The Book of Divorce

كتاب الطلاق

Chapter 9: 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

Safiyya bint Abu 'Ubaid reported on the authority of Hafsa or 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with thein) or from both of them that Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said

It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter (or believing in Allah and His Messenger) that she should observe mourning for the dead beyond three days except in case of her husband.

A hadith like this is transmitted on the authority of Nafi'.

Safiyya bint Abu 'Ubaid reported that she heard Hafsa daughter of Umar (Allah be pleased with them), (and) wife of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ), narrating a hadith like this from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and she made this addition

" She should abstain from adorning herself (in case of the death of her husband) for four months and ten days."

Safiyya bint Abu 'Ubaid narrated this tradition of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) on the authority of some wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ)

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

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.

Umm `Atiyya (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said

A woman must not observe mourning for one who had died for more than three (days) except for four months and ten days in the case of her husband. And she must not wear a dyed garment except one of the types made of dyed yarn, or apply collyrium, or touch perfume except a little perfume or incense, when she has been purified after her courses.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of narrators but with a slight variation of words.

Umm 'Atiyya ('Allah be pleased with her) said

We were forbidden to observe mourning for the dead beyond three days except in the case of husband (where it is permissible) for four months and ten days, and (that during this period) we should neither use collyrium nor touch perfume, nor wear dyed clothes, but concession was given to a woman when one of us was purified of our courses to make use of a little incense or scent.