Shar’i rulings regarding Islamic Sisters
Where must the ‘Iddah (waiting period) be observed?
Question 1: What do the scholars of Islam and the Muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding the following matter: A man married two women and purchased two separate houses for each wife. Both wives would live in their own homes with their children, but the husband would reside with the second wife. The husband has now passed away, and the first wife wishes to observe her ‘Iddah in the home of the second wife, as the husband lived there. Is this permissible or not? Both houses are not very distant, and there is no disagreement either; the second wife is willing to let the first wife observe the ‘Iddah in her home.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَةَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: In the aforementioned case, each wife will observe her ‘Iddah in the home that the husband had given her to reside in. Even though the husband would live with the second wife, but he had given the first wife a separate home to reside in, therefore, the first wife will spend her ‘Iddah in the house that she resides in. She is not permitted to observe her ‘Iddah in the home of the second wife; as per shari’ah, this will be impermissible and a sin for her.
Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur`an:
لَا تُخْرِجُوْهُنَّ مِنْۢ بُیُوْتِهِنَّ وَ لَا یَخْرُجْنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ یَّاْتِیْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَیِّنَةٍؕ-
Do not banish them out of their (husband's) homes nor should they leave themselves during the ‘Iddah period unless this; that they commit any open indecency (adultery or theft, etc.).
[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 28, Surah Al-Talaaq, Verse 1)
In the commentary of this verse, it is stated in Tafseerat-e-Ahmadiyyah: The word ‘بُیُوْتِهِنَّ’ clearly indicates that the meaning of the women’s homes here is the home in which those women reside. Therefore, in the light of this verse, when a woman is divorced or her husband passes away, it is necessary upon her to observe her ‘Iddah in the home which is associated with her because of her residence therein. (Tafseerat Ahmadiyyah, p. 496)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Answered by: Abu Muhammad Faraz al-Attari al-Madani
Verified by: Abu Muhammad Mufti Ali Asghar al-Attari al-Madani
Is it permissible to wear glass bangles during the ‘Iddah?
Question 2: What do the scholars of Islam and the Muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding the following matter: Can a woman wear glass bangles when observing the ‘Iddah after the death of her husband?
Questioner: Ghulam Yaseen Attari (Naya abad, Karachi)
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَةَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: No! The woman who is observing the ‘Iddah after the passing of her husband cannot wear glass bangles. This is because the ruling for a woman who is observing the ‘Iddah of a widow is that she should mourn, and the meaning of mourning is to abandon all types of adornment and beautification; and wearing glass bangles is considered to be a part of this adornment. (Al-Fatawa Hindiyyah, vol. 1, p. 533; Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 2, p. 242, selected)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Answered by: Abu Muhammad Mufti Ali Asghar al-Attari al-Madani
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