A woman observing Hidad visiting her elderly mother

A: There is no problem if a widow observing `Iddah goes out of her house during the day, but not at night, in order to meet her needs. Visiting her mother who needs her is one of the noblest needs that permits a widow to leave her house, provided that this does not require traveling. It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted women observing Hidad (prescribed mourning period during which a widow does not adorn herself and keeps to the home of her deceased husband) to go out in the morning and gather at the house of one of them to keep each other's company, on the condition of returning to their houses to spend the night there. On the authority of Mujahid who narrated that some men were martyred in the Battle of Uhud, so their wives came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: "'O Messenger of Allah, we feel lonely at night; should we spend the night altogether at one house and go back to our homes in the morning?' The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, 'Talk to one another at one house but when you want to sleep, each one should go back to her home.'" (Part No. 20; Page No. 477)  (Related by `Abdul-Razzaq and Al-Bayhaqy in his "Al-Sunan Al-Kubra") May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.