Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Abu Sanabil (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Sabi’ah bint Harith gave birth to a child twenty days and some after her husband’s death. When she became pure from postnatal bleeding, she adorned herself. She was reproached for this. When this matter reached the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said that if she does so, it is permissible, because her waiting period has ended.

Hazrat Abu Salamah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I, Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them both) were in a gathering. A discussion took place among us regarding the ruling on the waiting period (‘iddah) if a woman's husband passes away and she gives birth to a child shortly after her husband's death. I said that her ‘iddah will be completed. Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that her ‘iddah will be whichever is longer between childbirth and four months and ten days. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I am with my brother Abu Salamah on this matter. Then he sent Hazrat Ibn Abbas’s (may Allah be pleased with them both) servant Kuraib to Hazrat Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her). Hazrat Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) decided on this issue, saying that Sabi’ah Aslamiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave birth to a child forty days after her husband’s death. After the birth of the child, a man from Banu Abd al-Dar, whose kunyah was Abu Sanabil, sent a marriage proposal to Sabi’ah Aslamiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) and told her that her ‘iddah had been completed. When Sabi’ah intended to marry someone else, Abu Sanabil said that your ‘iddah has not been completed. Sabi’ah mentioned this to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he permitted her to marry.

Hazrat Miswar (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Sabi’ah gave birth to a child one month after her husband’s death, so the Prophet ﷺ gave her permission to marry.

An Ansari narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that I heard your father saying: If a pregnant woman's husband is on the funeral bier after his death and the woman gives birth to the child, then the waiting period ('iddah) of that woman is completed.

Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Usman (may Allah be pleased with them) say that when the husband, shrouded in the burial cloth, is lying in the house and his wife gives birth to a child, then her waiting period is complete.

Hazrat Saeed bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding this matter. Hazrat Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) said that as soon as a woman gives birth to a child, her waiting period (iddah) is completed. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that her waiting period is four months and ten days. Hazrat Zaid said that if a woman has reached such an age in which pregnancy and childbirth are not conceivable, then what will be her waiting period? Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the longer of the two periods will be the waiting period. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that if the body of the pregnant woman's husband has not yet been lowered into the grave and she gives birth to the child, then her waiting period is completed.

Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that if someone wishes, I can swear an oath and say that the small Surah an-Nisa (Surah at-Talaq) (in which the waiting period for childbirth is mentioned) was revealed after the verse { أَرْبَعَۃ أَشْھُر وَّعَشْرًا } of the Holy Qur'an.

Hazrat Abu Qalabah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that if a pregnant woman's husband passes away, her waiting period (iddah) will be completed as soon as she gives birth to the child.

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) says that if a person divorces a pregnant woman or her husband passes away, then her waiting period (‘iddah) is until she gives birth.

Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the waiting period (‘iddah) of a pregnant woman is until she gives birth, and Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the longer of the two periods will be her waiting period.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The longer of the two periods will be her waiting period (iddah).

Hazrat Amr bin Salim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the waiting period ('iddah) of some women has not been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse of the Holy Qur'an: { وَاللاَّئِی یَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِیضِ مِنْ نِسَائِکُمْ إنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُہُنَّ ثَلاَثَۃُ أَشْہُرٍ وَاللاَّئِی لَمْ یَحِضْنَ وَأُولاَتُ الأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُہُنَّ أَنْ یَضَعْنَ حَمْلَہُنَّ } (At-Talaq: 4)

Hazrat Ibn Sirin says that I was in the gathering of Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila, may Allah have mercy on him. He said that the waiting period (‘iddah) of a pregnant woman is whichever of the two periods is longer. Upon this, I narrated the account of Hazrat Subai’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) from Hazrat Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him), so his students began to glare at me. I said that I cannot lie about Hazrat Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him), as he narrated this in a corner of the mosque.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that the waiting period (‘iddah) of a pregnant woman whose husband passes away is whichever of the two periods is longer.

Hazrat Ubaidullah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates from his father that Hazrat Subai’ah, may Allah be pleased with her, gave birth to a child twenty days or one month after the death of her husband. Abu Sanabil bin Ba’kkak, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by her and said, “Are you ready for marriage? Do not marry until four months and ten days have passed.” She went to the Prophet ﷺ and related the whole matter, so he said, “You are lawful for marriage.”

Hazrat Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hazrat Amr bin Utbah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote a letter to Hazrat Subai’ah bint Harith (may Allah have mercy on her) and asked her about her incident. She replied in writing that she had given birth to a child twenty-five days after her husband's death. Then she prepared herself in search of good. Abu Sanabil bin Ba’kkak (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by her and said, "You have hurried; complete the longer of the two waiting periods, that is, four months and ten days." Then she presented herself before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Pray for my forgiveness." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "What has happened?" She narrated the whole story, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you find a good husband, then marry him."

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Ma'qal (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I was present in the gathering of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), when a man asked him: "What is the waiting period ('iddah) for a pregnant woman whose husband has passed away?" Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "She will observe the longer of the two periods as her 'iddah." A man said: "Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) gives the verdict that the 'iddah is completed upon delivery?" Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "He does not know."