Waiting period of a widow

2662. If a woman is free and is not pregnant and her husband dies, she should observe Iddah (the waiting period) for four months and ten days, that is, she should not marry during that period even if she has entered into menopause or her husband had contracted temporary marriage with her, or he may not have had sexual intercourse with her. If, however, she is pregnant, she should observe the waiting period till the birth of the child. But if the child is born before the end of four months and ten days from the death of her husband, she should wait till the expiry of that period. This period is called the waiting period after death (Iddatul Wafat).

2663. It is Haraam for a woman who is observing the Iddah of death to wear brightly colored dress, or to use Surma and to do any such act, which is considered to be an adornment.

2664. If a woman becomes certain that her husband has died, and marries another man after the completion of Iddah of death, and later on learns that her husband had died later, she should separate herself from her second husband. And as a precaution, if she is pregnant, she should observe Iddah of divorce for the second husband till she gives birth to a child, and should thereafter observe Iddah of death for the first husband. But, if she is not pregnant, she should first observe Iddah of death for her first husband and thereafter she should observe Iddah of divorce for the second husband. The beginning of Iddah of death is the time of getting news of death.

2665. The Iddah of death begins, in the situation when the husband has disappeared or is absent, when the wife learns of his death.

2666. If a woman says that her Iddah is over, her word can be accepted on two conditions: first, she is not under blame as a precaution; second, enough time has passed from divorce or death, so that is usually possible to be so.