18 - Chapter on the Waiting Period of a Woman Whose Husband Has Died

The Ansari narrated to us, saying: Ma'n ibn 'Isa narrated to us, saying: Malik ibn Anas narrated to us, from 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn Hazm, from Humayd ibn Nafi', from Zaynab bint Abi Salama, that she informed him of these three hadiths:

1234 - Zaynab said: I entered upon Umm Habiba, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when her father Abu Sufyan ibn Harb had died. She called for perfume containing a yellow dye of khaluq or something else, and she applied it to a slave girl, then she wiped it on her cheeks. Then she said: By Allah, I have no need for perfume, except that I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: "It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a deceased person for more than three days, except for a husband, for four months and ten days."

1235 - Zaynab said: Then I entered upon Zaynab bint Jahsh when her brother had died. She called for perfume and applied some of it, then she said: By Allah, I have no need for perfume, except that I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: "It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a deceased person for more than three nights, except for a husband, for four months and ten days."

1236 - Zaynab said: And I heard my mother Umm Salama say: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: O Messenger of Allah, my daughter's husband has died, and she has complained of her eyes. Shall we apply kohl to her? The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "No," two or three times, each time saying: "No." Then he said: "It is only