Customs related to the mourning period that are invalid and have no basis in truth

Question: Q: If a woman’s husband dies—and as you know, the waiting period and mourning last four months and ten days in the home—and before the period ends she goes out and encounters any living thing, whether an animal or a human, does that thing die? Please guide us and the people regarding these customs; may Allah reward you with good?

Answer: There is no doubt that it is obligatory for a woman whose husband has died to observe the mourning period for four months and ten days, as Allah has specified in His Noble Book. This amounts to one hundred and thirty days, including their nights, unless it is established that some of the months were short and came to twenty-nine days, in which case that is calculated for her if proven by evidence.
However, if she is pregnant, her waiting period is the delivery of the child, even if it is only minutes or hours after the death; because of Allah’s saying (Glorified and Exalted is He): : She is permitted to go out for her needs, such as the needs of the house, her need for a doctor, and similar necessities that call for her to go out. There is no harm in this, provided she observes the covering and concealment, and adheres to the Shari’ah etiquette; such as not using perfume, unlike other women when they go out. They go out covered and without perfume, staying away from the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation).
As for the claim of some of the common people that if she encounters someone before leaving the waiting period, that thing will die, this is a false matter with no basis. Rather, it is one of the superstitions that have no foundation. She is like other women; if she goes out for any of her needs, there is nothing wrong with it, and she does not harm anyone. However, she must stay in the house and not go out except for a need. And if she goes out for a need, she does not harm anyone, neither an animal nor anything else.
She—the one in mourning—must observe five matters:
1- Remaining in the house where her husband died and in which she was residing. She stays there for the duration of the waiting period; because of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) saying to Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) when her husband died: But there is no harm in her customary going out; for her needs, or for a doctor, or for a claim in court, or for work; such as teaching or similar, or studying—if she is a student—or similar. And if she goes out, she goes out like other believing women; covered, veiled, leaving behind the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) such as perfume and the like.
2- Wearing ordinary clothes that contain no fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and are not beautiful; black or green or otherwise. The important thing is that they are ordinary and contain no fitnah. It is not necessary for them to be black; rather, she wears black and non-black; such as green and red and similar, but from clothes that contain no fitnah.
3- Avoiding perfume: She must stay away from perfume and not touch perfume—whether it is incense or otherwise—unless she has purified herself from menstruation. Then there is no barrier to her touching incense, as the Sunnah is authentic regarding this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her).
4- Not wearing jewelry: She does not wear jewelry of gold, silver, diamonds, and the like; because wearing jewelry may cause fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) regarding her.
5- Avoiding kohl and henna: The one in mourning does not apply kohl and does not use henna; because that is among the causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and among the apparent adornment.
These matters are for the one in mourning to observe and attend to until she completes her waiting period.
There is no harm in her serving in her house, serving her children, and going out to the house garden, and the roof of the house at night or day, and in the moon or without the moon. All of this is permissible.
She may change her clothes whenever she wishes, and bathe whenever she wishes. This is not restricted to a specific group or otherwise; rather, she is like other women; she bathes whenever she wishes, changes her clothes whenever she wishes, and bathes with water and sidr (lotus tree) and the like. She does not touch perfume as mentioned above.