What is meant by His — Exalted be He — saying: (Divorced women remain in waiting for three menstrual cycles)? Does it mean three menstrual periods or three periods of purity?

The word "al-Qur'" in the Arabic language carries both meanings of menstruation and purity (from menstruation) simultaneously; it is one of the ambiguous terms. Scholars have differed on the intended meaning of "al-Qurū'" in Allah's Almighty saying: "and let them await for three periods (Qurū')." Some went to the opinion that it refers to menstruations, and this is the view of Ahmad, the People of Opinion, the Four Caliphs, and Ibn Abbas. While others went to the opinion that it refers to periods of purity, and this is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, Malik, the people of Hijaz, Ibn Umar, and Aisha.

The most preponderant opinion is that "al-Qur'" here refers to menstruation, based on noble prophetic narrations that explicitly linked "al-Qur'" with menstruation, such as his (peace be upon him) saying to the woman suffering from irregular bleeding (mustahadah): "She should stop praying during the days of her menstrual periods (aqrā’ik)," and his saying to Fatima bint Abi Hubaysh: "So, look, when your period (qur'uk) comes, do not pray," and his saying: "The divorce of a slave woman is two divorces, and her menstrual period (qur'uha) is two menstruations." These narrations indicate that the Prophet (peace be upon him) specified the term "al-Qur'" for menstruation, and this is considered a legal reality that takes precedence in interpretation. Additionally, the waiting period (iddah) is related to what clears the womb, which is menstruation, just as pregnancy is associated with it.