject matter, as it contains commandments about Talaq (divo ...
65:4, regarding the waiting period for "those who have no courses" (i.e. they are still young), is:
And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubts (about their periods), is three months, and for those who have no courses (i.e. they are still immature) their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise, except in case of death.
The Mohsin Khan translation also clarifies that this refers to those who have not yet menstruated, as they are "still immature".
Main directives
The following is a summary of the main directives (for divorces) contained in these verses:
#The waiting period for a menstruating woman is, three monthly periods
#The waiting period for a non-menstruating women is, three lunar months
#The waiting period of a woman who has no monthly courses (due to
young age) is three months
#The husband is more entitled to take her back during this period provided that he wants reconciliation. However this is the case only in case of first or second divorce.
#If a Muslim man marries a Muslim woman then divorces her before touching her then there is no iddah.
Commentaries
Imam Suyuti's commentary, Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And as for those of your women who read allā’ī or allā’i in both instances no longer expect to menstruate if you have any doubts about their waiting period their prescribed waiting period shall be three months and also for those who have not yet menstruated because of their young age their period shall also be three months — both cases apply to other than those whose spouses have died; for these latter their period is prescribed in the verse they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten days.
Tafsir ibn Kathir, says of this verse,
Her Iddah is three months instead of the three monthly cycles for those who menstruate, which is based upon the Ayah in (Surat) Al-Baqarah. (see 2:228) The same for the young, who have not reached the years of menstruation. Their `Iddah is three months like those in menopause.
The Tafsir al Jalalyn co-authored by the scholar Imam Suyuti says of this verse
And s for
S, or s, is the nineteenth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphab ...
those of your women who (read allā’ī or allā’i in both instances) no longer expect to menstruate, if you have any doubts, about their waiting period, their prescribed aitingperiod shall be three months, and lso forthose who have not yet menstruated, because of their young age, their period shall lsobe three months
Iddah for pregnant women
Scriptural basis
Main directive
Divorced women and widows who are pregnant cannot remarry until delivery. Remarriage cannot take place until a period of waiting removes all doubt about any existing pregnancy.
See also
*
Divorce in Islam
Divorce in Islam can take a variety of forms, some initiated by the husband and some initiated by the wife. The main traditional legal categories are ''talaq'' ( repudiation), ''khulʿ'' (mutual divorce or ransom divorce) Historically, the rules ...
*
Menstruation in Islam
Menstruation in Islam relates to various purity related restrictions in Islamic jurisprudence. The ḥaiḍ (حيض menses) is the religious state of menstruation in Islam. The Qur'an makes specific mention of menstruation in Quran 2:222 which i ...
*
Niddah
Niddah (or nidah; he, נִדָּה), in traditional Judaism, describes a woman who has experienced a uterine discharge of blood (most commonly during menstruation), or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirem ...
separation of menstruating women in Judaism
References
{{reflist
Marriage in Islam
Divorce in Islam
Islamic terminology