What is the ruling on where the widow must observe the waiting period if the news of her husband's death reaches her in a location other than her marital home?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Waiting Periods ('Iddah)
Primary text
If the news of the husband's death reaches the widow outside of her dwelling, she must return to her dwelling to observe the waiting period there, based on the command to "Remain in your house." The ruling based on Fari'ah's case applies specifically to her established home. The command "Remain in your house" is general, whereas the report that she should observe it where the news reached her is considered a specific incident that does not carry general applicability, as it cannot logically mean she must observe the period in a marketplace, road, or wilderness.
Supporting text
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib and al-Nakha'i hold that she must not leave the exact location where the news of her husband's death reached her, following the literal wording of that particular report.