A widow should mourn for four months and ten days.
Zainab further said:
"I heard my mother, Um Salama saying that a woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
and said, "O Allah's Messenger! The husband of my daughter has died and she is suffering from an eye
disease, can she apply kohl to her eye?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "No," twice or thrice. (Every time she
repeated her question) he said, "No." Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) added, "It is just a matter of four months
and ten days. In the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance a widow among you should throw a globe of
dung when one year has elapsed."
قَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ وَسَمِعْتُ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ تَقُولُ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ ابْنَتِي تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا وَقَدِ اشْتَكَتْ عَيْنَهَا أَفَتَكْحُلُهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ لاَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ وَقَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ تَرْمِي بِالْبَعَرَةِ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ
A widow should mourn for four months and ten days.
I (Humaid) said to Zainab, "What does 'throwing a globe of dung when one
year had elapsed' mean?" Zainab said, "When a lady was bereaved of her husband, she would live in a
wretched small room and put on the worst clothes she had and would not touch any scent till one year
had elapsed. Then she would bring an animal, e.g. a donkey, a sheep or a bird and rub her body
against it. The animal against which she would rub her body would scarcely survive. Only then she
would come out of her room, whereupon she would be given a globe of dung which she would throw
away and then she would use the scent she liked or the like."
قَالَ حُمَيْدٌ فَقُلْتُ لِزَيْنَبَ وَمَا تَرْمِي بِالْبَعَرَةِ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ فَقَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا دَخَلَتْ حِفْشًا وَلَبِسَتْ شَرَّ ثِيَابِهَا وَلَمْ تَمَسَّ طِيبًا حَتَّى تَمُرَّ بِهَا سَنَةٌ ثُمَّ تُؤْتَى بِدَابَّةٍ حِمَارٍ أَوْ شَاةٍ أَوْ طَائِرٍ فَتَفْتَضُّ بِهِ فَقَلَّمَا تَفْتَضُّ بِشَىْءٍ إِلاَّ مَاتَ ثُمَّ تَخْرُجُ فَتُعْطَى بَعَرَةً فَتَرْمِي ثُمَّ تُرَاجِعُ بَعْدُ مَا شَاءَتْ مِنْ طِيبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ سُئِلَ مَالِكٌ مَا تَفْتَضُّ بِهِ قَالَ تَمْسَحُ بِهِ جِلْدَهَا
Can a mourning lady use kohl?
Narrated Um Salama:
A woman was bereaved of her husband and her relatives worried about
her eyes (which were diseased). They came to Allah's Messenger, and
asked him to allow them to treat her eyes with kohl, but he said, "She
should not apply kohl to her eyes. (In the Pre-Islamic period of
Ignorance) a widowed woman among you would stay in the worst of her
clothes (or the worst part of her house) and when a year had elapsed,
if a dog passed by her, she would throw a globe of dung, Nay, (she
cannot use kohl) till four months and ten days have elapsed."
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّهَا أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَخَشُوا عَلَى عَيْنَيْهَا فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ فَقَالَ لاَ تَكَحَّلْ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي شَرِّ أَحْلاَسِهَا أَوْ شَرِّ بَيْتِهَا فَإِذَا كَانَ حَوْلٌ فَمَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعَرَةٍ فَلاَ حَتَّى تَمْضِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ
Can a mourning lady use kohl?
Narrated Um Habiba: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is not lawful for a Muslim
woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than
three days, except for her husband, for whom she should mourn for four
months and ten days."
وَسَمِعْتُ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ مُسْلِمَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ أَنْ تُحِدَّ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا
Can a mourning lady use kohl?
Narrated Um 'Atiyya:
We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days except for a husband.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرٌ حَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَتْ أُمُّ عَطِيَّةَ نُهِينَا أَنْ نُحِدَّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلاَثٍ إِلاَّ بِزَوْجٍ
Qust (incense) may be used by a mourning after being cleaned from her menses.
Narrated Um 'Atiyya:
We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days for a dead person, except for a husband, for
whom a wife should mourn for four months and ten days (while in the mourning period) we were not
allowed to put kohl in our eyes, nor perfume our-selves, nor wear dyed clothes, except a garment of
'Asb (special clothes made in Yemen). But it was permissible for us that when one of us became clean
from her menses and took a bath, she could use a piece of a certain kind of incense. And it was
forbidden for us to follow funeral processions.
