27/70. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3549 — Fatimah's Report and Umar's Objection
Concession Allowing An Irrevocably-Divorced Woman To Leave Her House During Her 'Iddah
Iddah Residence: Fatimah's Report and Umar's Evidence
Sunan an-Nasai : 3549
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3549
أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الصَّاغَانِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْجَوَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمَّارٌ، - هُوَ ابْنُ رُزَيْقٍ - عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ قَيْسٍ، قَالَتْ طَلَّقَنِي زَوْجِي فَأَرَدْتُ النُّقْلَةَ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " انْتَقِلِي إِلَى بَيْتِ ابْنِ عَمِّكِ عَمْرِو ابْنِ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ فَاعْتَدِّي فِيهِ " . فَحَصَبَهُ الأَسْوَدُ وَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ لِمَ تُفْتِي بِمِثْلِ هَذَا . قَالَ عُمَرُ إِنْ جِئْتِ بِشَاهِدَيْنِ يَشْهَدَانِ أَنَّهُمَا سَمِعَاهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِلاَّ لَمْ نَتْرُكْ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ لِقَوْلِ امْرَأَةٍ { لاَ تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنْ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلاَ يَخْرُجْنَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ } .
Fatimah bint Qais Narrated from:
My husband divorced me and I wanted to move, so I went to the Messenger of Allah and he said: 'Move to the house of your paternal cousin 'Amr bin Umm Maktum, and observe your 'Iddah there.'"Al-Aswad hit him (Ash-Sha'bi) with a pebble and said: "Woe be to you! Why do you issue such a Fatwa? 'Umar said: 'If you bring two witnesses who will testify that they heard that from the Messenger of Allah (we will believe you), otherwise, we will not leave the Book of Allah for the word of a woman.' 'And turn them not out of their (husband's) homes nor shall they (themselves) leave, except in case they are guilty of some open Fahishah.'"
[1] Al-Talâq 65:1.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3549In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 163English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3579
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3549
This Hadith presents both Fatimah bint Qais's report and a strong objection to using it as a general fatwa. Fatimah said that after her husband divorced her, the Messenger of Allah told her to move to the house of her cousin Amr bin Umm Maktum and observe iddah there. Al-Aswad criticized Ash-Shabi for giving such a ruling. He then quoted Umar as requiring two witnesses who had heard the instruction from the Prophet; otherwise, Umar would not leave the Quranic command that divorced women should not be turned out of their homes or leave, except in the stated case of open Fahishah. The narration should therefore be explained as a record of competing evidence, not as though the disagreement were absent.
What we learn from this hadith
- Fatimah reported an instruction to move and complete iddah elsewhere.
- Umar required supporting witnesses before leaving the Quranic wording.
- The Hadith records a disagreement about evidence and general application.
