as stated in the hadith: “A third—and a third is much.” (1)

In the pre-Islamic era, women would remain in mourning for a year in the most wretched dwelling. A small tent would be set up for her inside the house, where she would sit night and day. She would neither bathe nor cleanse herself, remaining there for an entire year as summer and winter passed over her. When she emerged, they would bring her a sparrow, a chicken, or something else, for her to wipe herself with. Then she would come out of that foul, filthy tent, take a piece of dung from the ground, and throw it away (2), as though she were saying by the very state of affairs: “All that I have gone through is not worth this piece of dung!”

But Islam—praise be to Allah—brought this brief period: four months and ten days. Moreover, has it forbidden her from keeping herself clean? No. She may cleanse herself as she wishes and wear whatever she wishes, except that she must not adorn herself ostentatiously or apply perfume, as will be explained.

This period applies whether she menstruates or not. Thus, if she is among those who menstruate and has three menstrual periods, that has no effect. And if she is among those who menstruate only once every two months and has menstruated only twice, her waiting period still ends after four months and ten days.

His statement, “An enslaved woman observes half of it,” means two months and five days.

If someone were to say: There is no difference between an enslaved woman and a free woman with respect to the husband’s right, yet you say that the four months and ten days are prescribed in order to safeguard the husband’s right. So what difference is there between an enslaved woman and a free woman? Furthermore, the verse is general in wording.