Question 2038: If a woman becomes pregnant in a temporary marriage and her term expires, when does her waiting period ('iddah) end?
Answer
✅ Answer: Consider the following narrations:
1 عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: إِذَا طُلِّقَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ وَ هِیَ حَامِلٌ فَأَجَلُهَا أَنْ تَضَعَ حَمْلَهَا وَ إِنْ وَضَعَتْ مِنْ سَاعَتِهَا.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, P. 82
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: If a woman is divorced while she is pregnant, the duration of her waiting period is until she gives birth, even if she gives birth that very hour!
2 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ کَیْفَ یَتَزَوَّجُ الْمُتْعَةَ قَالَ یَقُولُ أَتَزَوَّجُکِ کَذَا وَ کَذَا یَوْماً بِکَذَا وَ کَذَا دِرْهَماً فَإِذَا مَضَتْ تِلْکَ الْأَیَّامُ کَانَ طَلَاقُهَا فِی شَرْطِهَا وَ لَا عِدَّةَ لَهَا عَلَیْکَ.
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 5, P. 455
Hisham bin Salim narrates: I asked the Imam (peace be upon him): How should one contract a temporary marriage? He replied: The man says...
أَتَزَوَّجُکِ کَذَا وَ کَذَا یَوْماً بِکَذَا وَ کَذَا دِرْهَماً
Then, when those stipulated days pass, her separation is inherent in her condition (and does not require a specific formula of divorce), and you owe no further waiting period to that woman!
✅ According to the above narrations and others, the waiting period ('iddah) for a pregnant woman who is divorced—or whose separation automatically occurs due to it being a temporary marriage (Mut'ah) upon the expiration of its term—lasts until she gives birth. Upon giving birth, her waiting period ends and she can marry.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر