FatwaSarawakMarriage & Family
Iddah wanita kematian suami
May a widow in her iddah period leave the house to wash, shroud and accompany her husband's body to the cemetery?
Short answer
A widow must observe an iddah of four months and ten days along with mourning (ihdad), which includes not leaving the house except for important and urgent needs.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Sarawak State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad (Koleksi Kemusykilan Agama)
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A widow must observe an iddah of four months and ten days along with mourning (ihdad), which includes not leaving the house except for important and urgent needs. The ruling given is that handling the body at the mosque and escorting it to the grave is not an urgent need, since relatives can carry out these tasks. It suffices for the widow to stay at home and perform the funeral prayer there if she wishes, and she is discouraged from following the body to the cemetery. Once the iddah ends, she may visit her husband's grave provided she maintains proper conduct and etiquette.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Malah, pengurusan jenazah suami boleh dilakukan oleh ahli kerabat yang lain.
Read the full fatwa on the Sarawak website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Sarawak State Mufti Department. “Iddah wanita kematian suami”, 25 October 2023. https://muftinegeri.sarawak.gov.my/web/subpage/irsyad_list/#2023-10-25-iddah-wanita-kematian-suami. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/widow-iddah-handling-husband-funeral-outside-home/