Waiting Period of a Pregnant Lady (Fatwa)
Hazrat Ubayy (ra) would also provide guidance from the Holy Quran in relation to jurisprudential matters. Once, a lady came to the Hazrat Umar (ra) and stated that her husband had passed away while she was expecting and had now given birth.
At the time of his demise, she was expecting but now she had given birth but the period of her iddat had not been completed yet. Iddat is a period of four months and 10 days, which a wife must observe after the demise of her husband.
She was still observing this period when she gave birth. Therefore, she asked whether she should still complete the full period of the iddat or was that enough.
Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed that she should continue to observe the full period of the iddat that had been prescribed for a widow.
She then went to Hazrat Ubayy (ra) and enquired about the matter from him as well. She told him about the matter she had presented before Hazrat Umar (ra) and also the verdict he had given.
Hazrat Ubayy (ra) told her to go to Hazrat Umar (ra) and tell him that Ubayy states that she no longer needed to observe the remaining period of the iddat. He also told her that if Hazrat Umar (ra) enquired about him, she should tell him where he was and should come and call for him. The lady went to Hazrat Umar (ra) and so he asked her to call Hazrat Ubayy (ra). Hazrat Ubayy (ra) came and Hazrat Umar (ra) asked how he had come to this verdict. Hazrat Ubayy (ra) replied that he based it on the Holy Quran and then quoted the following verse:
وَاُولَاتُ الْاَحْمَالِ اَجَلُهُنَّ اَنْ يَّضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ
“And [as for those] who are with child, their period shall be until they are delivered of their burden.”
Hazrat Ubayy (ra) then stated that any lady who was expecting and was widowed would also be counted among them. Hazrat Ubayy (ra) stated that he had also heard a hadith of the Holy Prophet (sa) regarding this matter as well. Hazrat Umar (ra) then told the lady that she should act in accordance to what Hazrat Ubayy (ra) had said, in other words what he had said was correct.