Short answer
Iddah is the waiting period a woman keeps after her husband dies or after a divorce, before she may remarry. For a widow it is four months and ten days, or until birth if she is pregnant. After divorce it is three menstrual cycles in the Hanafi school, three months if she does not menstruate, or until birth if pregnant.
Iddah is fard. A widow's iddah is four months and ten days from the death, whether or not the marriage was consummated, or until delivery if pregnant. A divorced woman's iddah is three full menstrual periods (haid), three months if she has no periods, or until delivery if pregnant. There is no iddah after a divorce before consummation or valid seclusion.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- The three quru' of a divorced woman are three periods of purity between menstruations, so the iddah may end sooner.
- Maliki
- The three quru' are three periods of purity, as in the Shafi'i school.
Explanation
Iddah means "counting". It is the period Allah set for a woman to wait after her marriage ends, before she may marry again. It honours the marriage that has ended, makes clear whether she is pregnant, and, after a revocable divorce, gives the couple time to reconcile.
Iddah of a widow:
- Four months and ten days from the moment of death, counted by lunar months when it starts at the new moon, otherwise as 130 days.
- Until she gives birth if she is pregnant, even if that is sooner or later.
- It applies even if the marriage was never consummated.
- She also keeps hidad (mourning): no adornment or perfume; see what a widow can do.
Iddah after divorce:
- Three menstrual periods in the Hanafi and Hanbali schools.
- Three months if she does not menstruate because of age or another reason.
- Until birth if she is pregnant.
- None if the divorce happened before the couple were alone together.
The iddah starts from the death or the divorce, even if the woman only hears about it later. If she learns after the period has passed, her iddah is already over. Use the iddah calculator to find the end date.
Divorce raises many personal questions, such as which type of talaq was given and whether the husband can take her back during iddah. Those depend on the details, so ask a mufti. For mourning in general, see how long mourning lasts.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:234
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًۭا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَعَشْرًۭا ۖ فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ ﴿٢٣٤﴾
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, [the wives, shall] wait four months and ten [days]. And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.
The widow's iddah.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:228
وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَٰحًۭا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٢٢٨﴾
Divorced women remain in waiting for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
The iddah of a divorced woman who menstruates.
Quran, Surah At-Talaaq 65:4
وَٱلَّٰٓـِٔى يَئِسْنَ مِنَ ٱلْمَحِيضِ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَٰثَةُ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَٱلَّٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ۚ وَأُو۟لَٰتُ ٱلْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًۭا ﴿٤﴾
And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.
The iddah of a pregnant woman and of a woman without periods.
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:49
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍۢ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا ۖ فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًۭا جَمِيلًۭا ﴿٤٩﴾
O You who have believed, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, then there is not for you any waiting period to count concerning them. So provide for them and give them a gracious release.
No iddah after divorce before consummation.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1280
Sahih... لا يحل لامرأة تؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن تحد على ميت فوق ثلاث ...
"It is not lawful for a believing woman to mourn a dead person for more than three days, except for a husband: four months and ten days."
The hadith joins the widow's iddah with her mourning.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab al-Iddah. The iddah of the widow, the divorced woman, and the pregnant woman.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Talaq, Bab al-Iddah. Counting the iddah by days or months and when it begins.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-'Idad. The Shafi'i view that quru' are periods of purity.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.