What is the ruling on a widow remaining in her room to complete her waiting period?
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The questioner:
After my uncle passed away (may Allah have mercy on him), his wife was left in his house for four months. He imposed a condition on me that she be confined to the room; she was not allowed to leave that room for four months. What is the Islamic ruling on a woman remaining in this state, as if she were a prisoner? We know that the religion is ease, not hardship.
The Shaykh:
This is a mistake. What they did is a mistake. I seek refuge in Allah. The meaning of remaining in the waiting period is that she stays in the house, meaning the house of her husband who died, where she was residing, and she does not move from it. It does not mean she stays in a specific room from which she cannot exit, or that she does not leave the house. No, she leaves the house for her needs. She goes to the market for her needs, buys her necessities, goes to the doctor when necessary. If she is a teacher, she goes to teach during the day, or if she is a student, she goes to school. These are among the necessities. However, she does not move from the house to another house. She remains in her house and completes her waiting period in her house, because the Messenger (peace be upon him) said to the woman in waiting: "Remain in your house until the term is fulfilled." This does not mean she never exits; she exits for her needs, just as people exit for their needs. But it means she does not move. As for those who confined her to a room like a prisoner, this is a mistake and ignorance. It has no basis, no evidence, and no scholar says it. In fact, it is invalid.
The questioner:
Regarding the Shaykh, suppose she goes to buy food or clothes for her young children. Is there any issue?
The Shaykh:
There is no harm. She may exit for her needs. This is a general statement. Her exiting for a need is permissible. Yes.
The questioner:
He is the doctor.
The Shaykh:
It should be at night; it is more cautious or preferable for it to be during the day. If circumstances require it at night, if she is struck by an illness or attacked by an enemy or something like that, she exits. But ordinary needs are to be attended to during the day.
After my uncle passed away (may Allah have mercy on him), his wife was left in his house for four months. He imposed a condition on me that she be confined to the room; she was not allowed to leave that room for four months. What is the Islamic ruling on a woman remaining in this state, as if she were a prisoner? We know that the religion is ease, not hardship.
The Shaykh:
This is a mistake. What they did is a mistake. I seek refuge in Allah. The meaning of remaining in the waiting period is that she stays in the house, meaning the house of her husband who died, where she was residing, and she does not move from it. It does not mean she stays in a specific room from which she cannot exit, or that she does not leave the house. No, she leaves the house for her needs. She goes to the market for her needs, buys her necessities, goes to the doctor when necessary. If she is a teacher, she goes to teach during the day, or if she is a student, she goes to school. These are among the necessities. However, she does not move from the house to another house. She remains in her house and completes her waiting period in her house, because the Messenger (peace be upon him) said to the woman in waiting: "Remain in your house until the term is fulfilled." This does not mean she never exits; she exits for her needs, just as people exit for their needs. But it means she does not move. As for those who confined her to a room like a prisoner, this is a mistake and ignorance. It has no basis, no evidence, and no scholar says it. In fact, it is invalid.
The questioner:
Regarding the Shaykh, suppose she goes to buy food or clothes for her young children. Is there any issue?
The Shaykh:
There is no harm. She may exit for her needs. This is a general statement. Her exiting for a need is permissible. Yes.
The questioner:
He is the doctor.
The Shaykh:
It should be at night; it is more cautious or preferable for it to be during the day. If circumstances require it at night, if she is struck by an illness or attacked by an enemy or something like that, she exits. But ordinary needs are to be attended to during the day.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ ابن باز Alsheikh Binbaz»، 410 ما حكم بقاء المتوفى عنها زوجها لتقضى عدتها في غرفتها؟ للإمام ابن باز — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.