Definition, Evidence & Wisdom

**Linguistic Definition:** 'Iddah (عِدَّة) is a noun derived from 'adda (عَدَّ) meaning "to count." It is taken from number and enumeration because it involves counting menstrual cycles or months. **Technical Definition:** A designated period during which a woman waits - as worship to Allah Almighty, or in grief over a husband, or to ensure the womb is free of pregnancy. The waiting period results from divorce or death of the husband. --- **Evidence of Legislation:** **From the Quran:** - "And divorced women remain in waiting for three periods" [Al-Baqarah: 228] - "And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth" [At-Talaq: 4] - "And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, [the wives], shall wait four months and ten [days]" [Al-Baqarah: 234] **From the Sunnah:** Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah رضي الله عنه reported that Subay'ah al-Aslamiyyah رضي الله عنها gave birth a few nights after her husband's death. She came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked permission to marry, and he permitted her, so she married [Bukhari]. --- **The Wisdom Behind the Waiting Period:** 1. **Ensuring the womb is free:** To prevent mixing of lineages 2. **Opportunity for reconciliation:** Giving the divorcing husband a chance to reconsider if it was a revocable divorce 3. **Protecting the rights of the unborn:** If the woman is pregnant