Widow performing Hajj during her `Iddah

29-1-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

The husband of an old woman, more than 50 years old just died, she would like to perform hajj along with her brother's two sons, although she is still within Iddah. Is it allowed?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

According to the majority of Muslim scholars a widow whose husband has recently died must remain at her husband's house for four lunar months and ten days. She is not allowed to go out unless there is a pressing need. This ruling is based on the narration of Furay'ah (the sister of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri ) whose husband died and left her in a remote house. So, she asked Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to allow her to return to her family because her husband neither left her an owned house nor enough sustenance. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Remain in the house where you received the news of your husband's death until the end of your `Iddah (4 months and ten days)." [Maalik and At-Tirmithi]

Al-Bayhaqi reported that `Umar Ibn al-Khattab used to force women (whose husbands recently died and who did not yet finish their `Iddah) to go back home after having travelled a distance in the desert. Ibn Qudaamah said: ‘Such a widow is required to go back home if she was still during her `Iddah term, even if she has set out to perform her obligatory Hajj. This is so because she can perform Hajj the following year, but she cannot make up her `Iddah.’ This means that a woman must remain home until she completes her `Iddah and should give up Hajj for the present season.

Allaah Knows best.