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ حَفْصَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُنْهَى أَنْ نُحِدَّ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا وَلاَ نَكْتَحِلَ وَلاَ نَطَّيَّبَ وَلاَ نَلْبَسَ ثَوْبًا مَصْبُوغًا إِلاَّ ثَوْبَ عَصْبٍ وَقَدْ رُخِّصَ لَنَا عِنْدَ الطُّهْرِ إِذَا اغْتَسَلَتْ إِحْدَانَا مِنْ مَحِيضِهَا فِي نُبْذَةٍ مِنْ كُسْتِ أَظْفَارٍ وَكُنَّا نُنْهَى عَنِ اتِّبَاعِ الْجَنَائِزِ
A mourning lady can wear clothes of 'Asb.
Narrated Um 'Atiyya:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is not lawful for a lady who believes in Allah and the Last Day, to mourn for
more than three days for a dead person, except for her husband, in which case she should neither put
kohl in her eyes, nor perfume herself, nor wear dyed clothes, except a garment of 'Asb"
حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلاَمِ بْنُ حَرْبٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ حَفْصَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ قَالَتْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ أَنْ تُحِدَّ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَكْتَحِلُ وَلاَ تَلْبَسُ ثَوْبًا مَصْبُوغًا إِلاَّ ثَوْبَ عَصْبٍ
A mourning lady can wear clothes of 'Asb.
Um 'Atiyya
added: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "She should not use perfume except when she becomes clean from her
menses whereupon she can use Qust, and Azfar (two kinds of incense).
وَقَالَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ حَدَّثَتْنَا حَفْصَةُ حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ عَطِيَّةَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلاَ تَمَسَّ طِيبًا إِلاَّ أَدْنَى طُهْرِهَا إِذَا طَهُرَتْ نُبْذَةً مِنْ قُسْطٍ وَأَظْفَارٍ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ الْقُسْطُ وَالْكُسْتُ مِثْلُ الْكَافُورِ وَالْقَافُورِ
"And those of you who die and leave behind wives..."
Narrated Mujahid:
(regarding the Verse): 'If any of you dies and leaves wives behind,' That was the period of the 'Iddah
which the widow was obliged to spend in the house of the late husband. Then Allah revealed: And
those of you who die and leave wives should bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance and
residence without turning them out, but if they leave, there is no blame on you for what they do of
themselves, provided it is honorable (i.e. lawful marriage) (2.240) Mujahid said: Allah has ordered
that a widow has the right to stay for seven months and twenty days with her husband's relatives
through her husband's will and testament so that she will complete the period of one year (of 'Iddah).
But the widow has the right to stay that extra period or go out of her husband's house as is indicated
by the statement of Allah: 'But if they leave there is no blame on you,... ' (2.240) Ibn `Abbas said: The
above Verse has cancelled the order of spending the period of the 'Iddah at her late husband's house,
and so she could spend her period of the 'Iddah wherever she likes. And Allah says: 'Without turning
them out.' 'Ata said: If she would, she could spend her period of the 'Iddah at her husband's house, and
live there according to her (husband's) will and testament, and if she would, she could go out (of her
husband's house) as Allah says: 'There is no blame on you for what they do of themselves.' (2.240)
'Ata added: Then the Verses of inheritance were revealed and the order of residence (for the widow)
was cancelled, and she could spend her period of the 'Iddah wherever she would like, and she was no
longer entitled to be accommodated by her husband's family.
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ أَخْبَرَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ حَدَّثَنَا شِبْلٌ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ [ 2 234 234]وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا قَالَ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ الْعِدَّةُ تَعْتَدُّ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ زَوْجِهَا وَاجِبًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ [ 2 240 240]وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا وَصِيَّةً لأَزْوَاجِهِمْ مَتَاعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ مِنْ مَعْرُوفٍ قَالَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهَا تَمَامَ السَّنَةِ سَبْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَصِيَّةً إِنْ شَاءَتْ سَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ وَهْوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى [ 2 240 240]غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَالْعِدَّةُ كَمَا هِيَ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْهَا زَعَمَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ نَسَخَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ عِدَّتَهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا فَتَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى [ 2 240 240]غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ إِنْ شَاءَتِ اعْتَدَّتْ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَسَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ [ 2 240 240]فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ قَالَ عَطَاءٌ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الْمِيرَاثُ فَنَسَخَ السُّكْنَى فَتَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَلاَ سُكْنَى لَهَا
"And those of you who die and leave behind wives..."
