Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām - Abd Allah al-Bassam - (5/564)

Tawḍīḥ al-AḥkāmAbd Allah al-Bassam

for long before she delivered her child.

When she had become pure from her post-partum bleeding—and she knew that by giving birth her waiting period (ʿiddah) was over and that she was now lawful for potential husbands—she beautified herself. Abu al-Sanābil entered while she was so adorned, realized that she was ready for suitors, and swore—convinced he was right—that she could not marry until four months and ten nights had passed, citing the Almighty’s words: “Those of you who die and leave wives behind must ensure that the wives wait by themselves for four months and ten days” (al-Baqarah 2:234). She, however, was certain of the sound knowledge she possessed, while the visitor reinforced his view with an oath.

So she went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about the issue. He ruled that she became lawful for marriage the moment she delivered, and that if she wished to marry she was free to do so, in accordance with the verse: “For pregnant women, their term is until they deliver their burden” (al-Ṭalāq 65:4).

The waiting period is obligatory for a woman whose husband has died.
A pregnant woman’s waiting period ends when she gives birth.
The unqualified term “pregnancy” covers any foetus in which the form of a human being has begun to appear.
The waiting period for a widow who is not pregnant is four months and ten days if she is free, and two months and five days if she is a slave-woman.
She may contract a marriage even before she has ritually purified herself from post-partum bleeding, but the husband may not have intercourse with her until she becomes pure and performs the required bath. This is based on her statement: “He ruled that I became lawful the moment I delivered my child…,” as related by Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhri.
Shaykh al-Islām said: The Quran imposes a waiting period of three menstrual cycles only on divorcees; it is not required of a woman separated from her husband without divorce, nor of one approached through a mistaken belief (shubhah), nor of a woman who has committed fornication.

A reconciliation between the two verses:
The general statement of the Almighty: “For pregnant women, their term is until they deliver their burden” (al-Ṭalāq 65:4)

طويلاً حتى وضعت حملها. فلما طهرت من نفاسها -وكانت عالمة أنَّها بوضع حملها قد خرجت من عدتها، وحلّت للأزواج- تجمَّلت، فدخل عليها أبو السنابل وهي متجمِّلة، فعرف أنَّها متهيئة للخُطَّاب، فأقسم -على غلبة ظنه- أنَّه لا يحل لها النكاح حتى يمر عليها أربعة أشهر وعشرٌ؛ أخذًا من قوله تعالى: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٣٤]، وكانت متيقنة من صحة ما عندها من العلم، والدَّاخل أكَّد الحكم بالقسم. فأتت النَّبي ﷺ فسألته عن ذلك، فأفتاها بحِلِّها للأزواج حين وضعت الحمل، فإنْ أحبَّت الزواج، فلها ذلك؛ عملاً بقوله تعالى ﴿وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ﴾ [الطلاق: ٤]. ٢ - وجوب العدَّة على المُتوفَّى عنها زوجها. ٣ - أنَّ عدة الحامل تنتهي بوضع حملها. ٤ - عموم إطلاق الحمل يشمل ما وضع وفيه خَلْق إنسان. ٥ - إنَّ عدة المتوفى عنها -غير حامل- أربعة أشهر وعشرة أيام للحرة، وشهران وخمسة أيام للأَمَة. ٦ - يباح لها التزوج، ولو لم تطهر من نفاسها، إلاَّ أنَّه لا يباح لزوجها وطؤها إلاَّ بعد طهرها وتطهُّرها؛ لما روت: "فأفتاني بأنِّي قد حللت حين وضعت حملي ... إلخ" كما رواه ابن شهاب الزهري. ٧ - قال شيخ الإسلام: والقرآن ليس فيه إيجاب العدَّة بثلاثة قروء إلاَّ على المطلقات، لا على من فارقها زوجها بغير طلاق، ولا على من وطئت بشبهة، ولا على المزني بها. * توفيق بين آيتين: عموم قوله تعالى: ﴿وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ﴾ [الطَّلاق: ٤]