(regarding the Verse): 'If any of you dies and leaves wives behind,' That was the period of the 'Iddah which the widow was obliged to spend in the house of the late husband. Then Allah revealed: And those of you who die and leave wives should bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance and residence without turning them out, but if they leave, there is no blame on you for what they do of themselves, provided it is honorable (i.e. lawful marriage) (2.240) Mujahid said: Allah has ordered that a widow has the right to stay for seven months and twenty days with her husband's relatives through her husband's will and testament so that she will complete the period of one year (of 'Iddah). But the widow has the right to stay that extra period or go out of her husband's house as is indicated by the statement of Allah: 'But if they leave there is no blame on you,... ' (2.240) Ibn ʿAbbas said: The above Verse has cancelled the order of spending the period of the 'Iddah at her late husband's house, and so she could spend her period of the 'Iddah wherever she likes. And Allah says: 'Without turning them out.' 'Ata said: If she would, she could spend her period of the 'Iddah at her husband's house, and live there according to her (husband's) will and testament, and if she would, she could go out (of her husband's house) as Allah says: 'There is no blame on you for what they do of themselves.' (2.240) 'Ata added: Then the Verses of inheritance were revealed and the order of residence (for the widow) was cancelled, and she could spend her period of the 'Iddah wherever she would like, and she was no longer entitled to be accommodated by her husband's family.  

عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ {وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا} قَالَ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ الْعِدَّةُ تَعْتَدُّ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ زَوْجِهَا وَاجِبًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا وَصِيَّةً لأَزْوَاجِهِمْ مَتَاعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ مِنْ مَعْرُوفٍ} قَالَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهَا تَمَامَ السَّنَةِ سَبْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَصِيَّةً إِنْ شَاءَتْ سَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ وَهْوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى {غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ} فَالْعِدَّةُ كَمَا هِيَ وَاجِبٌ عَلَيْهَا زَعَمَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ نَسَخَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ عِدَّتَهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا فَتَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى {غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ} وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ إِنْ شَاءَتِ اعْتَدَّتْ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَسَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ {فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ} قَالَ عَطَاءٌ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الْمِيرَاثُ فَنَسَخَ السُّكْنَى فَتَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَلاَ سُكْنَى لَهَا  

(regarding the Verse):-- "Those of you who die and leave wives behind. They - (their wives) -- shall wait (as regards their marriage ) for four months and ten days)." (2.234) The widow, according to this Verse, was to spend this period of waiting with her husband's family, so Allah revealed: "Those of you who die and leave wives (i.e. widows) should bequeath for their wives, a year's maintenance and residences without turning them out, but if they leave (their residence), there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves provided it is honorable.' (i.e. lawful marriage) (2.240). So Allah entitled the widow to be bequeathed extra maintenance for seven months and twenty nights, and that is the completion of one year. If she wished she could stay (in her husband's home) according to the will, and she could leave it if she wished, as Allah says: "..without turning them out, but if they leave (the residence), there is no blame on you." So the 'Idda (i.e. four months and ten days as it) is obligatory for her. 'Ata said: Ibn ʿAbbas said, "This Verse, i.e. the Statement of Allah: "..without turning them out.." cancelled the obligation of staying for the waiting period in her dead husband's house, and she can complete this period wherever she likes." 'Ata's aid: If she wished, she could complete her 'Idda by staying in her dead husband's residence according to the will or leave it according to Allah's Statement:-- "There is no blame on you for what they do with themselves." ʿAta' added: Later the regulations of inheritance came and abrogated the order of the dwelling of the widow (in her dead husband's house), so she could complete the 'Idda wherever she likes. And it was no longer necessary to provide her with a residence. Ibn ʿAbbas said, "This Verse abrogated her (i.e. widow's) dwelling in her dead husband's house and she could complete the 'Idda (i.e. four months and ten days) wherever she liked, as Allah's Statement says:--"...without turning them out..." (Using translation from Bukhārī 4531)   

{وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا} [البقرة 234] قَالَ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ الْعِدَّةُ تَعْتَدُّ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ زَوْجِهَا وَاجِبٌ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا وَصِيَّةً لِأَزْوَاجِهِمْ مَتَاعًا إِلَى الْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ مِنْ مَعْرُوفٍ} قَالَ جَعَلَ اللهُ لَهَا تِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَصِيَّةً إِنْ شَاءَتْ سَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ اللهِ ﷻ {غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ} فِي الْعِدَّةِ كَمَا هِيَ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَيْهَا زَعَمَ ذَلِكَ مُجَاهِدٌ وَقَالَ عَطَاءُ عنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ ثُمَّ نَسَخَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ عِدَّتَهَا فِي أَهْلِهِ تَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ اللهِ ﷻ {غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ} [البقرة 240] قَالَ عَطَاءٌ إِنْ شَاءَتِ اعْتَدَّتْ فِي أَهْلِهِ أَوْ سَكَنَتْ فِي وَصِيَّتِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ خَرَجَتْ لِقَوْلِ اللهِ ﷻ {فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنْفُسِهِنَّ} قَالَ عَطَاءٌ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الْمِيرَاثُ فَنَسَخَ السُّكْنَى فَتَعْتَدُّ حَيْثُ شَاءَتْ وَلَا سُكْنَى لَهَا