Fatwa ID: 01997

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

I have a very serious problem to discuss with you.My husband divorced me thrice (verbally) in one sitting just 4 months back.I am a working lady.I am very ashamed that I did not follow the rules of iddah strictly as prescribed by the Shariah. Though I did not indulge in any immoral and bad activity nor I contracted marriage with anybody during the whole period of iddah but one mistake I commited is that I couldn’t confine myself within the boundaries of my house and went outside during my iddah due to my job and some other domestic reasons for which I am feeling very guilty today as I have gone through some Islamic material (after the completion of my Iddah) about the rules of Iddah and found myself deviating the rules as prescribed by Islam.I repent and admit my sin and Pray to ALLAH to forgive me. The period of iddah is over.Now what is the way to correct the past mistake?I again say that i am very much ashamed of my act of not following the rules of iddah completely.But when my eyes opened , the time was over.I did tauba full heartedly and asked ALLAH for forgiveness.But my heart is very heavy due to this sin.I want to ask what is the kafara of this mistake?Should I obseve the iddah again following shariah’s rules or the time is over as I passed the period of iddah.One thing more,keeping in view the whole scenario, can I marry someone else?Is it permissible as my iddah has been passed contradictory to the rules of shariah?Will my second marriage be Halal islamically.Please guide me and also pray for me.

Answer:

Iddah is a right of the Shariah and is something, which is obligatory for all Muslim sisters. There are many rules which are attached with the iddah; some are connected with the husband such as he has to provide his divorced wife with food and living accommodations which during the period and some are connected with the wife such as she is not allowed to leave the house during this period unless there is a valid Islamic need. The rules of iddah have to be followed by both the husband and wife otherwise they will be considered sinful for discarding a command of Allah .

When the time of iddah finishes, there is no more iddah. Therefore, there is no need to repeat the iddah again.

You should repent for the shortcomings which occurred whilst performing iddah and Insha Allah; He will accept your repentance.

The following are some ahadith which have been taken from Imam Nawawi’s Riyadhus Saliheen indicating towards the merciful nature of Allah .

• Saaiduna Abu Hurairah reports that I heard the Prophet of Allah saying: "By Allah, I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.'' (Sahih Bukhari).
• Saaiduna Al-Agharr bin Yasar Al-Muzani narrated that: The Prophet of Allah said: "Turn you people in repentance to Allah and beg pardon of  Him. I turn to Him in repentance a hundred times a day".
  (Sahih Muslim).
• Saaiduna Anas bin Malik the servant of the Prophet of Allah narrated: The Prophet of Allah said, "Verily, Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His slave than a person who lost his camel in a desert land and then finds it (unexpectedly)".
  (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
• Saaiduna Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari  reported: The Prophet of Allah said: "Allah, the Exalted, will continue to stretch out His Hand in the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and continue to stretch His Hand in the daytime so that the sinners of the night may repent, until the sun rises from the west". (Sahih Muslim)
• Saaiduna Abu Hurairah    narrated: The Prophet of Allah said, “He who repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will forgive him”.(Sahih Muslim].

The scholars have written if the sin committed is related to Allah , like shortcomings in the performance of the iddah, then there are 3 conditions for the repentance of the sinner to be accepted.

1.      Refrains from committing the same sin again.

2.      Feels ashamed at what he has done.

3.      Makes a firm intention of not committing that sin again.

From the question you sent mke it seems that you do have remorse and guilt over your actions and Insha Allah, your repentance will be accepted.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.