❖ Question:
What is the prescribed duration of ‘iddah (waiting period) for a woman whose husband passes away while she is pregnant?
❖ Answer by:
Shaykh Ḥāfiẓ Khidr Ḥayāt ḥafiẓahullāh
✿ General Rule of ‘Iddah for Widows
When a woman's husband passes away, the general duration of her ‘iddah is four months and ten days, as stated in the Qur’ān:
"وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا"
[Al-Baqarah: 234]
“And those among you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath that they (the wives) wait for four months and ten days.”
✿ ‘Iddah for a Pregnant Woman
If the widow is pregnant, then her ‘iddah ends with the delivery of the child, whether this occurs before or after the standard four months and ten days. This is clearly established in the Qur’ān:
"وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ"
[At-Ṭalāq: 4]
“The term (of ‘iddah) for pregnant women is until they deliver their burden.”
✿ Clarification by the Tābiʿīn and Companions
It is narrated from the famous Tābiʿī Abū Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān that a man came to ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu), while Abū Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) was also present, and asked regarding a woman who gave birth forty days after her husband's death. He inquired about the duration of her ‘iddah.
Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) replied:
"آخِرُ الْأَجَلَيْنِ"
“Whichever of the two terms is longer should be considered.”
However, Abū Salamah presented the verse:
"وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ"
[At-Ṭalāq: 4]
✿ The Incident of Subayʿah al-Aslamiyyah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā)
Abū Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) then supported Abū Salamah, and Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) sent his servant Kuraib to Umm al-Mu’minīn Umm Salamah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) to verify the matter.
She reported:
"قُتِلَ زَوجُ سُبَيعةَ الأسلَمِيَّةِ وهي حُبلى، فوَضَعَت بعد موتِه بأربعينَ ليلةً، فخُطِبَت، فأنكَحَها رَسولُ الله صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم"
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4909]
“The husband of Subayʿah al-Aslamiyyah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) was martyred while she was pregnant. She delivered her child forty nights later. A marriage proposal was then sent to her, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her.”
✿ Ijmāʿ of the Ummah (Scholarly Consensus)
Scholars such as Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Qudāmah, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others have transmitted the consensus (ijmāʿ) that:
The ‘iddah of a pregnant widow ends with childbirth,
even if the duration is less than four months and ten days.
