It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter to observe mourning on the dead for more than three (days), except in case of her husband.
The Book of Divorce - Sahih Muslim 1491
This narration from Sahih Muslim establishes the Islamic ruling concerning the period of mourning ('iddah) for women upon the death of relatives. The hadith explicitly states that a believing woman may not mourn for more than three days for any deceased person except her husband.
Scholarly Commentary
The three-day mourning period is a mercy from Allah to allow for natural grief while preventing excessive lamentation that contradicts Islamic teachings of patience and submission to divine decree. This limitation applies to all deceased relatives including parents, children, and siblings.
The exception for the husband reflects the unique marital bond in Islam. A widow observes 'iddah for four months and ten days, during which she refrains from marriage, adornment, and leaving her home unnecessarily. This extended period serves to establish paternity should she be pregnant and allows for proper emotional transition.
Legal Implications
Scholars derive from this hadith that prolonged mourning beyond three days (except for husband) constitutes religious innovation (bid'ah) and may lead to excessive grief disapproved in Islam. The ruling applies equally to outward manifestations of mourning and inward excessive dwelling on loss.
This teaching emphasizes Islam's balanced approach to emotional expression - permitting natural grief while prohibiting extremes that undermine faith in divine wisdom and decree (qadar).