How long is the waiting period (iddah) for a girl who was entered upon before the wedding and separated from her husband before the wedding party, and this was two years before the divorce (khulʿ)?
The waiting period (iddah) is obligatory for a woman who has been divorced after consummation of the marriage. If the husband consummated the marriage with that wife, and then divorced her through khul' (divorce at the wife's instance) two years later, she must observe the waiting period of a divorced woman whose marriage was consummated. This waiting period is three menstrual cycles if she is menstruating, as Allah the Almighty says: "And divorced women shall wait by themselves for three periods." If she does not menstruate, her waiting period is three months, as Allah the Almighty says: "And as for those of your women who have passed the age of menstruation, if you have doubts, their prescribed period is three months, and also for those who have not menstruated." However, if she is pregnant, her waiting period is until she delivers her entire burden, as Allah the Almighty says: "And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they deliver their burdens." A woman does not have the right to maintenance during the waiting period in a khul' divorce unless she is pregnant, and her husband does not have the right to take her back except through a new marriage contract, because khul' is an irrevocable divorce.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/114599