17984 - He said: And Ali used to say: The later of the two terms (1).

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The longer of the two periods will be her waiting period (iddah).

Hazrat Amr bin Salim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the waiting period ('iddah) of some women has not been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse of the Holy Qur'an: { وَاللاَّئِی یَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِیضِ مِنْ نِسَائِکُمْ إنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُہُنَّ ثَلاَثَۃُ أَشْہُرٍ وَاللاَّئِی لَمْ یَحِضْنَ وَأُولاَتُ الأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُہُنَّ أَنْ یَضَعْنَ حَمْلَہُنَّ } (At-Talaq: 4)

Hazrat Ibn Sirin says that I was in the gathering of Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila, may Allah have mercy on him. He said that the waiting period (‘iddah) of a pregnant woman is whichever of the two periods is longer. Upon this, I narrated the account of Hazrat Subai’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) from Hazrat Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him), so his students began to glare at me. I said that I cannot lie about Hazrat Abdullah bin Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him), as he narrated this in a corner of the mosque.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that the waiting period (‘iddah) of a pregnant woman whose husband passes away is whichever of the two periods is longer.

Hazrat Ubaidullah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates from his father that Hazrat Subai’ah, may Allah be pleased with her, gave birth to a child twenty days or one month after the death of her husband. Abu Sanabil bin Ba’kkak, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by her and said,“Are you ready for marriage? Do not marry until four months and ten days have passed.”She went to the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and related the whole matter, so he said,“You are lawful for marriage.”

Hazrat Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hazrat Amr bin Utbah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote a letter to Hazrat Subai’ah bint Harith (may Allah have mercy on her) and asked her about her incident. She replied in writing that she had given birth to a child twenty-five days after her husband's death. Then she prepared herself in search of good. Abu Sanabil bin Ba’kkak (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by her and said, "You have hurried; complete the longer of the two waiting periods, that is, four months and ten days." Then she presented herself before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Pray for my forgiveness." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "What has happened?" She narrated the whole story, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you find a good husband, then marry him."

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Ma'qal (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I was present in the gathering of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), when a man asked him: "What is the waiting period ('iddah) for a pregnant woman whose husband has passed away?" Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "She will observe the longer of the two periods as her 'iddah." A man said: "Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) gives the verdict that the 'iddah is completed upon delivery?" Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "He does not know."