Marriage Prohibited to a
Married Women
As long as a woman is married, her marriage to any other man is
prohibited. She may marry another man only when two conditions are
fulfilled:
1. Her marriage tie is broken either because of the death of her
husband or because of divorce;
2. She has completed the period of waiting ('iddah) ordained by
Allah. For a pregnant woman this period ends when she delivers the
baby. If she is widowed but not pregnant, the period of 'iddah is
four months and ten days, while if she is divorced and it is not
known whether or not she is pregnant, the 'iddah is three menstrual
cycles. This 'iddah relates to the woman who has menstrual periods;
for a woman who does not menstruate, the 'iddah is three months.
Allah Ta'ala says: "And divorced women shall wait concerning
themselves for three monthly periods. And it is not permissible for
them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they
believe in Allah and the Last Day." (2:228) "...and As for those who
have no further expectation of menstruation among your women, if you
are in doubt, the waiting period is three months, as well as for
those who have no menses. And for those who are pregnant, their
period is until they deliver their burdens." (65:4) And, "For those
of you who die and leave behind widows, they shall wait concerning
themselves for four months and ten days..." (2:234)
Of these fifteen categories of female relatives to whom marriage is
prohibited, fourteen are mentioned in Surah al-Nisa: "And do not
marry those women whom your fathers married, except what is past;
indeed, it was an indecency and an abomination, and an evil path.
Forbidden to you are your mothers and your daughters, and your
sisters and your father's sisters and your mother's sisters, and
your brothers' daughters and your sisters' daughters, and your
foster mothers and your foster sisters, your wives' mothers, your
stepdaughters under your guardianship born of your wives to whom you
have gone in—and if you have not gone into them there is no blame on
you—and the wives of your sons proceeding from your loins, and that
you should marry two sisters at one time, except what is past;
indeed Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (4:22-23) The prohibition
against being married to a woman and any of her aunts at the same
time is derived from the hadith cited above.
|
