Sayyiduna Abu Sanabil (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Sabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave birth to a child twenty or thirty days after her husband’s death. When she became pure from postnatal bleeding, she expressed her intention to marry, so this matter was considered objectionable in her case. This was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so he said:“When her waiting period has ended, then what is there to prevent her (from marrying)?”

Shu’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) gave a fatwa regarding a woman whose husband passes away, so they sent a message to Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked her about this matter. She said: Subai’ah gave birth to a child about a month after her husband’s death. So when she gave birth and became pure (from postpartum bleeding), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her:“You may marry whomever you wish.”The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say: Complete whichever of the two periods is longer.

It is narrated from Masruq and Ibn Utbah that both of them wrote a letter to Sabi’ah bint Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked her about her situation: so she wrote them a reply that she had given birth to a child twenty-five days after the death of her husband, so she intended to seek goodness (marriage), then Abu Sanabil (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by her and said to her: You have acted hastily, complete the last of the two waiting periods, and that is four months and ten days. So she went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Pray for forgiveness for me. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“For what reason?”She said: I told you the incident. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“If you find a righteous man, then marry.”

It is narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah that Abdullah bin Utbah wrote a letter to Abdullah bin Arqam, asking him to go to Sabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) and inquire from her about the fatwa that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had given her. She had given birth to a child just a few days later. When she gave birth to the child, she adorned herself. Abu As-Sanabil (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by her and said to her:“Perhaps you wish to get married. By Allah! No, not until four months and ten days have passed since your husband’s death.”So she went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her:“You have completed your waiting period (‘iddah).”

Abu Salamah narrated: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) were asked about a woman whose husband passes away and she gives birth to a child before four months and ten days. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: She should complete whichever of the two periods is longer. Abu Salamah narrated: When she gives birth to the child, her waiting period is completed. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I am with my nephew Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman (in his opinion). So they sent a message to Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) while she was in her chamber in the mosque. They asked her about this matter, and she said: Sabi’ah bint Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) gave birth to a child just a few days after her husband’s death. When she was purified from postpartum bleeding, she wore good clothes and applied kohl. Abu Sanabil (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by her and said to her: Do you wish to marry? (Marriage) is not (permissible) until you complete four months and ten days. So she went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him, and he commanded her to marry.

It is narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah that Marwan bin Hakam sent Abdullah bin Utbah to Sabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) so that he could inquire from her about her issue. She mentioned it in the same way as Abu Salamah had described in her case. Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Her husband was Sa’d bin Khawlah (may Allah be pleased with him), who passed away in the year of the conquest of Makkah. He had participated in the Battle of Badr.