How Long Woman Waits To Remarry?

Divorce happens when the husband say types of Talaq In Islam. There is a rule for Muslim women widowed they must obey during the waiting periods before remarry. It’s called an Iddah, which refers to how long they should waiting periods in Islamic culture. The Iddah can come in different periods with different circumstances.

Based on the Quran, Iddah is a lawful activity with a specific purpose for women after they got divorced. If they willing to remarry someone, so Iddah needs to be done first. In this time of waiting, allows the woman to grieve, if it the divorce because of a death. Besides, it useful for a woman to take her time to do some reflection with her married life.

By Iddah, it will become a great opportunity not only for the man but also for the woman. It means that they will think twice before they cut the tie of their marriage life just like before. The divorce can be a hard experience for the woman so that she must think twice before remarries. And she can learn how to become a good wife in Islam in her next marriage life. As for the men, they can learn how to become a good husband in Islam also.

Iddah for women means stay at home where the women usually lived. It does not mean they have to stay for a long day. But, she still can get outside her house for their needs such as shopping groceries, work, medical needs, pays bills, and similar activities they need. Such as mentions in the Quran surah At-Talaq verse 1 mentions this.

يٰٓاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاۤءَ فَطَلِّقُوْهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَاَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ رَبَّكُمْۚ لَا تُخْرِجُوْهُنَّ مِنْۢ بُيُوْتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ اِلَّآ اَنْ يَّأْتِيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍۗ وَتِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ ۗوَمَنْ يَّتَعَدَّ حُدُوْدَ اللّٰهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهٗ ۗ لَا تَدْرِيْ لَعَلَّ اللّٰهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ اَمْرًا – ١

“O Prophet! If you divorce your wives, you should divorce them when they can (face) their Idah (what is natural), and count the times, and fear Allah your Lord. You must not remove them from their homes and do not (be permitted) to leave unless they have committed a heinous act. These are God’s laws, and whoever violates God’s laws, indeed, he has wronged himself. You do not know maybe after that God made a new provision.” (QS 65:1)

The long periods for women in their Iddah before they remarry based on the Quran classified by three types of waiting periods. Please, see the explanation below so that you will understand how long a woman should wait to remarry to another man or her ex-husband.

1. Widow With Pregnancies

Having a child for a widow can happen while she was pregnant during the divorce. Her waiting periods end when she gives birth. So, before the baby is born, she could not remarry another man or the husband before. In case they become together again because the divorce can be has some effects of divorce in Muslim law. This situation is written on the Quran surah At-Talaq verse 4.

وَالّٰۤـِٔيْ يَىِٕسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيْضِ مِنْ نِّسَاۤىِٕكُمْ اِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلٰثَةُ اَشْهُرٍۙ وَّالّٰۤـِٔيْ لَمْ يَحِضْنَۗ وَاُولَاتُ الْاَحْمَالِ اَجَلُهُنَّ اَنْ يَّضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّۗ وَمَنْ يَّتَّقِ اللّٰهَ يَجْعَلْ لَّهٗ مِنْ اَمْرِهٖ يُسْرًا – ٤

“Women who are not menstruating anymore (menopause) among your wives if you are in doubt (about their idols) then the Idah is three months, and so (too) women who do not menstruate. While pregnant women, their ideal time is until they give birth. And whoever worships Allah, surely He makes it easy for him in his affairs.” (QS 65:4)

2. Widow With No Pregnancies

As for the widow with no pregnancies, her Iddah time of periods ends after she completing three intervals of menstruation. The period needs to be done for the widow to make sure she has no pregnancy at all. Based on the Quran surah Al Baqarah verse 228 mentions this.

وَالْمُطَلَّقٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِاَنْفُسِهِنَّ ثَلٰثَةَ قُرُوْۤءٍۗ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ اَنْ يَّكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ فِيْٓ اَرْحَامِهِنَّ اِنْ كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِۗ وَبُعُوْلَتُهُنَّ اَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ اِنْ اَرَادُوْٓا اِصْلَاحًا ۗوَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِيْ عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِۖ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ ۗ وَاللّٰهُ عَزِيْزٌ حَكِيْمٌ ࣖ – ٢٢٨

“And the divorced wives (obliged) hold themselves (waiting) three times the Quru ‘. It is forbidden for them to conceal what Allah created in their wombs if they believe in Allah and the hereafter. And their husbands are more entitled to return to them in that period if they want improvement. And they (women) have the right to be balanced with their obligations in an appropriate manner. But husbands have advantages over them. Allah is mighty, all-wise.” (QS 2:228)

3. Divorce Due To Death

If someone becomes a widow because her husband died, so her Iddah ends when the four months and ten days. At this time, the widow needs to feel her grieves and realizing that her husband passed away. In the Quran surah, Al Baqarah verse 234 mentions this.

وَالَّذِيْنَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُوْنَ اَزْوَاجًا يَّتَرَبَّصْنَ بِاَنْفُسِهِنَّ اَرْبَعَةَ اَشْهُرٍ وَّعَشْرًا ۚ فاِذَا بَلَغْنَ اَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيْمَا فَعَلْنَ فِيْٓ اَنْفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِۗ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرٌ – ٢٣٤

“And those who die among you and leave their wives, let them (wives) wait four months and ten days. Then when they have reached their end, there is no sin for you regarding what they have done to themselves in the proper way. And Allah knows best what you do.” (QS 2:234)

So, after these explanations above now, we know for how long women wait to remarry. All of these rules are made based on the Quran so that if you obey them may you will get Allah’s blessing. Divorce is hard to do, that is why we need to know how to prevent divorce in Islam.