Fatwa ID: 02219
Answered by Ustadha Umm Abdullah
Question:
Salam. My nikah has been (faskhnikah) dissolved under Islamic law on 3rd March 2017. Now I know my iddah is that I must pass 3 menstrual cycles but what do I do if I haven't had a monthly menstrual cycle since February 2017. As I suffer from chronic Anaemia I assume my iron may be too low which is why I have not had my expected menstrual cycle on or around 5th March, & no monthly cycle at at all up to this day.
Do I carry on waiting for a menstrual cycle to begin which I have no idea at
all when it could be or do I start counting my 3 months from the 3rd March 2017?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The iddat (waiting period) of a woman who does not experience menstruation due to childhood, menopause, or a woman who reached the age of puberty without experiencing haidh will be three consecutive Islamic months. [1]
According to the Hanafi school of thought, a woman who experiences menstruation for three days or more, and then for some reason her menstruation stopped, she will have to wait until she starts menstruating again or reaches the age of menopause.
According to the Maliki school of thought, she will have to wait for one year.
The age of menopause according to the Hanafijurists is thirty years for a woman who never experienced menstruation, and fifty-five years for the one who did experience menstruation, but stopped due to a reason.
Due to difficulty and hardship being endured if a person was to wait for such a lengthy period of time, many contemporary Ulama have given the ruling on the Maliki school of thought.
However, in order for a woman to act upon this ruling of one year, she must first resort to medication so her menstruation commences.
If menstruation appears during this period of one year, then the waiting period of three menstruations should be observed. [2]
Only Allah Ta’ala knows best
Ustadha Umm Abdullah
DarulIfta Birmingham.
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
[1]
عدة الحرة للطلاق أو الفسخ ثلاثة قروء و ثلاثة أشهر أن لم تحض اي عدة الحرة أن لم تكن من ذوات الحيض لصغير أو كبير
و خرج بقوله إن لم تحض الشابة الممتد طهرها فلا تعتد بالأشهار و صورتها إذا رأت ثلاثة ايام و انقطع و مضي سنة أو أكثر ثم طلقت فعدتها بالحيض الي ان تبلغ الي حد الاياس و هو خمس و خمسون سنة في المحتار، كذا في البزازية
البحر الراءق ، ج٤ ص ٣١
[2]
قلت: ونظير هذه المسألة عدة ممتدة الطهر التي بلغت برؤية الدم ثلاثة أيام ثم امتد طهرها فإنها تبقى في العدة إلى أن تحيض ثلاث حيض. وعند مالك تنقضي عدتها بتسعة أشهر. وقد قال في البزازية: الفتوى في زماننا على قول مالك. وقال الزاهدي كان بعض أصحابنا يفتون به للضرورة
رد المحتار علي الدر المختار ج ٤/ص ٢٩٦
احسن الفتاوى، ج ٥/ ص ٤٣٥
فتاوي دار العلوم زكريا ج٤/ص٣٠٧
