The Obligations of a Woman Toward Her Deceased Husband

Question : The questioner says: We would like to inquire about the obligations and rulings concerning a woman whose husband has passed away.

Answer : It is obligatory for the widow to observe the waiting period in her home, and she must not leave it except out of dire necessity. It is obligatory for her to avoid all things that constitute adornment, such as clothing, jewelry, perfume, henna, kohl, and the like, which are considered adornment. It is permissible for her to speak to people on the telephone, for example, and it is permissible for her to go up to the roof and look at the moon. Some of the common people have said that it is not permissible for a woman in the waiting period to look at the moon, because, in their view, the moon is the face of a person. So if she goes up to the roof and looks at the moon, it means that this person is looking at her. All of this is superstition. She may stay in her house and go up and down as she wishes.