What is the ruling on a wife observing her 'iddah in the marital home after the first divorce, given her knowledge of its obligation, and the husband's statement that it is an irrevocable divorce, thus not obligating her to observe the 'iddah in his house, and that he will leave the house for her if she wishes to observe the 'iddah there?

If the divorce is revocable, the husband is not permitted to expel his wife from the house, nor is she permitted to leave before the iddah (waiting period) expires. She must return to his house and remain there until her iddah ends, unless there is harm to her in staying alone, or her husband prevents her from returning.

However, if the divorce is irrevocable, such as a khul (divorce at the wife's instance), some scholars have gone to the extent of permitting the irrevocably divorced woman to observe her iddah outside the marital home. Even according to the view that mandates observing the iddah in the marital home, if her husband prevents her from doing so, she may observe it elsewhere.