Working after Jummah prayer

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

If a woman in Iddah moves due to genuine fear for her safety or another valid reason then it is permitted. It is prohibited for her to leave the marital home without a valid reason. Since it is obligatory for Iddah to be carried out in the marital home.

Explanation

الفُرَيْعَةَ بِنْتَ مَالِكِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ وَهِيَ أُخْتُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الخُدْرِيِّ، أخبرتها أنها جَاءَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ تَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا فِي بَنِي خُدْرَةَ، وَأَنَّ زَوْجَهَا خَرَجَ فِي طَلَبِ أَعْبُدٍ لَهُ أَبَقُوا، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِطَرَفِ القَدُومِ لَحِقَهُمْ فَقَتَلُوهُ، قَالَتْ: فَسَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِي، فَإِنَّ زَوْجِي لَمْ يَتْرُكْ لِي مَسْكَنًا يَمْلِكُهُ وَلَا نَفَقَةً، قَالَتْ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نَعَمْ»، قَالَتْ: فَانْصَرَفْتُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كُنْتُ فِي الحُجْرَةِ، أَوْ فِي المَسْجِدِ، نَادَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَوْ أَمَرَ بِي فَنُودِيتُ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ قُلْتِ؟» قَالَتْ: فَرَدَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ القِصَّةَ الَّتِي ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ مِنْ شَأْنِ زَوْجِي، قَالَ: امْكُثِي فِي بَيْتِكِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الكِتَابُ أَجَلَهُ

Al-Furay’ah bint Malik bin Sinan, the sister of the Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri, narrated that she went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to ask him if she could return to her family in Bani Khudrah. Her husband had gone out searching for his runaways, when he was at the edge of al-Qadum he caught up with them and they killed him. She said: So I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ if I could return to my family. Since my husband had not left me a home that he owned nor any maintenance. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Yes. So I left. When I was in the room  or the Masjid, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me or summoned me and he said: What did you say? She said: So I repeated the story that I had mentioned to him about my husband. He ﷺ said: Remain in your house until the period elapses. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1204, Hasan Sahih).

The Hadith above makes it clear that the obligation upon a woman in the post marital waiting period (Iddah) is to remain in the marital home. Even if that home was not owned by the husband. Thus, if a woman in Iddah moves out of the marital home she will be sinful.

Moving due to fear

When there are genuine cases of need or necessity due to which a woman in Iddah moves out of the marital home then it will be permitted. In the narration below we find that the blessed Prophet ﷺ permitted a woman to move because her house was isolated and there was fear for her.

عَائِشَةُ، أَشَدَّ العَيْبِ، وَقَالَتْ: إِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ كَانَتْ فِي مَكَانٍ وَحْشٍ، فَخِيفَ عَلَى نَاحِيَتِهَا، فَلِذَلِكَ أَرْخَصَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

(Sayidah) Aishah (Allah be pleased with her) severely objected and said: Fatimah lived in an isolated house so there was fear for her (wellbeing). Hence the Messenger of Allah ﷺ permitted her (to move). (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5326).

وَإِنْ كَانَتْ فِي مَنْزِلٍ مَخُوفٍ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا أَوْ مَالِهَا وَلَيْسَ مَعَهَا رَجُلٌ كَانَتْ فِي سَعَةٍ مِنْ الرِّحْلَةِ لِأَنَّ الْمُقَامَ مَعَ الْخَوْفِ لَا يُمْكِنُ، وَفِي الْمُقَامِ ضَرَرٌ عَلَيْهَا فِي نَفْسِهَا وَمَالِهَا وَذَلِكَ عُذْرٌ فِي إسْقَاطِ حَقِّ الشَّرْعِ. (المبسوط)

If she is in a house where she fears for herself or her property and there is no man with her, then she is permitted to travel. Since staying with fear is not possible. And there is harm to herself and her wealth in staying. That is a valid excuse for waiving a legal obligation. (Imam al-Sarakhsi 483H, al-Mabsoot).

Rented accommodation

Even if the marital home is rented and not owned, Iddah must be observed in it. In the Nass (text) below we find a list of valid reasons for a woman to observe Iddah elsewhere. Amongst them is not having sufficient money for the rental payment. This dictates that if money is available then Iddah must be carried out there.

(وتعتد) المعتدة (في منزلها) الذي يضاف إليها بالسكنى (وقت الفرْقة والموت) حتى لو طلقها وهي زائرة وجب عليها أن تعود إلى منزلها فتعتد فيه، (إلا أن تخرج) بأن كان نصيبُها من دار الميت لا يكفيها وأخرجها الوَرَثةُ من نصيبِهم (أو خافت تَلَف مالها، أو الانهدام، أو لم تجد كِرَاء البيت). (فتح باب العناية بشرح النقاية)

The woman in Iddah must observe the waiting period in her home. That which is considered her residence at the time of separation or death. Even if he divorced her while she was travelling, she must return to her home and observe the waiting period there. Unless she is removed. Such that her share of the deceased’s house was not enough for her and the heirs removed her from their share. Or she feared her wealth would be destroyed, or collapse (of the house), or she could not find the rent for the house. (Imam Ali al-Qari 1014H, Fath Bab al-Inayah bi Sharh al-Nuqayah).

Above and beyond

Although there are situations in which a woman in Iddah is permitted to move, she must try to avoid it if possible. To the extent that she will be required to go above and beyond her normal requirements.

