What is the waiting period ('Iddah) for a woman separated from her husband through means other than revocable or irrevocable divorce?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Waiting Periods ('Iddah)
Primary text
The waiting period for any separation between a couple, whether it is through Khul' (redemption), li'an (mutual cursing), fosterage invalidation, annulment due to defect, insolvency, manumission, difference in religion, or any other cause, is the same as the waiting period for divorce. This is the opinion held by the majority of scholars. The supporting evidence rests on the verse stating that divorced women must wait three menstrual cycles (Quran 2:228), and because this separation occurs while the husband is alive, it necessitates three cycles, just like other forms of divorce. The Prophet's saying, 'The cycle of a female slave is two menstrual periods,' is considered general, applying here. The view of Umar and Ali, stating the waiting period is three menstrual periods, is preferred over contradictory narrations from Ibn Abbas.
Supporting text
It is reported from Ibn Abbas that the waiting period for a woman who undergoes li'an (mutual cursing) is nine months. Furthermore, some scholars, including Uthman, Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Aban bin Uthman, Ishaq, and Ibn al-Mundhir, hold that the waiting period for a woman undergoing Khul' is a single menstrual period. This latter opinion is supported by the narration that the Prophet assigned the wife of Thabit ibn Qais a waiting period of one menstrual cycle after her Khul', and Uthman also ruled accordingly.