setting a time limit. A group of the early Muslims followed him in this. The hadiths prescribing a time limit had not reached them, although their authenticity had been established by some who were not their equals in knowledge. This had indeed been reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—through several authentic chains of transmission.

Likewise, ʿUthmān—may Allah be pleased with him—did not know that a widow should observe her waiting period in the home she occupied at the time of her husband’s death, until al-Furayʿah bint Mālik, the sister of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, told him about her circumstances when her husband died, and that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had said to her:

“Remain in your home until the prescribed term comes to an end.”

ʿUthmān then acted accordingly. On another occasion, he was given some game that had been hunted specifically for him. He was about to eat it when ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—told him that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had declined meat given to him as a gift.

Likewise, ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—said:

“Whenever I heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—Allah enabled me to benefit from it as He willed. When someone else narrated a hadith to me, I would ask him to swear an oath; if he swore to me, I would believe him. Abū Bakr narrated to me—and Abū Bakr spoke the truth.”

He then related the well-known hadith concerning the prayer of repentance. He, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others also ruled that a pregnant widow should observe her waiting period