Question:

Can you advise when Idda’h will end for my mother. Father’s passing date was: 11th May. I believe it’s the 18th of September but would like to confirm. Jzkallah [Question Published as Received]

The Fatwa

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Answer

The Fiqh of The Answer

‘Iddah linguistically derives from the Arabic root meaning “to count,” referring to the counting of menstrual cycles. In Islamic jurisprudence, ‘iddah refers to the obligatory waiting period imposed on a woman by the Sharī’ah following the dissolution of her marriage, either due to divorce after consummation or the death of her husband, even if the marriage was not consummated. During this period, the woman is not permitted to leave her home, and any marriage contract made during this time is considered void.

The primary reason behind the ruling is simply the command of Allah Almighty. However, the Fuqahā’ have mentioned certain wisdoms behind the ‘iddah period. One is to confirm whether the woman is pregnant, ensuring that the lineage and paternity of any potential offspring are clear, especially in cases where the marriage has ended as mentioned by Kamāl Ibn al-Humām (d.861 AH).

In the case of a husband’s death, ‘iddah also serves as a period of mourning, during which the wife expresses sorrow and respects the bond of marriage. This mourning period is an act of respect for the deceased spouse, recognising the significant relationship that existed between them. One may read Shāh Waliullah’s Hujjatullah al-Bāligah (d.1176 AH) for more details.

With regard to calculating the period of ‘Iddah, Ibn ‘Ābīdīn (d.1252 AH) quoting and expanding from the Muḥīt of al-Sarakhsī (d.83 AH) explains three key principles;

• Upon the death of her husband, a woman must observe an ‘iddah period of four lunar months and ten days. This applies regardless of whether she is a minor or beyond childbearing age, or even if the marriage was not consummated.
• If the husband passes away on the first day of an Islamic month (calculated by the lunar sighting), the ‘iddah will be counted according to the lunar months. This means some months may be 29 days, while others may be 30.
• If the husband dies on a day other than the first of the month, the widow will calculate the ‘iddah based on 30 days per month. For the four months and ten days, she will count a total of 130 days. In this case, months comprising of 29 days are not considered.

There has been some debate among the fuqahā’ regarding how to count days when a situation arises midway through a lunar month. The discussion centres on whether the entire period should be calculated as a full 30 days or if the initial month should be counted as 30 days while subsequent months follow the lunar calendar. The majority of jurists support the former approach.

This view aligns with that of Imām Abu Hanifah (d. 150 AH), which is rationalised by many that since the start of a period is measured in days, it is logical for the entire period to be consistently calculated in the same manner. This reasoning is based on the principle that the completion of each month depends on the completion of the days within it. Since the first month is counted in days, subsequent months should also be counted in days to maintain consistency.

Imām Abu Hanifah (d.150 AH) argues that one cannot transition to the next month unless the current month is complete. As the entry into each month is based on the completion of days, the entire duration should be calculated in days.

In contrast, Imām Muhammad (d. 189 AH) presents a different view in the context of renting and leasing, where time periods are calculated differently. However, many jurists state that the calculation of ‘iddah (waiting period) is be based on days, reflecting a consensus on this issue as mentioned by Ibn Ābīdīn (d.1252 AH).

1. Taking the dates posed in the question; The 11^th of May comes after the inception of the lunar month and so a full 130 days should be counted from the following day so an entire day may be encapsulated.
2. Adding 130 days to May 12, 2024, we need to account for the number of days in each month.

• May: 20 days remaining (from May 12 to May 31)
• June: 30 days
• July: 31 days
• August: 31 days
• September: 30 days

Total up to end of September: 142 days (20 + 30 + 31 + 31 + 30)

1. 142 days exceeds 130 days, subtracting the excess:

• 130 days – 142 days = -12 days

Therefore, 12 days before the end of September brings us to September 18, 2024.

