Question:

I have a question regarding an iddah after divorce. I had sponsored my then husband to Canada in 2018 and he arrived in Canada in 2020. In January 2021, we parted our ways and I have not seen or met him since then.

In Feb or Mar 2021, he went back to Pakistan, made a divorce deed through a lawyer and emailed it to me after few months. Meaning, the iddah date has been passed. He made the deed sometime in April 2021 and emailed it to me in Jan 2022.

Now, he had filed a divorce in Canada as well and the court had issued a divorce which would be effective from Dec 19, 2022.

The question is since we had been separated for more than a year, do I still need to observe iddah? I mean the separation period has been more than a year. Also, I provide for myself and work full time to earn my bread and butter.

I would really appreciate your help regarding this matter.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh.

We understand that your then-husband initiated a ṭalāq through a lawyer in Pakistan almost twenty months ago and filed a divorce deed. He notified you a year ago by email. More recently, he has begun legal divorce proceedings in Canada. During this period, the two of you did not remarry one another nor did he issue a revocation of divorce (rajʻah).

Referring to the ‘iddah, Allah taʻālā says, “Divorced women (al-muṭṭalaqāt) shall keep themselves waiting for three periods.” (2:228) The fuqahā’ have said this verse indicates the ‘iddah starts with the ṭalāq. Your ‘iddah started with the divorce deed in April 2021. After three menstrual cycles or its equivalent, the ‘iddah came to an end. Currently, there is no ‘iddah for you to observe.[1]

A woman’s ability to provide for herself is not considered. Marriage necessitates certain rights and responsibilities for both spouses irrelevant to her wealth.

We ask Allah taʻālā to provide the best of companionship for both of you.

And Allah taʻālā knows best,

Maulana Mateen Khan
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hamīd al-Mahmudi
Darul Iftaa Canada (fatwa.ca)

[1] شرح مختصر الطحاوي، أحمد بن علي أبو بكر الرازي الجصاص الحنفي،  دار البشائر الإسلامية (الشاملة)، 5:248
قال: (والعدة واجبة من يوم الطلاق، ويوم الموت).

وذلك لقول الله تعالى: {والمطلقات يتربصن بأنفسهن ثلاثة قروء}، فأوجب الأقراء في وقت الطلاق.

العناية شرح الهداية، محمد بن محمد البابرتي، دار الفكر (الشاملة)، 4:329
قال (وابتداء العدة في الطلاق عقيب الطلاق) ابتداء العدة في الطلاق عقيب الطلاق (وفي الوفاة عقيب الوفاة) لأن سبب وجوب العدة الطلاق أو الوفاة (فيعتبر ابتداؤها من وقت وجود السبب) فإن لم تعلم بالطلاق أو الوفاة حتى مضت مدة العدة فقد انقضت عدتها. قال محمد: إذا فارق الرجل امرأته زمانا ثم قال لها كنت طلقتك منذ كذا والمرأة لا تعلم بذلك لها أن تصدقه وتعتبر عدتها من ذلك الوقت.

احسن الفتاوى 5:148

وقوع طلاق کے لئے طلاقنامہ کا عورت تک پہنچنا شرط نہیں ،صرف لکھنے سے طلاق واقع ہو جاتی ہے، اس لئے صورت سوال میں جب کہ اس شخص نے طلاق نامہ لکھوالیا ہے اس کی بیوی پر اسی قسم کی طلاق رجعی یا بائن واقع ہوگی،جو اس نے لکھوائی ہے، اور عدت بھی طلاق نام لکھوانے کے وقت سے شروع ہوگئی، اگرچہ تاحال عورت تک طلاق نامہ نہ ہی پہنچاہو