The 'idda of a pregnant woman

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta

The 'idda of a pregnant woman

Question

no. 1960 for the year 2003 which includes:
What is the ruling for a widow who is pregnant? Does her 'idda end immediately after she gives birth even if she delivers her child soon after her husband's death? Or is she to observe the same number of months as in the 'idda of a [non-pregnant] woman whose husband has died?

Answer

The 'idda [waiting period after divorce or the death of a husband] of a pregnant woman ends immediately after she gives birth whether she is widowed or divorced and provided the fetus is fully or partially formed. But if it is unformed, her 'idda does not end with delivery since the child is only considered a mudgha [lump of flesh] or 'alaqa [clot of congealed blood].

Allah Almighty says:
The waiting period for those who are pregnant will be until they deliver their burden.
[Qur`an 65:4]

The general implication of this verse denotes both a woman who has been divorced and one who has been widowed.

Imam Ali and ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, maintain that a woman is to calculate the period of her 'idda based on that which will occur last (the 'idda or giving birth), establishing agreement between the two Qur`anic verses:

The waiting period for those who are pregnant will be until they deliver their burden.
[Qur`an 65:4]

If any of you die and leave widows, the widows should wait for four months and ten days before remarrying.
[Qur`an 2:234]

The majority of scholars maintain a different opinion, substantiating it with the same evidence used by ibn Mas'ud in that the former verse was revealed after the latter.

The ruling
Based on the above, the 'idda of a pregnant widow terminates with the delivery of the child.

The answer is known from the above and Allah Almighty knows best.
 

Share this:

Related Fatwas