What is the prescribed waiting period (Iddah) for a free divorced woman who experiences menstrual cycles (dhawat al-quru')?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Waiting Periods ('Iddah)
Primary text
The waiting period for a divorced free woman who has regular menstrual cycles is three complete periods (quru'). This ruling is held universally by the scholars without dispute. The evidence for this is the Almighty's saying: {And divorced women shall keep themselves waiting for three periods} [Al-Baqarah: 228]. The term 'Quru'' in the Arabic language applies to both menstruation (hayd) and purification (tuhur), making it an equivocal term. Scholars such as Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Tha'lab stated that 'quru'' signifies the appointed times, which can be either menstruation or purification, as each arrives at a set time. Furthermore, the soundest narration attributed to Ahmad is that the 'quru'' refers to the menstrual periods. This view is supported by Companions such as Umar, Ali, Ibn Abbas, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, and schools of thought including the Thawri, Al-Awza'i, Al-'Unbari, Ishaq, Abu Ubayd, and the Ashab al-Ra'y. It is also attributed to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Uthman ibn Affan.
Supporting text
A secondary opinion holds that the intended meaning of 'quru'' in the divine saying is the periods of purity (tuhur). This view is narrated from Zayd, Ibn Umar, Aisha, Sulayman ibn Yasar, Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim ibn Abdullah, Aban ibn Uthman, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, Al-Zuhri, Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and Abu Thawr. Ibn Abd al-Barr noted that Ahmad later retracted his view favoring purification periods, citing the strength and correctness of the narrations supporting menstruation.