Can she go to Mosque for Eid prayer during her Iddah

Question

A woman whose husband has passed away, can she go to Mosque for Eid prayer during her Iddah (waiting period)?

Answer

All praises belong to Allah. May the Salah and Salam be upon the one after whom there is no prophet!

The woman, whose husband has passed away, will spend her Iddah (waiting period) at the deceased husband’s home. If this home is not safe and secure, then she can move to another house. It is not correct for her to leave the house without any reason, hence it is necessary for her to spend her ‘Iddah by staying in her deceased husband’s house.

It is mentioned in the narration of Furai’ah Bint Malik (radiya Allah ‘anha): The Prophet (saw) said:

امْكُثِي فِي بَيْتِكِ الَّذِي جَاءَ فِيهِ نَعْيُ زَوْجِكِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْكِتَابُ أَجَلَهُ.

“Stay in the house in which the news of your husband’s death came to you, until your waiting period (Iddah after death) is over” Therefore, Furai’ah said: “So I observed the waiting period there for four months and ten days” (Sunnan ibn Majah: 2031)

Concerning the Iddah (waiting period) here, it is important to raise awareness to a matter, and it is: On the death of her husband, a widow has to spend four months and ten days as waiting period.

Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا

“As for those of you who die and leave widows behind, let them observe a waiting period (Iddah) of four months and ten days.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 234)

This period of four months and ten days (approximately 130 days) is for all women whether they are of old age or young age, whether they are menstruating or not menstruating, whether they have consummated the wedding or not. However if the widow is pregnant, then her Iddah will be until she gives birth, meaning as soon as she has given birth, her waiting period will be over, even if it was to be a little time after the death of her husband, as stated by Allah:

وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ

“As for those who are pregnant, their waiting period ends with delivery” (Surah At-Talaq: 4)

The woman, who is spending her waiting period after the death of her husband, must remain at home. She is allowed to go outside her home only for a personal necessity or for a task that cannot be completed without her, such as for instance she has to give testimony in a court and the court officers cannot come to her house, or for instance she has to go to a doctor and he cannot come to her house, or she is employed and she cannot get days off and she cannot subsist without it. In such difficult conditions, it is permissible for her to leave her house.
As for leaving her home for Eid, Hajj or Umrah, or for sightseeing or recreation or for going to the houses of neighbours or friends or relatives, then it is not correct.