We do not normally oblige a woman to pay rent for her accommodation, rather that is upon her husband. However this may be required of her during Iddah if it leads to Iddah being carried out in the marital home.

كان المنزل بأجرة ولا تجد ما تؤديه في أجرته في عدة الوفاة، فلا بأس عند ذلك أن تنتقل، وإن كانت تقدر على الأجرة لا تنتقل، وإن كان المنزل لزوجها وقد مات عنها فلها أن تسكن في نصيبها إن كان ما يصيبها من ذلك مما يكفى به في السكنى وتستتر عن سائر الورثة ممن ليس بمحرم لها، وإن كان نصيبها لا يكفيها أو خافت على متاعها منهم فلا بأس أن تنتقل. (نخب الأفكار في تنقيح مباني الأخبار في شرح معاني الآثار)

If the house was rented and she does not have anything to pay the rent during the Iddah of death, in that case there is no issue in her moving. However, if she can afford the rent then she must not move. If the house belongs to her husband and he has died, then she lives in her share if it is sufficient accommodation. And she veils herself from the rest of the inheritors who are not her mahram. But if her share is not sufficient for her, or she fears for her belongings from them, then there is no harm in her moving. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni 855H, Nukhab al-Afkar).

Need and necessity

The Shariah (Islamic law) gives consideration to need and necessity. Such that obligations can be adjusted in situations of necessity. Thus, if a woman in Iddah moves out of the marital home and observes Iddah elsewhere, it will be permitted if she done so due to necessity. In the Nusoos (texts) below we find examples of such necessities.

فَأَما إِذا كَانَ نصِيبهَا لَا يكفيها أَو خَافت على متاعها مِنْهُم فلهَا أَن تنْتَقل وَيكون ذَلِك عذرا وَالسُّكْنَى وَجَبت حَقًا لله تَعَالَى عَلَيْهَا فَيسْقط بالعذر كَسَائِر الْعِبَادَات. (تحفة الفقهاء)

But if her share is not sufficient for her or she fears for her belongings from them, then she has the right to move and that becomes a justification.  Residence is a right of Allah (Most High) upon her, so it is waived with an excuse like all other acts of worship. (Imam Ala al-Deen al-Samarqandi 540H, Tuhfatu al-Fuqaha).

وَأَمَّا فِي حَالَةِ الضَّرُورَةِ فَإِنْ اُضْطُرَّتْ إلَى الْخُرُوجِ مِنْ بَيْتِهَا بِأَنْ خَافَتْ سُقُوطَ مَنْزِلِهَا أَوْ خَافَتْ عَلَى مَتَاعِهَا أَوْ كَانَ الْمَنْزِلُ بِأُجْرَةٍ وَلَا تَجِدُ مَا تُؤَدِّيهِ فِي أُجْرَتِهِ فِي عِدَّةِ الْوَفَاةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنْ تَنْتَقِلَ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْأُجْرَةِ لَا تَنْتَقِلُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَنْزِلُ لِزَوْجِهَا وَقَدْ مَاتَ عَنْهَا فَلَهَا أَنْ تَسْكُنَ فِي نَصِيبِهَا. (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)

In cases of necessity, if she is forced to leave her house because she is afraid that her house will collapse, or she is afraid for her belongings, or the house is rented and she does not have the ability to pay for the rent during the Iddah of death, there is no harm in her moving. However, if she is able to afford the rent, she does not move. If the house belonged to her husband and he died, then she may live in her share. (Imam Abu Bakr al-Kasani 587H, Badai al-Sanai).  

If there is a necessity, then a woman can move to another house. However, if needed she can also move to another town or city too. It all depends on the particular circumstances of her situation.

وَلَوْ كَانَ زَوَالُ الْخَوْفِ بِالتَّحَوُّلِ مِنْ مَنْزِلٍ إلَى مَنْزِلٍ كَانَ لَهَا أَنْ تَتَحَوَّلَ فَكَذَلِكَ إذَا كَانَ بِالتَّحَوُّلِ مِنْ السَّوَادِ إلَى الْمِصْرِ. (المبسوط)

If the eradication of fear is by moving from one house to another, she would be permitted to move. Likewise, if it is by moving from a remote area to the city. (Imam al-Sarakhsi 483H, al-Mabsoot).

Observance after moving

If a woman in Iddah moves to another house or town due to a Shariah countenanced reason, then she must now remain strict in the observance of the Iddah in this new place. She must not take the restrictions of Iddah lightly.

وَإِذَا انْتَقَلَتْ لِعُذْرٍ يَكُونُ سُكْنَاهَا فِي الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي انْتَقَلَتْ إلَيْهِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ كَوْنِهَا فِي الْمَنْزِلِ الَّذِي انْتَقَلَتْ مِنْهُ فِي حُرْمَةِ الْخُرُوجِ عَنْهُ كَذَا فِي الْبَدَائِعِ. (الفتاوى الهندية)

If she moves due to a valid reason, her residence in the house to which she moved will be the same as her being in the house from which she moved. From the perspective of being forbidden to leave it. As is mentioned in al-Badai. (al-Fataawa al-Hindiyah). 

Conclusion

If a woman in Iddah moves out of the marital home then she will be sinful. However, if this is done due to a valid reason then she will not be sinning therein. But she must be observant of the Iddah restrictions in her new home. It is unacceptable to take the restrictions of Iddah lightly.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (26.09.24)

See also:

Can a woman do iddah at her parents home

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