iddah the waiting period, step by step
Help now Leave site

I got a khulʿ. Is my iddah one period or three?

Most scholars, and the four schools as their books state them, give the woman who took khulʿ the same iddah as a divorced woman: three qurūʾ if she menstruates.12 A report from several Companions, and one narration from Imam Aḥmad, make it one menstruation, based on ḥadīth about the wife of Thābit ibn Qays.13 If you are pregnant or have no periods, the pages on those cases apply instead.

What the four schools say

In the relied-upon view of all four schools, the iddah after khulʿ is the iddah of divorce: three qurūʾ for a woman who menstruates. A narration from Aḥmad, and reports from some Companions, say one menstruation.

  • Ḥanafī الحنفية

    What khulʿ produces is a final (bāʾin) divorce.7 After a divorce or an annulment, a free woman who menstruates waits three complete menstruations.8

  • Mālikī المالكية

    With khulʿ she is separated by a final divorce.9 The iddah of divorce is three qurūʾ, which in this school are periods of purity.10

  • Shāfiʿī الشافعية

    A separation using the word khulʿ is a divorce (in one view, an annulment), and there is no taking back after it.5 The iddah after a separation in life is three qurūʾ, which in this school are periods of purity.11

  • Ḥanbalī الحنابلة

    A woman separated in life by divorce, khulʿ or annulment waits three qurūʾ, which in this school are menstruations.12 Ibn Qudāmah reports that most scholars hold this, and that one menstruation is reported from ʿUthmān, Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn ʿAbbās and narrated from Aḥmad.1

What can change this

  • The one-menstruation view rests on the report that the Prophet ﷺ made the waiting period of Thābit ibn Qays’s wife one menstrual course3, and that al-Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh was told to keep an iddah of one menstruation after her khulʿ.4 Abū Dāwūd notes that one route of the first report is mursal.3
  • Khulʿ is a final separation: he cannot take you back during the iddah.5 Marrying again with a new contract is a separate question; see the page on proposals.6

Sources

  1. 1

    Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughnī (Ḥanbalī), 8:97

    Open: Ibn Qudāmah, al-Mughnī (Ḥanbalī), 8:97 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 1

    وَكَّلَ فُرْقَةٍ بَيْنَ زَوْجَيْنِ فَعِدَّتُهَا عِدَّةُ الطَّلَاقِ، سَوَاءٌ كَانَتْ بِخُلْعٍ أَوْ لِعَانٍ أَوْ رَضَاعٍ، أَوْ فَسْخٍ بِعَيْبٍ، أَوْ إعْسَارٍ، أَوْ إعْتَاقٍ، أَوْ اخْتِلَافِ دِينٍ، أَوْ غَيْرِهِ … وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ: عِدَّةُ الْمُخْتَلِعَةِ عِدَّةُ الْمُطَلَّقَةِ … وَرُوِيَ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ، وَابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، وَأَبَانَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، وَإِسْحَاقَ، وَابْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ، أَنَّ عِدَّةَ الْمُخْتَلِعَةِ حَيْضَةٌ. وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ

    Every separation between spouses, whether by khulʿ, liʿān, foster relation, annulment for a defect or inability to support, emancipation, difference of religion or otherwise, has the iddah of divorce. Most scholars say the iddah of the woman who took khulʿ is the iddah of a divorced woman (among them Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī). It is reported from ʿUthmān, Ibn ʿUmar, Ibn ʿAbbās and others, and narrated by Ibn al-Qāsim from Aḥmad, that her iddah is one menstruation.

  2. 2

    Qurʾān, al-Baqarah 2:228

    Open: Qurʾān, al-Baqarah 2:228 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 2

    وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَـٰحًا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

    Divorced women remain in waiting [i.e., do not remarry] for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allāh has created in their wombs if they believe in Allāh and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to them [i.e., the wives] is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men [i.e., husbands] have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.

