What is the waiting period (iddah) for a woman whose husband passed away on the 18th of Jumada al-Akhirah, 1433 AH, after the Dhuhr prayer?
The ' (waiting period) for widowhood begins at the time of the husband's death. If the wife is pregnant, her 'iddah ends upon delivering the entire pregnancy, as stated in the Almighty's قول (saying): "And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they deliver their burden." If she is not pregnant, her 'iddah is four months and ten days, as stated in the Almighty's قول: "And those of you who die and leave wives behind - they, [the wives], shall wait concerning themselves for four months and ten [days]."
The 'iddah is calculated by lunar months. The month in which the death occurred is completed to thirty days if the death happened during that month. So, if the husband died on the 18th of Jumada al-, 1433 AH, the 'iddah would include the remainder of Jumada al-Akhirah, and the months of Rajab, Sha'ban, and , ending on the 28th or 29th of Shawwal of the same year, depending on the completion of the month of death. The 'iddah ends at the moment of the husband's death according to the majority of scholars, while the Malikis hold that the day of death is not counted if it occurred after Fajr (dawn).
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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