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?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
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 ' (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."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/96150
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 96150
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- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy