18/9. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1486c — Collyrium and Four Months Ten Days
The Obligation to mourn during the 'Iddah following the death of one's husband, but it is forbidden to mourn for more than three days in other cases
Hadith About Collyrium and Widow Iddah
Sahih Muslim : 1486c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1486c
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، وَأُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ تَذْكُرَانِ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَتْ لَهُ أَنَّ بِنْتًا لَهَا تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَاشْتَكَتْ عَيْنُهَا فَهْىَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكْحُلَهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَرْمِي بِالْبَعَرَةِ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ وَإِنَّمَا هِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ " .
Zainab bint Abu Salama reported: Umm Salama and Umm Habiba (Allah be pleased with them) were talking with each other (and saying) that a woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned to him that her daughter had lost her husband, and her eyes were sore and she wanted to use collyrium, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: One among you used to throw dung at the end of a year, and now (this abstinence from adornment) is only for four months and ten days.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1486c, 1488eIn-book reference : Book 18, Hadith 78USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3543
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1486c
This hadith about widow iddah tells of Umm Salama and Umm Habiba speaking about a woman who came to Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. She mentioned that her daughter had lost her husband, had sore eyes, and wanted to use collyrium. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered by reminding them that women had once thrown dung at the end of a year, while the stated period now is four months and ten days. The text keeps the focus on the widow’s abstinence from adornment during this period. It does not discuss every medical case in detail, so the explanation should stay close to the words given. The main point is the stated waiting period and the restraint connected to it.
What we learn from this hadith
- The woman asked about her widowed daughter’s sore eyes.
- The report connects collyrium with the widow’s period of restraint.
- The hadith states the period as four months and ten days.
- The text compares it with an earlier custom of one year.
