Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
If a woman is pregnant and got divorced in this condition, and has had an abortion within few days after the ṭalāq (she was in her 11th week of pregnancy). Now what happens with her ‘iddah? Still carry on 3 months?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.
The ruling in the described situation is that if four months of the pregnancy have passed, thereafter abortion was done, then the ‘iddah has ended. If however, the pregnancy was less than four months, the duration of three complete menses will be required in order for the ‘iddah to be complete. Mere abortion in such a situation will not conclude the ‘iddah. (See: Rad-Al-Muḥtār, Page 190, Volume 5, Dār Al-Ālam Al-Kutub)[1]
“And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth.” – (Qur’ān 65:4)[2]
“Divorced women remain in waiting for three menstrual periods.” – (Qur’an 2:228)[3]
Only Allāh knows best
[1] قَوْلُهُ وَضْعُ حَمْلِهَا أَيْ بِلَا تَقْدِيرٍ بِمُدَّةٍ سَوَاءٌ وَلَدَتْ بَعْدَ الطَّلَاقِ، أَوْ الْمَوْتِ بِيَوْمٍ، أَوْ أَقَلَّ جَوْهَرَةٌ، وَالْمُرَادُ بِهِ الْحَمْلُ الَّذِي اسْتَبَانَ بَعْضُ خَلْقِهِ، أَوْ كُلُّهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَبِنْ بَعْضُهُ لَمْ تَنْقَضِ الْعِدَّةُ لِأَنَّ الْحَمْلَ اسْمٌ لِنُطْفَةٍ مُتَغَيِّرَةٍ، فَإِذَا كَانَ مُضْغَةً، أَوْ عَلَقَةً لَمْ تَتَغَيَّرْ، فَلَا يُعْرَفُ كَوْنُهَا مُتَغَيِّرَةً بِيَقِينٍ إلَّا بِاسْتِبَانَةِ بَعْضِ الْخَلْقِ بَحْرٌ عَنْ الْمُحِيطِ. وَفِيهِ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا أَنَّهُ لَا يَسْتَبِينُ إلَّا فِي مِائَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا. وَفِيهِ عَنْ الْمُجْتَبَى أَنَّ الْمُسْتَبِينَ بَعْضُ خَلْقِهِ يُعْتَبَرُ فِيهِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ، وَتَامَّ الْخَلْقِ سِتَّةُ أَشْهُرٍ، وَقَدَّمْنَا فِي الْحَيْضِ اسْتِشْكَالَ صَاحِبِ الْبَحْرِ لِهَذَا بِأَنَّ الْمُشَاهَدَ ظُهُورُ الْخَلْقِ قَبْلَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ، فَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ نَفْخُ الرُّوحِ – رد المحتار ٥/١٩٠
[2] وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ – الطلاق ٤
[3] وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَاثَةَ قُرُوءٍ – البقرة ٢٢٨