Ep. 13: The Widow and the 'Iddah | For Those Left Behind

A lost Sunnah of our times is striving to serve the widow. What does it mean to care for the widow, and what can a community do to revive this sunnah?

The virtue of the patient widow is that she occupies a special place in Paradise. How then should a widow grieve? What are the rules of 'iddah that the widow should observe? What breaks the 'iddah, and how long does the iddah period last?

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:39 Sunnah of caring for the widow

Caring for the widow is a lost Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The one who strives (in caring) for the widows and the poor is like the one who strives in the path of Allah, or like the one who fasts all day without breaking it, and prays all night without sleeping."

Caring for the widow includes:

-taking care of her needs
-taking care of her family
-making sure that she can grieve properly

02:14 Reward of widowed mother for raising her children

04:40 How should a widow grieve?

05:09 Rules of 'Iddah

The 'iddah is a period of waiting that a woman must observe after her husband's death or a divorce, during which she may not marry another man.

The Sunnahs of 'iddah are:

- The 'iddah for the widow is 4 months and 10 days, or it expires with pregnancy
- She can leave during the day to care for her needs
- She should abstain from adorning herself
- She should spend these nights in her husband's home

If there are circumstances that make it difficult or impossible for her to spend the night in her home (eg. old age, or she and her husband are overseas when her husband passes away) then insha'Allah it can be waived.

08:49 False cultural innovations of 'Iddah