The Reason behind the Waiting Period
Question :

Seeing that the significance behind the iddah period is so that the father can be identified adequately if the woman becomes pregnant, and contraception almost eliminates the chances of pregnancy, is there any need of the iddah period when using contraception?

Answer :

The reason behind the waiting period is not necessarily identifying the father if the woman is pregnant. If this was the reason, then it would have been sufficient for Almighty Allah the Divine Legislator to consider one menstrual cycle as a waiting period and not any longer duration. Almighty Allah knows the actual reason behind such legislation.
Therefore, the iddah must be observed even if contraception was used.

Not Consummating the Marriage
Question :

I had temporary marriage with a girl and did not consummate the marriage (i.e. we did have sexual relations without intercourse). Is it required for her to wait for iddah period?

Answer :

There is no need for the iddah, since the temporary marriage period ended without consummation.

Birth Control Pills
Question :

Is the iddah period obligatory on a woman who used birth control pills during her previous marriage?

Answer :

If the marriage was consummated then observing ʿiddah is obligatory in all cases.

Adulterous Woman
Question :

Does an adulterous woman observe the iddah of divorce, keeping in mind that the reason for her divorce was committing the sin of adultery with another man?

Answer :

If the marriage was consummated, then she should observe the iddah when her husband divorces her even in the mentioned scenario.

No Sexual Intercourse
Question :

If the woman is divorced and no sexual intercourse took place during last three months, then is it necessary for her to observe iddah?

Answer :

If the marriage is consummated i.e. intercourse took place even once, then she must observe the iddah.

The Waiting Period
Question :

What is the period of iddah after divorce?

Answer :

The iddah of a divorced woman is three durations of purity between the menstruation periods, the first of which is when the divorce takes place. The waiting period ends when she sees the menstrual blood for the third time after the divorce.

The Waiting Period of Temporary Marriage
Question :

What is the iddah for the temporary marriage?

Answer :

If the temporary marriage ended during her menstruation period, she must wait for two complete cycles and her iddah is finished when she sees blood for the third time. If the temporary marriage ends when she is not in her menses period, she should wait for one complete cycle and her iddah is finished when she sees blood for the second time.

The End of the Waiting Period
Question :

If a woman during her iddah has a miscarriage, is her iddah completed? If she is forced to have an abortion to save her life, will the iddah end?

Answer :

The waiting period ends with a miscarriage or abortion, even in cases where abortion is prohibited.

ِApostate
Question :

When the husband decides to leave the religion of Islam, his marriage to a Muslim woman invalidates. Does she have to observe the iddah (waiting period)?

Answer :

If the husband does not believe in Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), the woman should observe the waiting period of a widow based on compulsory precaution.

Without Sexual Intercourse
Question :

If a girl underwent temporary marriage without sexual intercourse, but they had a physical relationship, will the girl have to observe the iddah after the marriage has ended? Can she have temporary marriage with the same person again without observing iddah?

Answer :

It is permissible for a woman who was married to a man temporarily to marry him again without the need to observe the iddah, provided that she did not consummate a marriage contract with another man after the first temporary marriage.

The Waiting Period
Question :

Is it obligatory on the husband to stay with the wife during the iddah period?

Answer :

It is obligatory on the husband to provide residence for his wife during the waiting period of a revocable divorce.

Observing Iddah
Question :

If a man waives the remaining time in a temporary marriage which was consummated, then after a few days the same man and woman engage in another temporary marriage which is not consummated, will the women have to observe the waiting period after it ends?

Answer :

When the marriage is consummated and the time of the temporary marriage is finished or the husband forgoes the remaining time of marriage, if the couple wanted to remarry again then the woman does not have to undertake the waiting period, iddah. If the woman wanted to marry another man, she is not permitted to do so unless she observes the waiting period of the marriage with the previous husband.

Seeing Someone during Iddah
Question :

I am in the middle of my Iddah and I am getting to know someone else and I have one more period to be free. Can I still see other men with the intention of marriage, or do I need to finish my third period?

Answer :

Just meeting the other person is permissible, but anything else is not permissible including looking with lust and flirtatious behavior, so we warn you of further prohibitions that this could lead to.

The Start of the Waiting Period
Question :

I have been separated from my husband for 10 months and I have moved into my own place. He is willing to divorce me now. What are the laws of the iddah, and can I observe them from where I live now?

Answer :

When your husband divorces you, the iddah – the waiting period - should be observed from that point onwards, wherever you may be. The ʿiddah of a divorced woman is three durations of purity between the menstruation periods.