Must a Christian woman who embraced Islam after the death of her unbelieving husband observe a waiting period of four months and ten days, knowing that the noble verse, "And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days," addressed only Muslims?
If a disbelieving woman embraces Islam while married to a disbelieving husband, he is prohibited from enjoying intimacy with her, and he is commanded to embrace Islam. If he converts to Islam, their marriage is affirmed as long as she is within her waiting period (). If he refuses until her iddah concludes, she becomes irrevocably separated from him.
If the husband dies after the iddah has expired, she does not observe the iddah of death, as she was already irrevocably separated from him.
However, if the husband dies during her iddah, jurists differ regarding the type of iddah required of the wife: - Some, including the Malikis, hold that she completes her ongoing iddah and does not transition to the iddah of death. - Others, including the Hanbalis, hold that she transitions to the iddah of death.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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