And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best
Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Trainee Mufti 

Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.darulfiqh.com

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و في المحيط: إذا اتفق عدة الطلاق والموت في غرة الشهر اعتبرت الشهور بالأهلة وإن نقصت عن العدد، وإن اتفق في وسط الشهر. فعند الإمام يعتبر بالأيام، فتعتد في الطلاق بتسعين يوماً، وفي الوفاة بمائة وثلاثين (حاشية ابن عابدين)

وَحِكْمَةُ شَرْعِيَّةِ الْعِدَّةِ فِي الْأَصْلِ أَنْ لَا يَشْتَبِهَ النَّسَبُ (وَلَا اشْتِبَاهَ فِي إطْلَاقِهِ) أَيْ إطْلَاقَ صَاحِبِ الْعِدَّةِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَنْعِ لِأَنَّ الْمَاءَ مَاؤُهُ فَلِذَلِكَ جَازَ الْإِجْمَاعُ عَلَى إطْلَاقِهِ وَأَطْلَقَ، وَلَيْسَ هَذَا الْكَلَامُ بَيَانَ عِلَّةِ دَلِيلِ التَّخْصِيصِ: أَعْنِي الْإِجْمَاعَ، لِأَنَّ الصَّغِيرَةَ وَالْآيِسَةَ لَا اشْتِبَاهَ فِي حَقِّهِمَا مَعَ عَدَمِ إطْلَاقِ الْغَيْرِ فِيهِمَا بَلْ بَيَانُ عَدَمِ الْمَانِعِ مِنْ إطْلَاقِهِ، وَعَدَمُ الْمَانِعِ لَا يُعَلَّلُ بِهِ، لَكِنَّ الْمَعْنَى أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَجْمَعْ مَعَ الْمَانِعِ بَلْ هُوَ مُنْتَفٍ فَجَازَ الْإِجْمَاعُ، وَبَسَطَهُ أَنَّ الْعِدَّةَ بِعِلَّةِ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى دَفْعِ الِاشْتِبَاهِ فَوُجُودُ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى الدَّفْعِ مُقْتَضٍ لِثُبُوتِ الْعِدَّةِ الْمَانِعَةِ مِنْ التَّزَوُّجِ، فَفِي مَحِلٍّ لَا يَتَحَقَّقُ وُجُودُ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى الدَّفْعِ كَمَا فِي صَاحِبِ الْعِدَّةِ فُقِدَ الْمَانِعُ مِنْ عَدَمِهَا إلَّا أَنَّهُ وُجِدَ الْمُقْتَضِي لِلْعَدَمِ لِأَنَّ الْعِلَّةَ لَا تُؤَثِّرُ فِي الْعَكْسِ: يَعْنِي لَيْسَ عَدَمُهَا عِلَّةً لِعَدَمِ الْحُكْمِ وَلِذَلِكَ ثَبَتَ الْحُكْمُ: أَعْنِي وُجُودَ الْعِدَّةِ مَعَ عَدَمِهَا فِي الْآيِسَةِ وَالصَّغِيرَةِ بِالنَّصِّ وَهُوَ قَوْله تَعَالَى ﴿وَاللائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلاثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ﴾ [الطلاق: ٤] إمَّا بِعِلَّةٍ أُخْرَى، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ إظْهَارُ الْخَطَرِ الْمُحَلِّ إذَا تَأَمَّلْت حَيْثُ مُنِعَ عَنْ وُرُودِ مِلْكِ الِاسْتِمْتَاعِ عَلَيْهِ مُدَّةً لِيَعُزَّ عَلَى الرَّاغِبِ، بِخِلَافِ مَا لَوْ أَطْلَقَ مُطْلَقًا كَمَا أَظْهَرَ خَطَرَهُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى بِاشْتِرَاطِ جَمْعِ النَّاسِ لِيَشْهَدُوهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَطَّلِعْ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ هِيَ فِيهِمَا تَعَبُّدٌ مَحْضٌ، وَلَمْ يُمْكِنْ إخْرَاجُهُمَا مِنْ حُكْمِ الْعِدَّةِ مَعَ النَّصِّ عَلَيْهِمَا وَفِي غَيْرِهِمَا مُعَلَّلٌ بِمَا قُلْنَا فَلَيْسَتْ الْعِدَّةُ مُطْلَقًا تَعَبُّدِيَّةً (فتح القدير)

(فَبِالْأَيَّامِ) أَيْ فَتُعْتَبَرُ الْأَيَّامُ فِي الشُّهُورِ بِالْعَدَدِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يَعْتَبِرَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا هَذَا عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمَّا تَعَذَّرَ اعْتِبَارُ الشَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ بِالْأَهِلَّةِ تَعَذَّرَ اعْتِبَارُ الثَّانِي، وَالثَّالِثِ أَيْضًا؛ لِأَنَّ الشَّهْرَ الْأَوَّلَ لَمَّا وَجَبَ تَكْمِيلُهُ مِنْ الثَّانِي لِكَوْنِهِ مُتَّصِلًا بِهِ نَقَصَ الثَّانِي أَيْضًا فَوَجَبَ تَكْمِيلُهُ مِنْ الثَّالِثِ وَهَكَذَا إلَى آخِرِ الْمُدَّةِ (وَعِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَوَّلُ) أَيْ الشَّهْرُ الْأَوَّلُ (بِالْأَيَّامِ، وَالْبَاقِي بِالْأَهِلَّةِ)؛ لِأَنَّ الْأَصْلَ فِي الشُّهُورِ اعْتِبَارُهَا بِالْأَهِلَّةِ عِنْدَ الْإِمْكَانِ، وَقَدْ أَمْكَنَ ذَلِكَ فِي الشُّهُورِ الْمُتَخَلِّلَةِ، وَتَعَذَّرَ بِالْأَوَّلِ فَيُكْمِلُ بِالْأَيَّامِ الشَّهْرَ الْآخَرَ (وَأَبُو يُوسُفَ مَعَهُ) أَيْ مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ (فِي رِوَايَةٍ وَمَعَ الْإِمَامِ فِي أُخْرَى، وَكَذَا الْعِدَّةُ)، فَإِنَّ الْإِيقَاعَ إذَا كَانَ حِينَ يُهَلُّ الْهِلَالُ تُعْتَبَرُ شُهُورُ الْعِدَّة بِالْأَهِلَّةِ، وَهَذَا بِلَا خِلَافٍ، وَإِذَا كَانَ فِي أَثْنَاءِ الشَّهْرِ فَفِي حَقِّ تَفْرِيقِ الطَّلَاقِ يُعْتَبَرُ بِالْأَيَّامِ اتِّفَاقًا، وَكَذَا فِي حَقِّ انْقِضَاءِ الْعِدَّةِ عِنْدَهُ، وَأَمَّا عِنْدَهُمَا فَيُعْتَبَرُ شَهْرٌ وَاحِدٌ بِالْأَيَّامِ وَشَهْرَانِ بِالْأَهِلَّةِ وَذَكَرَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ أَنَّ الْعِدَّةَ فِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ تُعْتَبَرُ بِالْأَيَّامِ اتِّفَاقًا كَمَا فِي الْقُهُسْتَانِيِّ (مجمع الأنهر)

(ثُمَّ إنْ كَانَ الْعَقْدُ حِينَ يَهُلُّ الْهِلَالُ فَشُهُورُ السَّنَةِ كُلِّهَا بِالْأَهِلَّةِ)؛ لِأَنَّهَا هِيَ الْأَصْلُ (وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي أَثْنَاءِ الشَّهْرِ فَالْكُلُّ بِالْأَيَّامِ) عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَهُوَ رِوَايَةٌ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ. وَعِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَهُوَ رِوَايَةٌ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ الْأَوَّلُ بِالْأَيَّامِ وَالْبَاقِي بِالْأَهِلَّةِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْأَيَّامَ يُصَارُ إلَيْهَا ضَرُورَةً، وَالضَّرُورَةُ فِي الْأَوَّلِ مِنْهَا. وَلَهُ أَنَّهُ مَتَى تَمَّ الْأَوَّلُ بِالْأَيَّامِ ابْتَدَأَ الثَّانِيَ بِالْأَيَّامِ ضَرُورَةً وَهَكَذَا إلَى آخِرِ السَّنَةِ، وَنَظِيرُهُ الْعِدَّةُ وَقَدْ مَرَّ فِي الطَّلَاقِ. (فتح القدير)

وَبَاقِي الْأَشْهُرِ بِالْأَهِلَّةِ كَمَا هُوَ قَوْلُ الصَّاحِبَيْنِ فِي الْإِجَارَةِ، وَقَدْ أَجْرَوْا هَذَا الْخِلَافَ بَيْنَ الْإِمَامِ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ فِي الْعِدَّةِ، وَبَعْضُهُمْ ذَكَرَ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَبَرَ فِيهَا الْأَيَّامُ إجْمَاعًا وَأَنَّ الْخِلَافَ إنَّمَا هُوَ فِي الْإِجَارَةِ وَهُوَ مُقْتَضَى إطْلَاقِ الْمُصَنِّفِ هُنَاكَ (حاشية ابن عابدين)