صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الطلاقThe Book of Divorce
باب وُجُوبِ الإِحْدَادِ فِي عِدَّةِ الْوَفَاةِ وَتَحْرِيمِهِ فِي غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ:Chapter: The Obligation to mourn during the 'Iddah following the death of one's husband, but it is forbidden to mourn for more than three days in other cases
قَالَ حُمَيْدٌ : قُلْتُ لِزَيْنَبَ وَمَا تَرْمِي بِالْبَعْرَةِ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ ؟ فقَالَت زَيْنَبُ : كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا دَخَلَتْ حِفْشًا ، وَلَبِسَتْ شَرَّ ثِيَابِهَا ، وَلَمْ تَمَسَّ طِيبًا وَلَا شَيْئًا ، حَتَّى تَمُرَّ بِهَا سَنَةٌ ، ثُمَّ تُؤْتَى بِدَابَّةٍ حِمَارٍ أَوْ شَاةٍ أَوْ طَيْرٍ فَتَفْتَضُّ بِهِ ، فَقَلَّمَا تَفْتَضُّ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا مَاتَ ، ثُمَّ تَخْرُجُ ، فَتُعْطَى بَعْرَةً ، فَتَرْمِي بِهَا ، ثُمَّ تُرَاجِعُ بَعْدُ مَا شَاءَتْ مِنْ طِيبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ .
Humaid said: I said to Zainab: What is this throwing of dung until a year is passed? Zainab said: When the husband of a woman died, she went into a hut and put on her worst clothes, and did not apply perfume or something like it until a year was over. Then an animal like a donkey, or a goat, or a bird was brought to her and she rubbed her hand over it, and it so happened that one on which she rubbed her hand died. She then came out of her house and she was given dung and she threw it and then she made use of anything like perfume or something else as she liked.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Taf-taddu:
To end the waiting period (‘iddah).
Its form was such that, due to not cleaning or purifying herself for a whole year, her appearance would become frightening, and because of not using water, poison would develop in her body. An animal would be presented to her, which she would touch with her private part, and that animal would die. This would be the announcement of the end of her waiting period (‘iddah). After this, she would immediately go home, bathe and wash herself, and by throwing a dung pellet, she would indicate that even a little right of mourning for her husband had not been fulfilled.
Benefits and Issues:
➊ The brother of Zaynab bint Jahsh radi Allahu anha who died after the life of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was Abu Ahmad, because Abdullah was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, and Ubaydullah bin Jahsh, who was the husband of Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, became an apostate and died in Abyssinia.
➋ The meaning of mourning (iddah) is that a woman cannot use adornment and beautification during her waiting period. Throughout its duration, she will remain in such a state and appearance, and with such clothing and manner, that her widowhood and grief will be apparent. Bright, flashy, and beautiful colored clothes that are used for adornment, as well as jewelry, ornaments, and beautification or makeup (such as rouge, powder, etc.), are not permissible to use. Without an extremely severe need, it is also not permissible to use kohl (surma). In case of severe necessity, kohl may be used at night, but it should be cleaned off during the day. This is the position of the majority, but according to the Zahiris, even applying kohl is not permissible, because it is an item of adornment. If the medicine is such that it is not a means of adornment, then it is permissible.
➌ It is obligatory for every widow to observe mourning, whether she has consummated the marriage or not, whether she is young or old, Muslim or from the People of the Book, free or a slave (as long as she is in marriage). This is the view of the majority, but according to the Hanafis and some Malikis, mourning is obligatory only for an adult Muslim woman, not for a minor or a non-Muslim woman. There is a difference of opinion regarding the mourning of a woman divorced by three pronouncements (mutaallaqah thalathah): according to Imam Malik rahimahullah and Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, there is no mourning for her; according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, mourning is also obligatory for her. As for the death of someone other than the husband, such as a father, brother, or son, if a woman expresses her heartfelt grief in the form of mourning, she is only permitted to do so for up to three days; it is not permissible to mourn for more than this.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Taf-taddu:
To end the waiting period (‘iddah).
Its form was such that, due to not cleaning or purifying herself for a whole year, her appearance would become frightening, and because of not using water, poison would develop in her body. An animal would be presented to her, which she would touch with her private part, and that animal would die. This would be the announcement of the end of her waiting period (‘iddah). After this, she would immediately go home, bathe and wash herself, and by throwing a dung pellet, she would indicate that even a little right of mourning for her husband had not been fulfilled.
Benefits and Issues:
➊ The brother of Zaynab bint Jahsh radi Allahu anha who died after the life of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was Abu Ahmad, because Abdullah was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, and Ubaydullah bin Jahsh, who was the husband of Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, became an apostate and died in Abyssinia.
➋ The meaning of mourning (iddah) is that a woman cannot use adornment and beautification during her waiting period. Throughout its duration, she will remain in such a state and appearance, and with such clothing and manner, that her widowhood and grief will be apparent. Bright, flashy, and beautiful colored clothes that are used for adornment, as well as jewelry, ornaments, and beautification or makeup (such as rouge, powder, etc.), are not permissible to use. Without an extremely severe need, it is also not permissible to use kohl (surma). In case of severe necessity, kohl may be used at night, but it should be cleaned off during the day. This is the position of the majority, but according to the Zahiris, even applying kohl is not permissible, because it is an item of adornment. If the medicine is such that it is not a means of adornment, then it is permissible.
➌ It is obligatory for every widow to observe mourning, whether she has consummated the marriage or not, whether she is young or old, Muslim or from the People of the Book, free or a slave (as long as she is in marriage). This is the view of the majority, but according to the Hanafis and some Malikis, mourning is obligatory only for an adult Muslim woman, not for a minor or a non-Muslim woman. There is a difference of opinion regarding the mourning of a woman divorced by three pronouncements (mutaallaqah thalathah): according to Imam Malik rahimahullah and Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, there is no mourning for her; according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, mourning is also obligatory for her. As for the death of someone other than the husband, such as a father, brother, or son, if a woman expresses her heartfelt grief in the form of mourning, she is only permitted to do so for up to three days; it is not permissible to mourn for more than this.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 3728
