Ahkaamul E’ddah

Allah Ta’aalaa commands in the Quran:

وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلاَثَةَ قُرُوَءٍ

 “The divorcee will wait for three “haidh”(menstrual cycles). {Baqarah: 228}

لا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنْ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلا يَخْرُجْنَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ

 “Do not expel them from their houses and they should not leave their houses.” {Surah Talaq: 1}

During her e’ddah, the widow is allowed to leave her home in the daytime to work in the situation that there is no one to support her financially.

However, the divorcee is not allowed to leave at all, in the day or night, during her e’ddah. This is because the expense is on the husband. So she does not have to leave to support herself financially. Similarly if the widow is financially independent then she will not be allowed to leave the confines of the home.

(ومعتدة موت تخرج في الجديدين وتبيت) أكثر الليل (في منزلها) لأن نفقتها عليها فتحتاج للخروج، حتى لو كان عندها كفايتها صارت كالمطلقة فلا يحل لها الخروج فتح. (ولا تخرج معتدة رجعي وبائن) ) من بيتها أصلا) لا ليلا ولا نهارا ولا إلى صحن دار فيها منازل لغيره ولو بإذنه لأنه حق الله تعالى.

(Durr Mukhtaar with Shaami 3/535-536)

Question:

Zainab is in eddah. Only one month has passed and her mother passed away. Is she allowed to go to her house?

Answer:

If Zainab is in an e’ddah of divorce then she is not allowed to leave the house for this purpose, neither in the day or night.

(Kitabul Fatawa 5/144)

The above Q & A shows the seriousness and importance of staying home in e’ddah.

Hidaad

(Leaving out beautification in the E’ddah) الحداد ترك الزينة في العدة

When in e’ddah, due to husband’s death or an irrevocable divorce, it is wajib to stay away from things of beautification like, beautiful clothing, colourful ones, all types and colours of silk, all types of jewellery, perfume, oil in hair, creams, make-up, kuhl (antimony) etc. unless for medical reasons. Styling her hair is also prohibited as is combing it with a fine teeth comb. She is however allowed to fix it so she is not disheveled.

(إذا كانت معتدة بت، أو موت) (بترك الزينة) بحلي أي بجميع أنواعه أو حرير، أو امتشاط بضيق الأسنان (والطيب) وإن لم يكن لها كسب إلا فيه (والدهن) ولو بلا طيب كزيت خالص (والكحل والحناء ولبس المعصفر والمزعفر) ومصبوغ بمغرة، أو ورس (إلا بعذر) راجع للجميع إذ الضرورات تبيح المحظورات، ولا بأس بأسود وأزرق ومعصفر خلق لا رائحة له

(Shaami 3/530-531, Heavenly Ornaments 1/411)

Proposals of nikah is haram to or from a woman in E’ddah. Any Nikah conducted will be invalid.

(تحرم خطبتها) (وينكح مبانته بما دون الثلاث في العدة وبعدها بالإجماع) ومنع غيره فيها لاشتباه النسب (قوله في نكاح فاسد) ومثله نكاح المعتدة

(Durr Mukhtaar with Shaami 3/534) (ibid 3/409) (Shaami 3/131)
Question:
A woman’s husband has died and she is in her e’ddah. She will like to marry off her son. Is she allowed to marry off her son in e’ddah? How long does she has to practice on Hidaad?
Answer:

The mother is allowed to consult her son concerning his nikah while she is in e’ddah. It is not prohibited. However, she should not join in the happiness of the nikah. During the nikah she will continue to wear the simple clothing she was wearing in her e’ddah. She will not wear any new or nice clothing. She will not apply henna or any makeup. She will not exit the house. As long as she is in e’ddah hidaad is necessary.

(Fatawa Rahimiyyah 6/427-428)

The above Q & A also shows the importance and obligation of hidaad in e’ddah.

In the end of {verse 1 of Surah Talaq} mentioned above Allah warns:

“These are the boundaries of Allah, whosoever transgresses the boundaries of Allah has oppressed themselves.”