Mourning for the husband, and what is required during this period according to the four madhhabs

Praise
be to Allah

What this woman
has told you, and attributed it to the Hanafi madhhab – that the
recently-widowed woman only has to refrain from remarrying, and that
anything other than that, such as adorning herself, is permissible for her
and there is no blame on her if she does it – is not correct. The Hanafi
fuqaha’ have stated that the recently-widowed woman must refrain from
adorning herself.

As-Samarqandi
said in Tuhfat al-Fuqaha’ (2/251): Explanation of mourning: it means
avoiding everything that women adorn themselves with, such as putting on
perfume, wearing clothing that has been dyed with safflower or saffron,
putting kohl on their eyes, using skin creams, combing their hair, wearing
jewellery, dyeing their hair, and so on. End quote.

In Tabyeen
al-Haqaa’iq Sharh Kanz ad-Daqaa’iq by az-Zayla‘i (3/34), it says: The
recently-widowed woman observes mourning by refraining from adornment,
perfume, kohl, skin cream (unless she has a legitimate excuse to use it),
henna, and clothes dyed with safflower and saffron, if she is an adult and
Muslim. That is because of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him): “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah
and the Last Day to mourn for more than three days for someone who has died,
except in the case of a husband, in which case she should observe mourning
for him for four months and ten days; she should not wear kohl, or wear any
dyed garment …, or use perfume except when she purifies herself [following
menses], a little qust or azfaar [types of perfume].”  Agreed upon. And he
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The woman whose husband
has died should not wear clothes dyed with safflower, or jewellery, or dye
her hair, or use kohl.” Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Daawood and an-Nasaa’i. End
quote.

The Hanafi
fuqaha’ regard it as permissible for the recently-widowed woman to go out
during the day for necessary purposes, such as earning a living, seeking
medical treatment, and the like, on condition that she go home at night and
spend the night at home. It says in al-Bahr ar-Raa’iq Sharh Kanz
ad-Daqaa’iq wa Minhat al-Khaaliq (4/166): The recently-widowed
woman may go out during the day and part of the night in order to earn a
living… But it is not permissible for her to go out to visit other people or
for any other purpose, whether by night or by day.

To sum up: the
only reason for which she is allowed to go out is for necessary business or
errands; once she done what she needs to, it is not permissible for her
after that to spend time outside her house. End quote.

Al-Kaasaani
said: With regard to the recently-widowed woman, she should not go out at
night, but there is nothing wrong with her going out during the day for
necessary purposes, such as if she needs to go out during the day to earn
enough to cover her expenses, because she has no maintenance from her
deceased husband; rather she is responsible for her own maintenance, so she
needs to go out in order to earn that money. But she should not go out at
night, because there is no need for her to go out at night. This is in
contrast to the recently-divorced woman, whose ex-husband is responsible for
her maintenance, so she has no need to go out.

End quote from
Badaa’i‘ as-Sanaa’i‘ fi Tarteeb ash-Sharaa’i‘ (3/205).

With regard to
staying in the house and avoiding adornment during the ‘iddah period, there
is virtual consensus among the four madhhabs.

In the case of
the Maalikis, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in al-Kaafi fi Fiqh Ahl al-Madinah
(2/622): Mourning is obligatory for the one whose husband has died, until
her ‘iddah is complete, either in terms of the requisite number of months or
when her pregnancy ends.

Mourning means
avoiding everything with which women adorn themselves, such as jewellery,
cosmetics, kohl, dyeing the hair, or coloured or white garments worn for the
purpose of adornment. … As for jewellery, rings and so on, it is not
permissible for the woman who is in mourning to wear them. The same applies
to all kinds of perfume. If she has no choice but to use kohl, she should
apply it at night and remove it during the day. She should not use any kind
of perfumed oils. As for things that are not used for the purpose of
beautification, there is nothing wrong with the woman who is in mourning
using them. End quote.

In the case of
the Shaafa‘is, Abu Ishaaq ash-Shiraazi said in at-Tanbeeh fi’l-Fiqh ash-Shaafa‘i
(1/201): Mourning means avoiding adornment. So she (the woman who is in
mourning) should not wear jewellery, put on perfume, dye her hair, style her
hair, or use kohl made of antimony. If she needs to use kohl, she should
apply it at night and wash it off during the day. She should not wear red or
bright blue. She should not go out of her house unnecessarily, and if she
wants to go out for some necessary purpose, it is not permissible to do that
at night. It is permissible for the recently-widowed woman to go out to meet
her needs during the day. End quote.

In the case of
the Hanbalis, Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi said in ‘Umdat al-Fiqh (1/107):
Chapter on Mourning: It (mourning) is obligatory for the woman whose husband
has died, and it means avoiding adornment, perfume, kohl made of antimony,
and the wearing of dyed clothes for the purpose of beautification .… She
should stay at night in her house in which she is obliged to observe ‘iddah
and where she is living, if possible. End quote.

And Allah knows
best.