  3. 3

    Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2229 · Sahih (Al-Albani)

    Open: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2229 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 3

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ الْبَزَّازُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ بَحْرٍ الْقَطَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ، ثَابِتِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ اخْتَلَعَتْ مِنْهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِدَّتَهَا حَيْضَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ رَوَاهُ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً ‏.‏

    The wife of Thabit ibn Qays separated herself from him for a compensation. The Prophet (ﷺ) made her waiting period a menstrual course. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar from 'Amr b. Muslim from 'Ikrimah from the Prophet (ﷺ) in a mursal form (i.e. missing the link of the Companion).

  4. 4

    Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 1185 · Hasan (Darussalam)

    Open: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 1185 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 4

    AR-Rubayyi bint Mu'awwidh bin Al-Afra narrated: that she got a Khul during the time of the Prophet. So the Prophet ordered her - or: she was ordered - that she observe an Iddah of a menstruation.

  5. 5

    al-Nawawī, Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn (Shāfiʿī), p. 227

    Open: al-Nawawī, Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn (Shāfiʿī), p. 227 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 5

    الفرقة بلفظ الخلع طلاق وفي قول فسخ لا ينقص عددا … وإذا خالع أو طلق بعوض فلا رجعة

    A separation using the word khulʿ is a divorce (in one view, an annulment that does not reduce the number). When he separates by khulʿ or divorces for compensation, there is no rajʿah.

7 more sources, 6 to 12
  1. 6

    Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:409

    Open: Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:409 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 6

    وَيَنْكِحُ مُبَانَتَهُ بِمَا دُونَ الثَّلَاثِ فِي الْعِدَّةِ وَبَعْدَهَا بِالْإِجْمَاعِ

    A man may marry, with a new contract, his wife whom he finally divorced with fewer than three, during her iddah and after it, by consensus.

  2. 7

    Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:444

    Open: Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:444 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 7

    وَ) حُكْمُهُ أَنَّ (الْوَاقِعَ بِهِ) وَلَوْ بِلَا مَالٍ (وَبِالطَّلَاقِ) الصَّرِيحِ (عَلَى مَالٍ طَلَاقٌ بَائِنٌ

    Its ruling: what khulʿ produces, even without payment, and an explicit divorce in return for payment, is a final (bāʾin) divorce.

  3. 8

    Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:504–505

    Open: Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār (Ḥanafī), 3:504–505 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 8

    وَسَبَبُ وُجُوبِهَا) عَقْدُ (النِّكَاحِ الْمُتَأَكِّدُ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ وَمَا جَرَى مَجْرَاهُ) مِنْ مَوْتٍ، أَوْ خَلْوَةٍ أَيْ صَحِيحَةٍ … وَهِيَ فِي) حَقِّ (حُرَّةٍ) وَلَوْ كِتَابِيَّةً تَحْتَ مُسْلِمٍ (تَحِيضُ لِطَلَاقٍ) وَلَوْ رَجْعِيًّا (أَوْ فَسْخٍ بِجَمِيعِ أَسْبَابِهِ … بَعْدَ الدُّخُولِ حَقِيقَةً، أَوْ حُكْمًا) أَسْقَطَهُ فِي الشَّرْحِ، وَجَزَمَ بِأَنَّ قَوْلَهُ الْآتِيَ " إنْ وُطِئَتْ " رَاجِعٌ لِلْجَمِيعِ (ثَلَاثَ حِيَضٍ كَوَامِلَ

    What makes the iddah due is a marriage contract confirmed by consummation or what stands in its place: death, or a (valid) seclusion. For a free woman who menstruates, after a divorce (even a revocable one) or an annulment (faskh) of any kind, following actual or legally counted consummation, it is three complete menstruations.

  4. 9

    al-Dardīr, al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr ʿalā Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, with Ḥāshiyat al-Dasūqī (Mālikī), 2:351

    Open: al-Dardīr, al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr ʿalā Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, with Ḥāshiyat al-Dasūqī (Mālikī), 2:351 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 9

    وَبَانَتْ) الزَّوْجَةُ مِنْهُ حَيْثُ وَقَعَ بِعِوَضٍ ثُمَّ الْعِوَضُ لِلزَّوْجِ أَمْ لَا بَلْ (وَلَوْ بِلَا عِوَضٍ) إنْ (نَصَّ عَلَيْهِ

    With khulʿ she is separated from him with a final divorce, whether there was compensation or not, if the word khulʿ was used.

