Fatwa ID: 09411
Answered by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Question:
Assalamualaikum pray you are well,
Mufti Dilwar advised me to seek advice on working during iddah, i have some money saved to cover basic needs etc but i support my parents, my dad is retired and disabled, i am really the only person earning and i’ve only just recently started my new job. I pay our family mortgage. During iddah i would need to go into office but i can keep this is to a minimum to 1/2 days a week or less, please can you advise if i can continue with my job? For my own financial security, its very hard to find a job in my local area and i’ve just got this one alhamdulillah, my husband hasnt paid any maintenance for me and i’m not in our marital home, for over a year. He and my in laws have also kept significant amount of my own money so i have had financial loss. I really need this job but i dont want to disobey Allah swt, please can you advise jzk so much and do keep us in your duas
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
I am sorry to hear about your difficult situation, may Allah (swt) grant you ease and comfort during this difficult time. When a husband divorces his wife, it is the right of the former wife that her ex-husband provides both housing and maintenance during the ‘iddah period, and any wealth and possessions which belonged to her should be returned. One should also keep in mind that there is no ‘iddah for a person who has not consummated their marriage or been in a valid seclusion (a situation where consummation could have occurred).[1]
A woman should remain at her residence for the full duration of the ‘iddah. However, a woman observing ‘iddah is permitted to leave her residence if she has a genuine necessity, such as the need to earn a living or fulfill her needs (when there are no others who will provide the required support). A woman in ‘iddat from divorce would only be permitted to leave the home for as long as what is necessary for her to earn her maintenance. Once this need has been met, she should return to her place of residence.[2]
If paid leave is not possible and you are able to sufficiently provide for your needs by going to work for a few days a week, leaving the home for this purpose would be permissible during the ‘iddah period. In addition, you may also wish to seek advice on how to arrange the return of your wealth from your former husband and in-laws through a trustworthy local Islamic Institution or Shari’ah council, as well as see what other services are available for you in your area.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
أَرْبَعٌ مِنْ النِّسَاءِ لَا عِدَّةَ عَلَيْهِنَّ: الْمُطَلَّقَةُ قَبْلَ الدُّخُولِ…
إذَا طَلَّقَ الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ طَلَاقًا بَائِنًا أَوْ رَجْعِيًّا أَوْ ثَلَاثًا أَوْ وَقَعَتْ الْفُرْقَةُ بَيْنَهُمَا بِغَيْرِ طَلَاقٍ وَهِيَ حُرَّةٌ مِمَّنْ تَحِيضُ فَعِدَّتُهَا ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْرَاءٍ سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ الْحُرَّةُ مُسْلِمَةً أَوْ كِتَابِيَّةً…
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.526, Dār Al-Fiqr)
الْمُعْتَدَّةُ عَنْ الطَّلَاقِ تَسْتَحِقُّ النَّفَقَةَ وَالسُّكْنَى كَانَ الطَّلَاقُ رَجْعِيًّا أَوْ بَائِنًا، أَوْ ثَلَاثًا حَامِلًا كَانَتْ الْمَرْأَةُ، أَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ
Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.557, Dār Al-Fiqr)
[2]
وَتَعْتَدَّانِ) أَيْ مُعْتَدَّةُ طَلَاقٍ وَمَوْتٍ (فِي بَيْتٍ وَجَبَتْ فِيهِ) وَلَا يَخْرُجَانِ مِنْهُ (إلَّا أَنْ تُخْرَجَ أَوْ يَتَهَدَّمَ الْمَنْزِلُ، أَوْ تَخَافُ) انْهِدَامَهُ، أَوْ (تَلَفَ مَالِهَا، أَوْ لَا تَجِدَ كِرَاءَ الْبَيْتِ) وَنَحْوَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ الضَّرُورَاتِ فَتَخْرُجُ لِأَقْرَبِ مَوْضِعٍ إلَيْهِ، وَفِي الطَّلَاقِ إلَى حَيْثُ شَاءَ الزَّوْجُ، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكْفِهَا نَصِيبُهَا مِنْ الدَّارِ اشْتَرَتْ مِنْ الْأَجَانِبِ مُجْتَبًى، وَظَاهِرُهُ وُجُوبُ الشِّرَاءِ – لَوْ قَادِرَةً -، أَوْ الْكِرَاءِ بَحْرٌ، وَأَقَرَّهُ أَخُوهُ وَالْمُصَنِّفُ
–
…قَالَ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ: وَأَمَّا الْمُتَوَفَّى عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَلِأَنَّهُ لَا نَفَقَةَ لَهَا فَتَحْتَاجُ إلَى الْخُرُوجِ نَهَارًا لِطَلَبِ الْمَعَاشِ وَقَدْ يَمْتَدُّ إلَى أَنْ يَهْجُمَ اللَّيْلُ وَلَا كَذَلِكَ الْمُطَلَّقَةُ لِأَنَّ النَّفَقَةَ دَارَّةٌ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ مَالِ زَوْجِهَا. اهـ
قَالَ فِي الْفَتْحِ: وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ مَدَارَ حِلِّ خُرُوجِهَا بِسَبَبِ قِيَامِ شُغْلِ الْمَعِيشَةِ فَيَتَقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِهِ، فَمَتَى انْقَضَتْ حَاجَتُهَا لَا يَحِلُّ لَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ صَرْفُ الزَّمَانِ خَارِجَ بَيْتِهَا. اهـ. وَبِهَذَا انْدَفَعَ قَوْلُ الْبَحْرِ إنَّ الظَّاهِرَ مِنْ كَلَامِهِمْ جَوَازُ خُرُوجِ الْمُعْتَدَّةِ عَنْ وَفَاةٍ نَهَارًا وَلَوْ كَانَ عِنْدَهَا نَفَقَةٌ، وَإِلَّا لَقَالُوا: لَا تَخْرُجُ الْمُعْتَدَّةُ عَنْ طَلَاقٍ، أَوْ مَوْتٍ إلَّا لِضَرُورَةٍ فَإِنَّ الْمُطَلَّقَةَ تَخْرُجُ لِلضَّرُورَةِ لَيْلًا، أَوْ نَهَارًا اهـ
Raddul Muhtār (Vol.3, pg.536-7, Dār Al-Fiqr)
٥٦ – [ مَاجَازَ لِعَذْرٍ بَطَلَ بِزَوَالِهِ ]…
أَيْ لِأَنَّ جَوَازَهُ كَانَ بِسَبَبِ الْعُذَر ، فَهُوَ خَلْفٌ عَنِ الْأَصْلِ الْمُتَعَذِّرِ فَاِذَا زَالَ الْعُذْرُ وَأَمْكَنَ الْعَمَلُ بِالْأَصْلِ لَا يُعْمَلُ بِالْخَلْفِ ، وَمَعْنَى الْبَطَلَانِ سُقُوْطُ اِعْتِبَارِهِ فَيَصِيْرُ فِيْ حُكْمِ الْعَدْمِ كَالْمُتَيَمَّمِ إِذَا وَجَدَ الْمَاءُ وَكَلَبْسِ الْحَرِيْرِ لِمَنْ بِهِ حِكَّةٌ ، ثُمَّ زَالَتْ عَنْهُ…
وَالْمُتَوَفَّى عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا يَجُوْزُ لَهَا الْخُرُوْج إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا نَفۡقَةٌ…
Qawaa’id Fiqhiyyah Q56 (pg.77, Darul Tirmizi)