Narrated Zainab bint Um Salama:
When Um Habiba bint Abi Sufyan was informed of her father's death, she asked for perfume and
rubbed it over her arms and said, "I am not in need of perfume, but I have heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying,
"It is not lawful for a lady who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days
except for her husband for whom the (mourning) period is four months and ten days."
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ ابْنَةِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ لَمَّا جَاءَهَا نَعِيُّ أَبِيهَا دَعَتْ بِطِيبٍ فَمَسَحَتْ ذِرَاعَيْهَا وَقَالَتْ مَا لِي بِالطِّيبِ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ لَوْلاَ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ تُحِدُّ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا
The earnings of a prostitute and the illegal wedding.
Narrated Abu Mas`ud:
The Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited taking the price of a dog, the earnings of a soothsayer and the money earned
by prostitution.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ثَمَنِ الْكَلْبِ وَحُلْوَانِ الْكَاهِنِ وَمَهْرِ الْبَغِيِّ
The earnings of a prostitute and the illegal wedding.
Narrated Abu Juhaifa:
The Prophet (ﷺ) cursed the lady who practices tattooing and the one who gets herself tattooed, and one
who eats (takes) Riba' (usury) and the one who gives it. And he prohibited taking the price of a dog,
and the money earned by prostitution, and cursed the makers of pictures.
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْنُ بْنُ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ لَعَنَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْوَاشِمَةَ وَالْمُسْتَوْشِمَةَ وَآكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَنَهَى عَنْ ثَمَنِ الْكَلْبِ وَكَسْبِ الْبَغِيِّ وَلَعَنَ الْمُصَوِّرِينَ
The earnings of a prostitute and the illegal wedding.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade taking the earnings of a slave girl by prostitution.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُحَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ كَسْبِ الإِمَاءِ
The Mahr of the lady whose husband entered upon her to consummate his marriage.
Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair:
I said to Ibn `Umar, "If a man accuses his wife of illegal sexual intercourse (what is the judgment)?"
He said, "Allah's Prophet separated the couple of Bani 'Ajlan (when the husband accused his wife for
an illegal sexual intercourse). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Allah knows that one of you two IS a liar; so will one
of you repent?' But they refused. He then again said, 'Allah knows that one of you two is a liar; so will
one of you repent?' But they refused, whereupon he separated them by divorce." Aiyub (a subnarrator)
said: `Amr bin Dinar said to me, "In the narration there is something which I do not see you
mentioning, i.e. the husband said, "What about my money (Mahr)?' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You are not
entitled to take back money, for if you told the truth you have already entered upon her (and
consummated your marriage with her) and if you are a liar then you are less entitled to take it back.
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ زُرَارَةَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عُمَرَ رَجُلٌ قَذَفَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَقَالَ فَرَّقَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَخَوَىْ بَنِي الْعَجْلاَنِ وَقَالَ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ فَهَلْ مِنْكُمَا تَائِبٌ فَأَبَيَا فَقَالَ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمَا كَاذِبٌ فَهَلْ مِنْكُمَا تَائِبٌ فَأَبَيَا فَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَيُّوبُ فَقَالَ لِي عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ فِي الْحَدِيثِ شَىْءٌ لاَ أَرَاكَ تُحَدِّثُهُ قَالَ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ مَالَ لَكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا فَقَدْ دَخَلْتَ بِهَا وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَهْوَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْكَ
The gift given by a husband to a divorced lady for whom Mahr has not been fixed.
Narrated Ibn `Umar:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to those who were involved in a case of Lian, "Your accounts are with Allah. One of
you two is a liar. You (husband) have right on her (wife)." The husband said, "My money, O Allah's
Apostle!" The Prophet (ﷺ)
said, "You are not entitled to take back any money. If you have told the truth, the Mahr that you paid,
was for having sexual relations with her lawfully; and if you are a liar, then you are less entitled to get
it back."
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لِلْمُتَلاَعِنَيْنِ حِسَابُكُمَا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدُكُمَا كَاذِبٌ لاَ سَبِيلَ لَكَ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَالِي قَالَ لاَ مَالَ لَكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَدَقْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَهْوَ بِمَا اسْتَحْلَلْتَ مِنْ فَرْجِهَا وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَذَبْتَ عَلَيْهَا فَذَاكَ أَبْعَدُ وَأَبْعَدُ لَكَ مِنْهَا