oil without valid reason, apply fragrance, adorn herself, wear colourful or silk clothes, apply henna, nor discuss anything openly about a new a marriage.

Dear Islamic brothers, in light of this verse and its commentary, if the husband of a non-pregnant woman dies, her ‘iddah is 4 months and 10 days. Now, let us observe yet another great display of the authority wielded by the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . He reduced the ‘iddah of Lady Asma bint ‘Umays رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا to only 3 days.

She herself explained:

When (her first husband) Ja’far Tayyār رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ passed away, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to me: تَسَلَّبِـیْ ثَلٰـثًا ثُمَّ اِصْنَعِـیْ مَا شِئْتِ - ‘Refrain from adorning yourself for three days, then do as you please.’^[1]

After narrating this hadith, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه added:

Normally, a woman must mourn her husband for 4 months and 10 days. In this scenario, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم exempted her from the general ruling of this matter. ^[2]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Prophetic authority regarding an animal unsuitable for qurbani

As narrated by Barā bin ‘Āzib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ :

Abu Burdah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ once sacrificed an animal (performed qurbani) before Eid salah. The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم mentioned to him, ‘Perform another qurbani in place of this (as performing qurbani before Eid salah is not considered valid).’