Key points
- After divorce: three periods; three months if she does not menstruate; until the birth if pregnant.
- After a husband's death: four months and ten days; until the birth if pregnant.
- No iddah after divorce if there was neither intercourse nor valid privacy (khalwa sahiha). After a death, iddah applies regardless.
What iddah is
Iddah (عدت, also written iddat) is the waiting period a woman observes after her marriage ends by divorce, khula or the death of her husband. It honours the marriage, establishes whether she is pregnant, and gives time for reconciliation after a revocable divorce. During iddah she may not marry anyone else.
Iddah after divorce or khula
| Her situation | Iddah |
|---|---|
| She menstruates | Three complete periods (haiz). It ends when the third period ends. A period during which the divorce happened does not count. |
| She has never menstruated, or has reached menopause | Three months: lunar months if the divorce fell on the first of the month, otherwise 90 days. |
| She is pregnant | Until the birth, however soon or late that is. |
| Her periods have stopped for another reason (for example breastfeeding) | Still three periods. She waits until three periods pass or she reaches the age of menopause. Ask a scholar. |
| No intercourse and no valid privacy (khalwa sahiha) | No iddah. |
Iddah after the husband's death
- Four months and ten days, whether or not the marriage was consummated. If the death fell on the first of a lunar month it is counted in lunar months, otherwise as 130 days.
- If she is pregnant, it ends with the birth, even if that is a day after the death.
When iddah starts
From the moment of the divorce or death, even if she only finds out later. If she learns after the period has already passed, her iddah is already complete.
Where she spends it
She stays in the home she lived in at the time of the divorce or death. A divorced woman does not leave it except in genuine necessity. A widow may go out during the day for need, such as work she depends on, and returns to spend the nights at home. If staying is unsafe or impossible she may move to the nearest suitable place.
Mourning (hidad)
A widow, and a woman in the iddah of an irrevocable divorce, avoid adornment during iddah: make-up, perfume, jewellery, henna and attractive clothing. She may wash, oil her hair for need, and wear plain clean clothes. A man may not openly propose to a woman in iddah; an indirect hint is permitted for a widow only.
Maintenance during iddah
In the Hanafi school a divorced woman is owed maintenance (nafaqa) and housing for her whole iddah after both revocable and irrevocable divorce, including khula unless she gave up the maintenance in the khula. A widow has no maintenance; she takes her inheritance share and any unpaid mahr. See the Iddah Support Calculator.
Calculate your dates
The Iddah Calculator estimates your end date from the date of divorce or death, your cycle or the expected birth.
This guide is educational and follows mainstream Hanafi positions. For your own situation, please consult a qualified scholar. See the disclaimer, the glossary and how rulings are worked out.