Fatwa No : 65671
Iddat - Waiting period

Iddat - Waiting period

Is it allowed or not to go out of the house during the period of Iddat for any essential work? During which, who are the males who are ordered to be observed Pardah with? Brother-in-law, brother, father, paternal uncle, maternal uncle?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be clear that even during the period of Iddat of Talaq, it is not permissible for a woman to go out of the house without under a compulsion of a dire necessity (such as going to the doctor due to illness, etc.), but it is necessary to stay confined within the house. And those non-Mehram men (brother-in-law, brother-in-law’s brothers, cousins from both father’s and mother’s side) with whom it is ordered to observe Pardah with in normal state, should necessarily be observed Purdah with, during Iddat as well. Whereas brother, father, paternal uncle and maternal uncle are concerned, since they are Mehram and there is no command to observe Pardah with them even in normal state, it is not necessary to observe Pardah with them during the period of Iddat as well.
And Allah knows best.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

فی الدر المختار مع رد المحتار: (وتعتدان) أي معتدة طلاق وموت (في بيت وجبت فيه) ولايخرجان منه (إلا أن تخرج أو ينهدم المنزل، أو تخاف) انهدامه، أو (تلف مالها، أو لاتجد كراء البيت) ونحو ذلك من الضرورات فتخرج لأقرب موضع إليه".(536/3)۔
و فیہ ایضاً: ومعتدة موت تخرج في الجدیدین وتبیت أکثر اللیل في منزلہا؛ لأن نفقتہا علیہا فتحتاج للخروج اھ (180/5، ط: دار الکتاب)۔