Is the waiting period (iddah) obligatory for a woman who seeks divorce (khulʿ) before consummation, if there was a private meeting (khalwah) between the spouses?

The preponderant opinion is that valid seclusion (al-khalwah al-shar'iyyah) is equivalent to consummation regarding the rulings that follow from it. Accordingly, so long as valid seclusion occurred and the khul' (divorce by mutual agreement with compensation) took place, the wife must observe the 'iddah (waiting period). It must be noted that it is not permissible for a woman to ask her husband for divorce or khul' without a valid reason, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "The women who seek khul' are the hypocrites."