Is a divorce pronounced by a husband who has been away from his wife for three years valid, especially if he uttered it while she was menstruating? Does she have to observe an 'iddah (waiting period)? If so, how long is it? And what rulings apply to her during this period regarding going out, traveling, and adorning herself?

The husband's statement, "You are divorced," constitutes an explicit and enforceable divorce, even if the wife was menstruating at the time of the divorce. The divorced woman must observe the 'iddah (waiting period), which is three menstrual cycles for those who menstruate, until childbirth for a pregnant woman, and three months for those who do not menstruate. A woman observing 'iddah must not spend the night anywhere but her home, and she should not leave except out of necessity. Adornment is permissible during the 'iddah if the divorce is revocable. However, if the divorce is irrevocable, there is a difference of opinion regarding it, and the apparent view is that mourning ('idad) is not obligatory for a divorced woman.