Prayer TimesAccording to Sharia, a woman is required to observe a waiting period after her husband passes away or after a divorce. During this time, she is not permitted to accept marriage proposals or remarry.
The Qur'an states: "Divorced women shall wait by themselves for three menstrual periods" (al-Baqarah 2:228).
For women who do not menstruate or whose menstruation has ceased due to age, the waiting period (iddah) is three months. For pregnant women, the waiting period lasts until they give birth. The Qur'an says:
"As for your women who have despaired of menstruation, if you doubt, their waiting period is three months, as well as for those who have not menstruated. And for pregnant women, their term is until they deliver their burden" (at-Talaq 65:4).
The iddah for a woman whose husband has died is four months and ten days. The Qur'an says:
"And those of you who die and leave wives behind, they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten days" (al-Baqarah 2:234).
In Kazakh tradition, it is considered inappropriate for a widow to remarry before a year has passed since her husband's death.
The waiting period serves to determine whether the woman is pregnant or not, ensuring lineage is clear. It is also a way for a woman to honor the marital bond she had with her late husband.
If a marriage contract was concluded but the couple did not consummate the marriage (i.e., they did not have intimate relations), the woman is not required to observe the iddah after divorce and may remarry immediately.
In summary, the waiting periods for a divorced woman according to Sharia are as follows:
For a menstruating woman who is divorced: three menstrual cycles.
For a woman who does not menstruate due to age or other reasons: three months.
For a pregnant woman who is divorced: until she gives birth.
For a widow: four months and ten days.
If the marriage was not consummated, there is no waiting period after divorce.
According to Islamic law, after a legal divorce, a woman must observe at least the waiting period mentioned above before marrying another man. However, if she wishes to remarry her former husband and reconciliation is possible, they may remarry without waiting for the iddah to finish. Nevertheless, Allah does not like couples who divorce for trivial reasons. Therefore, Muslim couples should respect and forgive each other, consider the future of their children, and strive to preserve their family as much as possible.
Prepared by Hasan AMANKUL
"Munara" newspaper, No. 19, 2020
This content was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.