What is the required waiting period (*turbus*) for an enslaved woman whose husband is missing?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Waiting Periods ('Iddah)
Primary text
If an enslaved woman loses her husband, she must wait four years, and then observe the waiting period for widowhood, which is two months and five days. This is the preferred view adopted by Abu Bakr. The four-year waiting period is established because it corresponds to the maximum possible duration of pregnancy. Since the duration of pregnancy is the same for a free woman and an enslaved woman, they must be equal in this waiting period, similar to the nine-month period for one whose menstruation has ceased and the period of pregnancy itself.
Supporting text
The view held by Al-Qadi, narrated from Abu Talib on the authority of Ahmad, and attributed to Al-Awza'i and Al-Layth, is that she waits half the waiting period prescribed for a free woman. This is based on the premise that this period is a stipulated duration for the woman due to the absence of her husband, thus it should be half that of a free woman, similar to the waiting period (*iddah*).