Q 3: A man died four years ago. A week after his death, his wife's family took her to their house and prevented her from completing her `Iddah (woman's prescribed waiting period after divorce or widowhood), ignorantly claiming she should not remain there. Is she required to offer a Kaffarah (expiation)? She is suffering a lot, as she dreams that her husband is very angry with her, but this is out of her control.

A: It is obligatory for a widow to fully observe her `Iddah at her husband's house if she is able to do this, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded the woman whose husband died to do this. But, if a woman leaves her house for a necessity (Part No. 20; Page No. 470) that prevents her from remaining in her home, there is no harm if she moves to another house. Based on this, there is no harm on this woman who left her husband's house as long as she was forced to do so. But if she was lenient with this issue, she should repent to Allah (Glorified be He), for sincere Tawbah erases past misdeeds. The dreams that she keeps seeing are from Satan. When she awakens from such dreams, she should blow to the left three times and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan and from bad dreams, and then turn to sleep on the other side. Thus, these dreams will not harm her. But she should not tell any one about them, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded us not to do this. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.