The Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta received a question regarding the waiting period (iddah) for a woman who was revocably divorced and whose husband died while she was still in her iddah.
Revocable divorce ruling:
A revocable divorce occurs before the third divorce, keeping the marital bond intact during the iddah, allowing the husband to reconcile without a new contract.
All marital rights, including inheritance, remain valid if one spouse dies during the iddah.
General iddah rules:
Pregnant woman: iddah ends upon delivery.
Non-pregnant menstruating woman: three menstrual cycles (~60 days).
Non-menstruating woman: three lunar months.
Iddah after husband’s death:
Non-pregnant: four months and ten days.
Pregnant: until childbirth.
Rules apply to all women regardless of age, religion, or consummation status.
Revocable divorce if husband dies:
Idadah of divorce converts immediately to iddah of death, and the previous days of revocable iddah are not counted.
If pregnant, iddah ends upon delivery.
This is agreed upon by scholars of all four Sunni schools, unlike irrevocable divorce where the woman does not enter iddah of death.
Conclusion:
For a revocably divorced woman whose husband dies during the waiting period:
Pregnant: iddah ends at childbirth.
Not pregnant: iddah of death begins from the day of husband’s death (four months and ten days), excluding any previous revocable iddah.
