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Length of the Period of ‘Iddat

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by ShariahBoard.org

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah 

What is the length of the period of ‘iddah?

My sister’s huband passed away on March 13th 2017 (14TH Jamadiul-Akhir). When will her ‘iddah end? 

JazakAllah Khair

الجواب وباللہ التوفیق

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah 

 
If at the time of the death of the husband the wife is pregnant, then the period of ‘Iddah will be completed with the completion of the period of pregnancy. If the wife is not pregnant then the period of ‘Iddah is equal to 4 months and 10 days where the months are considered as lunar (instead of calendar year), whether the month ends in 29 or 30 days. As soon as the 4 months and 10 days are completed, the period of ‘Iddah will be considered as complete. This ruling is when the death of the husband took place on the first of the lunar month. 
 
If the death of the husband took place on any other date other than the first of the lunar month, as the situation mentioned in this question, then every month will be considered equivalent to 30 days. In other words, from the date of the husband’s death, the total number of days in this case for the period of ‘Iddah will be equal to 130 days.  
 

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ(البقرۃ:۲۳۴)

عِدَّةُ الْحُرَّةِ في الْوَفَاةِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشَرَةُ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءٌ كانت مَدْخُولًا بها أو لَا مُسْلِمَةً أو كِتَابِيَّةً تَحْتَ مُسْلِمٍ صَغِيرَةً أو كَبِيرَةً أو آيِسَةً(فتاویٰ ہندیہ:۱/۵۲۹)

إذَا وَجَبَتْ الْعِدَّةُ بِالشُّهُورِ في الطَّلَاقِ وَالْوَفَاةِ فَإِنْ اتَّفَقَ ذلك في غُرَّةِ الشَّهْرِ اُعْتُبِرَتْ الشُّهُورُ بِالْأَهِلَّةِ وَإِنْ نَقَصَ الْعَدَدُ عن ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا وَإِنْ اتَّفَقَ ذلك في خِلَالِهِ فَعِنْدَ أبي حَنِيفَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَإِحْدَى الرِّوَايَتَيْنِ عن أبي يُوسُفَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يُعْتَبَرُ في ذلك عَدَدُ الْأَيَّامِ تِسْعُونَ يَوْمًا في الطَّلَاقِ وفي الْوَفَاةِ يُعْتَبَرُ مِائَةٌ وَثَلَاثُونَ يَوْمًا كَذَا في الْمُحِيط(فتاویٰ ہندیہ:۱/۵۲۷)

وَاللَّائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا(الطلاق:۴ تا ۶)

فقط واللہ اعلم بالصواب

This answer was collected from Shariahboard.org. It was established under the supervision of the eminent faqih of our era, Hazrat Shah Mufti Mohammed Navalur Rahman damat barakatuhum.

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