How long is a wife's ʿiddah when her husband dies?

The ʿiddah of death is four months and ten days for a wife who is not pregnant. This period is counted in lunar months beginning from the moment of the husband's death, not from the date the wife receives the news. It is obligatory whether or not the marriage was consummated, and whether the wife still menstruates or has reached menopause. For a pregnant wife, her ʿiddah ends when she gives birth, even if that is a few days after the husband's death. In a polygynous family, each wife observes her own ʿiddah of death at the same time. Throughout the ʿiddah, the widow must observe mourning (ihdad) and may not receive an explicit proposal. See also ʿiddah & widows' rights.