Lady Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a woman's husband died and her eye became diseased. Her family mentioned this matter to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and sought permission to apply kohl. They said, "We fear that her eye may be harmed." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "One of you women used to stay in her house in the worst clothes, in the worst place, for a whole year, and when a dog would pass by her, she would throw dung at it. Can she not now be patient for four months and ten days?"

It is narrated from Sayyida Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the ruling regarding a woman whose husband has passed away, that she should not wear yellow clothes dyed with safflower, nor clothes dyed with ochre (red clay), nor wear jewelry, nor apply henna, nor use kohl.

Sayyida Umm ‘Atiyyah Ansariyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: No woman should mourn over any deceased person for more than three days, except for her husband, for whose death a wife will mourn for four months and ten days. During this period, she should not wear dyed clothing, but she may wear clothing made of dyed yarn. She should neither apply kohl nor use perfume, except that after purification from menstruation, she may use Indian aloeswood or musk.

Lady Zainab bint Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a very close relative of Umm al-Mu’minin Lady Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away. Lady Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) called for yellow perfume, applied it to her arms, and said: I have done this because the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: It is not permissible for any Muslim woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to observe mourning for more than three days or three nights, except for a woman whose husband has died; she will observe mourning for him for four months and ten days. This narration was reported by Zainab from her mother Lady Umm Salamah, and she narrated it from Lady Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) or from one of the Mothers of the Believers.