FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #1257: SUAMI MENINGGAL SEBELUM BERSETUBUH: ADAKAH ISTERI WAJIB ‘IDDAH?
Must a wife observe iddah if her husband dies before the marriage was consummated?
Short answer
A wife whose husband has died must observe iddah even if the marriage was not consummated, because consummation is not a condition for the iddah of death.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A wife whose husband has died must observe iddah even if the marriage was not consummated, because consummation is not a condition for the iddah of death. This rests on the general wording of Surah al-Baqarah verse 234 and the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud about Birwa' bint Wasyiq. The JAKIM guideline cited adds that such a widow must also observe mourning, and her iddah lasts four months and ten days.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Justeru, isteri yang suaminya meninggal dunia sebelum bersetubuh dengannya hendaklah ber'iddah.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1257: SUAMI MENINGGAL SEBELUM BERSETUBUH: ADAKAH ISTERI WAJIB ‘IDDAH?”, 12 May 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3389-al-kafi-1257-suami-meninggal-sebelum-bersetubuh-adakah-isteri-wajib-iddah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/wife-iddah-husband-died-before-consummation/