  5. 10

    al-Dardīr, al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr ʿalā Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, with Ḥāshiyat al-Dasūqī (Mālikī), 2:468–469

    Open: al-Dardīr, al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr ʿalā Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, with Ḥāshiyat al-Dasūqī (Mālikī), 2:468–469 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 10

    تَعْتَدُّ حُرَّةٌ، وَإِنْ كِتَابِيَّةً) طَلَّقَهَا مُسْلِمٌ أَوْ أَرَادَ نِكَاحَهَا مِنْ طَلَاقِ ذِمِّيٍّ (أَطَاقَتْ الْوَطْءَ) وَإِنْ لَمْ يُمْكِنُ حَمْلُهَا عَلَى الْمَشْهُورِ أَوْ لَمْ تَبْلُغْ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ عَلَى الْمُعْتَمَدِ لَا إنْ لَمْ تُطِقْهُ فَلَا تُخَاطَبْ بِهَا وَإِنْ وَطِئَهَا (بِخَلْوَةٍ) زَوْجٌ (بَالِغٌ … بِثَلَاثَةِ أَقْرَاءٍ) مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِتَعْتَدُّ (أَطْهَارٍ) بَدَلٌ أَوْ بَيَانٌ مِنْ أَقْرَاءٍ فَالْقَرْءُ بِفَتْحِ الْقَافِ وَتُضَمُّ هُوَ الطُّهْرُ لَا الْحَيْضُ

    A free woman keeps the iddah after seclusion (khalwah) with an adult husband, by three qurūʾ, which are periods of purity: the qurʾ is the purity, not the menstruation.

  6. 11

    al-Nawawī, Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn (Shāfiʿī), p. 253

    Open: al-Nawawī, Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn (Shāfiʿī), p. 253 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 11

    عدة النكاح ضربان الأول متعلق بفرقة حي بطلاق وفسخ وإنما تجب بعد وطء أو استدخال منيه وإن تيقن براءة الرحم لا بخلوة في الجديد وعدة حرة ذات أقراء ثلاثة والقرء الطهر

    The iddah of marriage is of two kinds; the first follows a separation in life, by divorce or annulment (faskh). It is owed only after intercourse (or its legal equivalent), even if the womb is known to be empty, and not by seclusion alone, in the new (relied-upon) view. The iddah of a free woman who menstruates is three qurūʾ, and the qurʾ is the purity.

  7. 12

    al-Buhūtī, Kashshāf al-Qināʿ ʿan Matn al-Iqnāʿ (Ḥanbalī), 5:417

    Open: al-Buhūtī, Kashshāf al-Qināʿ ʿan Matn al-Iqnāʿ (Ḥanbalī), 5:417 ↗checked Oct 18, 2026
    Read the passage: source 12

    فَصْلٌ الثَّالِثَةُ مِنْ الْمُعْتَدَّاتِ ذَاتُ الْقُرُوءِ الْمُفَارِقَةُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ بَعْدَ الدُّخُولِ بِهَا أَوْ الْخَلْوَةِ (بِطَلَاقٍ أَوْ خُلْعٍ أَوْ لِعَانٍ أَوْ رَضَاعٍ أَوْ فَسْخٍ بِعَيْبٍ أَوْ إعْسَارٍ أَوْ إعْتَاقٍ تَحْتَ عَبْدٍ أَوْ اخْتِلَافِ دِينٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ، فَعِدَّتُهَا ثَلَاثَةُ قُرُوءٍ إنْ كَانَتْ حُرَّةً … الْقُرْءُ الْحَيْضُ

    A woman who has periods, separated in life after consummation or seclusion, by divorce, khulʿ, liʿān, foster relation, annulment for a defect or inability to support, or otherwise: her iddah is three qurūʾ if she is free. The qurʾ is the menstruation.

Related questions

Pending scholarly review · Every point here is from the sources cited. It has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.

Sources checked (7 Jumādā al-Ūlā 1448)

Not a fatwā · Something wrong? Email us. Please don’t include personal details.