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PERIOD OF MOURNING

1823

“I (Zainab) visited Lady Umm Habibah, (wife of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with her, Mother of Believers) upon the death of her father Abu Sufyan. She sent for a yellow perfume and rubbed it on one of her maids and then rubbed it on both of her own cheeks and said. ‘I have no desire for perfume except that I heard the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, say from the pulpit, 'It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn the deceased for more than three days unless it is her husband, in which case the period of mourning is four months and ten days.'"

Zainab continued, ‘I also visited Zainab, the daughter of Jahash when her brother passed away. She sent for perfume and rubbed some of it on herself and said, ‘I have no need for perfume except that I heard the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him,

say from the pulpit: It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn the deceased for more than three days unless it is her husband, in which case the period of mourning is four months and ten days.'"

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Zainab the daughter of Abu Salamah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.