Does a woman observe the Iddah of death from the time her husband passes away or after he is buried? 

Q. My question is that if a women’s husband passes away and he is buried 2 days later;  does the iddat of the women begin the day of the  death or the day of the burial? 

A. Allah Ta’ala mentions the law of Iddah in the Quran:

“For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (observe Iddah) for four months and ten days.” (Baqarah)

Thus, the Iddah period of a wife begins from the death of her husband and not from the time of his burial. (Shaami 3/506)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com