Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Br. Burhan
Salamwalikum RB
JazakAllah Khair for u r effort, may Allah Reward his Rahamah,

My father expired on 06 Nov 06, my mother is in iddah period, i am in Saudi, I want to bring her here with me, she is 76 years old, 3 months Iddah for old women will apply in this case or she has to wait for 4 months 10 days period?

thanks for your guidance

salam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Iddah for old woman

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 234:

234 If any of you die and leave widows behind they shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days: when they have fulfilled their term there is no blame on you if they dispose of themselves in a just and reasonable manner. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.

The age of the widow has absolutely no bearing on the period of ‘iddah’ she is to perform after the death of her husband; regardless of the age of the widow, it is a duty unto her to fulfill the restrictions of ‘iddah’ for a period of four months and ten days.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan