What is the difference between the 'iddah (post-divorce waiting period) maintenance and the mut'ah (consolatory gift) maintenance, and is 'iddah maintenance obligatory for a woman irrevocably divorced (talaq bain) or only for one revocably divorced (talaq raj'i)? The same question applies to mut'ah maintenance. And what is the evidence for the obligation of mut'ah maintenance, and what is the evidence for its commendability?

Maintenance is obligatory for a woman divorced with a revocable divorce during her waiting period according to the majority of scholars. A woman divorced with an irrevocable divorce is not entitled to maintenance unless she is pregnant. The mut'ah (consolatory gift) is not maintenance; it is money paid by the husband to his divorced wife. Scholars differed on whether it is obligatory or recommended. Al-Qurtubi favored its obligation, citing as evidence Allah's words: "{and provide for them}" and "{for divorced women is a provision}."

The mut'ah is legislated for a divorced woman, whether the divorce is irrevocable or revocable. It is obligatory for every divorced woman, except for one who was not consummated with and for whom a dowry was stipulated. The money is paid to a woman irrevocably divorced after her divorce, and to a woman revocably divorced after her waiting period expires. Maliki and Shafi'i scholars made exceptions for cases where mut'ah is not obligatory, such as a woman who initiates khul' (divorce at her initiative), a woman divorced before consummation for whom a dowry was specified, or if the separation was due to the woman.