What Is the Waiting Period for a Menopausal Woman? (Shafi’i)

Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaykum

What is the waiting period for a menopausal woman?

Answer:Wa’alaykum assalam. I hope you’re well insha’Allah.

The waiting period for a menopausal woman is three complete lunar months.

If she is divorced in the middle of a month, she observes the ‘idda for the remaining days of that month, then two whole lunar months, then whatever days remain from the first month, counting the broken month as 30 days (not 29 days).

For example, if a woman was divorced on the 10 of Muharram, she observes the ‘idda for the rest of the month (up to 29/30 days), then continues for the next two lunar months (Safar and Rabi’ al Awwal), then finally completes the remaining days (9/10 days) from Muharram (in Rabi’ al Thani), completing the days up to 30 (irrespective of whether Muharram was actually 29/30 days).

A divorced woman is not permitted to speak to non-mehram men during the ‘idda period, unless out of necessity.

[Mughni al Muhtaj, ‘Iyanat al Talibin]

I hope this clarifies things insha’Allah

Warmest salams,
[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. In 2007, he traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years studying the Islamic sciences on a one-to-one basis under the foremost scholars of the Ribaat, Tarim, with a main specialization and focus on Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies in a range of Islamic sciences, as well as teaching. Jamir is a qualified homeopath.