“Those among you who die and leave wives behind: let them wait by themselves for four months and ten days. Then, when they have reached the end of their term, there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in a proper manner. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (234)
His saying, exalted is He, “Those among you who die”: that is, those who die and whose appointed terms are fully taken. The verbs tawaffā and istawfā have the same meaning; tawaffī means taking something in full. “And leave wives behind”: that is, they leave behind wives. “Let them wait”: that is, let them await. “By themselves for four months and ten days”: that is, they are to observe the waiting period during this time by refraining from adornment, perfume, and moving residence after the loss of their husbands—unless they are pregnant, in which case their waiting period ends with delivery.
Initially, the waiting period following a husband’s death was a full year, according to His saying, exalted is He: “Those among you who die and leave wives behind shall make a bequest for their wives: provision for one year, without their being turned out” (240—al-Baqarah). It was then abrogated by the ruling of four months and ten days.
Ibn Abi Najih reported from Mujahid: This waiting period—that is, four months and ten days—was obligatory for her at her husband’s family home. Then Allah, exalted is He, revealed, “Provision for one year,” thereby granting her the remainder of the year—seven months and twenty nights—as a bequest. If she wished, she could remain in the accommodation provided for in the bequest, and if she wished, she could leave. This is the meaning of Allah’s saying, glorified and exalted is He: “Without their being turned out; but if they leave, there is no blame upon you for what they do” (240—al-Baqarah). Thus, the waiting period remains obligatory upon her as it is.
Ata reported that Ibn Abbas said: This verse abrogated her waiting period at her husband’s family home; she could reside in the accommodation provided for in his bequest, or, if she wished, she could leave. Ata said: Then the inheritance ruling came and abrogated the right to housing, so she may observe her waiting period wherever she wishes, and she has no right to housing.
She is required to observe mourning during the waiting period following her husband’s death. This means that she must refrain from adornment and perfume. It is not permissible for her to oil her head with any oil, whether scented or unscented. She may oil her body with an unscented oil, but if it is scented, it is not permissible. Nor may she apply kohl containing perfume or serving as an adornment, such as black kohl. There is no harm, however, in Persian kohl.