27/55. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3500 — Mourning Period for Women
The 'Iddah Of A Woman Whose Husband Dies
Hadith About Mourning Period for Women in Islam
Sunan an-Nasai : 3500
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3500
أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، عَنْ وَكِيعٍ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ أُمُّ حَبِيبَةَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ تَحِدُّ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا " .
Zainab bint Umm Salamah Narrated from:
Umm Habibah said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for anyone who dies for more than three days, except for a husband; (she mourns for him for) four months and ten (days).
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3500In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 112English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3530
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3500
This hadith explains the mourning period for women in Islam in a clear way. The Messenger of Allah said that a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not mourn for anyone who dies for more than three days, except for her husband. For a husband, the mourning period is four months and ten days. The core teaching is about keeping grief within the limits set by Islam. It does not deny sadness. It simply gives a clear boundary for formal mourning. This hadith is often searched as hadith about mourning period, iddah after husband death, and four months and ten days hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- Formal mourning for someone other than a husband is limited to three days.
- A widow mourns her husband for four months and ten days.
- Faith in Allah and the Last Day is linked with accepting this limit.
- Islam gives grief a clear and balanced time frame.
