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

Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaykum

What is the idda (waiting period) for a monopausal widow according to the shafii madhab? What are the legitimate reasons she may go out/speak to non mahram men?

Answer: Wa’alaykum assalam. I hope you’re well insha’Allah. The question suggests someone in your family may have recently passed away. If so, I offer my deepest consolation you and the family.

Waiting period for a widow

The waiting period for a widow, regardless of pre/post menopause, is four lunar months and ten 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]

For further details please also refer to the answer below:

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

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.