Muwatta Imam Malik (Riwayat Yahya)

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, the ruling is that if a divorced woman’s menstruation stops, she should wait for nine months. If her menstruation does not return within that time, then she should observe a waiting period (‘iddah) of three months. If her menstruation starts before the completion of three months, then the ‘iddah should begin from the menstruation. If again her menstruation does not return for nine months, then she should observe a waiting period of three months. If her menstruation returns within those three months, then the ‘iddah should begin from the menstruation. Then, if her menstruation does not return for nine months, she should observe a waiting period of three months. If her menstruation returns within those three months, then the ‘iddah should be completed with menstruation. And when menstruation does not return, she should complete the ‘iddah of three months and then she may marry another man. During this three-year waiting period, the husband has the right to take her back, unless he has already given her three divorces.