The widow is a woman who is destined to lose her husband who supports and

provides for her. She is a woman who suffers really hard. This suffering is not
only financial, but most of the time it is emotional and psychological suffering.
She loses her husband, her lover and the father of her children and becomes
responsible for her children and plays the role of the father and the mother
together. Maybe there isn’t much talk about the widows and their obstacles in
life, in this article, we will highlight the rights of the widows in Islam and how
Islam keeps the widow’s rights.
Islamic Law
‫علَ ْي ُك ْم فِي َما فَعَ ْلنَ فِي أَنفُ ِس ِه َّن‬
َ ‫ع ْش ًرا فَإِذَا بَلَ ْغنَ أ َ َجلَ ُه َّن فَ ََل ُجنَا َح‬َ ‫َوالَّذِينَ يُت ََوفَّ ْونَ مِ ْن ُك ْم َويَذَ ُرونَ أ َ ْز َوا ًجا يَت ََربَّصْنَ بِأَنفُ ِس ِه َّن أ َ ْربَعَةَ أ َ ْش ُه ٍر َو‬
ْ
‫ستَذ ُك ُرونَ ُه َّن َولَك ِْن ََل‬ َ
َ ‫َّللاُ أنَّ ُك ْم‬
َّ ‫عل َِم‬ َ َ َ
َ ‫ساءِ أ ْو أ ْكنَنت ُ ْم فِي أنفُ ِس ُك ْم‬ ْ ِ‫ضت ُ ْم بِ ِه مِ ْن خ‬
َ ِ‫طبَ ِة الن‬ ْ ‫ع َّر‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ُك ْم فِي َما‬
َ ‫ير َو ََل ُجنَا َح‬ٌ ِ‫َّللاُ بِ َما ت َ ْع َملُونَ َخب‬َّ ‫بِ ْال َم ْع ُروفِ َو‬
ُ‫َّللاَ َي ْعلَ ُم َما فِي أَنفُ ِس ُك ْم فَاحْ ذَ ُروه‬َّ ‫َاح َحتَّى َي ْبلُ َغ ْال ِكتَابُ أ َ َجلَهُ َوا ْعلَ ُموا أ َ َّن‬
ِ ‫ع ْقدَة َ النِك‬ ُ ‫ت ُ َوا ِعدُوه َُّن س ًِّرا ِإ ََّل أ َ ْن تَقُولُوا قَ ْو ًَل َم ْع ُروفًا َو ََل ت َ ْع ِز ُموا‬
)234-35 :2(‫ور َحلِي ٌم‬ ٌ ُ‫غف‬ َ َ‫َّللا‬ َ
َّ ‫َوا ْعلَ ُموا أ َّن‬

And those of you who die and leave widows behind, they should keep themselves in waiting for four
months and ten days. Then when they have fulfilled their term, there is no blame on you about what
they do with themselves in accordance with the norms [of society]. And Allah is well acquainted with
what you do. And there is also no blame on you if you tacitly send a marriage proposal to these women
or hold it in your hearts. Allah knows that you would definitely talk to them. [Do so] but do not make a
secret contract. Of course you can say something in accordance with the norms [of the society]. And do
not decide to marry till the law reaches its term. And know that Allah has knowledge of what is in your
hearts; so be fearful of Him and know that Allah is Most forgiving and Most Forbearing. (2:234-5)

Iddat:
The first thing mentioned is that the ‘Iddat of a widow is four months and ten days.1 In contrast to the
‘Iddat of a divorced lady, the ‘Iddat of a widow has been extended by forty days. The reason is that while
a husband has been asked to divorce his wife in the period of purity (in which he has had no sexual
intercourse with her), obviously no such requirement can be proposed in the case of a widow. It is to
exercise care that forty days have been added by the Qur’an to the waiting period of a woman who
loses her husband.

The Financial Rights:

When the husband dies, the widow has many financial rights. She has the right to inherit him and it is
not permissible for anyone to take her inheritance without her acceptance. If the husband doesn’t leave
for her enough money to fulfill her needs and the children’s need, the society has to support her and
charity becomes a must for her as Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) said,

The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah’s
Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day.” [Al Bukhari].
According to The Sharee‘ah (Islamic Law), a widow is indeed entitled to a share of the inheritance from
the property which belonged to her deceased husband. The wife’s share is one-fourth if her husband
leaves no child, but if he leaves a child she gets an eighth. Allah said in the Holy Quran,

And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth
of what you leave.[Quran.com/4/12].

Islam also grants the widow the right to having a house and a shelter for her and the children. If the
husband doesn’t leave a house, a proper amount of money is taken from his property to provide ahouse
for the widow and the children as she is in a special need for a house more than any other inheritor.

The Right of Remarrying:

Considering the Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) perspective on the widow’s remarriage

Islam considers human nature, hence, it permits the marriage of the widow and sets a specific period for
her ‘Iddah’ (waiting period), which is four months and ten days or until delivery for pregnant women.
Allah Almighty said,

And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind – they, [the wives, shall] wait
four months and ten [days]. And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you
for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what
you do.” [Quran.com/2/234].

It is permissible to a wife to remarry in Islam after her Iddah (waiting period) ends in order to maintain
her chastity or to fill the emotional and the psychological emptiness due to the absence of the husband
especially if she is young and has children who need a father. She has to choose the husband who will be
kind and merciful to her children and be able to deal with them in a way that puts him in the place of
their father. However, if she decides not to get married again and chooses to consider the interests of
her children only, she is granted a great reward. The Widow who devotes herself to looking after the
orphans will accompany the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in Paradise as he said,

I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise,” showing his middle and index
fingers and separating them” [Al Bukhari].

To sum up, the widow is a woman who is destined to lose her husband who supports and provides for
her. She needs a long time to adapt to her new life, for once the husband dies, she feels too weak and
unable to make a decision or bear any responsibility. As time passes, she adapts to the new situation,
particularly when those around her help her develop confidence in herself and her abilities. Islam keeps
the financial, emotional and psychological rights of the widow and necessitates that the Muslim society
should take proper care of her and her children.