Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bukhari:5706Musaddad > Yaḥyá > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab > Um Salamah

The husband of a lady died and her eyes became sore and the people mentioned her story to the Prophet They asked him whether it was permissible for her to use kohl as her eyes were exposed to danger. He said, "Previously, when one of you was bereaved by a husband she would stay in her dirty clothes in a bad unhealthy house (for one year), and when a dog passed by, she would throw a globe of dung. No, (she should observe the prescribed period Idda) for four months and ten days.'  

البخاري:٥٧٠٦حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَاشْتَكَتْ عَيْنَهَا فَذَكَرُوهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَذَكَرُوا لَهُ الْكُحْلَ وَأَنَّهُ يُخَافُ عَلَى عَيْنِهَا فَقَالَ لَقَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فِي شَرِّ أَحْلاَسِهَا أَوْ فِي أَحْلاَسِهَا فِي شَرِّ بَيْتِهَا فَإِذَا مَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بَعْرَةً فَلاَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Aḥmad, Ṭabarānī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī
bukhari:5338Ādam b. Abū Iyās > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab Āb.ah Um Salamah from her mother

A woman was bereaved of her husband and her relatives worried about her eyes (which were diseased). They came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and asked him to allow them to treat her eyes with kohl, but he said, "She should not apply kohl to her eyes. (In the Pre-Islamic period of Ignorance) a widowed woman among you would stay in the worst of her clothes (or the worst part of her house) and when a year had elapsed, if a dog passed by her, she would throw a globe of dung, Nay, (she cannot use kohl) till four months and ten days have elapsed."  

البخاري:٥٣٣٨حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَخَشُوا عَلَى عَيْنَيْهَا فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ فَقَالَ لاَ تَكَحَّلْ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي شَرِّ أَحْلاَسِهَا أَوْ شَرِّ بَيْتِهَا فَإِذَا كَانَ حَوْلٌ فَمَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعَرَةٍ فَلاَ حَتَّى تَمْضِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ  

muslim:1488cMuḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab b. Um Salamah from her mother

One among you used to spend one year in a dungeon dressed in worst clothes. (And at the end of this period) she threw dung at the dog which happened to pass that way and then she came out (of her 'Idda). Can't she (wait) even for four months and ten days?  

مسلم:١٤٨٨cوَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَخَافُوا عَلَى عَيْنِهَا فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَكُونُ فِي شَرِّ بَيْتِهَا فِي أَحْلاَسِهَا أَوْ فِي شَرِّ أَحْلاَسِهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا حَوْلاً فَإِذَا مَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعَرَةٍ فَخَرَجَتْ أَفَلاَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا  

nasai:3501Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlá > Khālid > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab b. Um Salamah from her mother

"From her mother?" He said: "Yes" - "that the Prophet was asked about a woman whose husband had died but they were worried about her eyes - could she use kohl?" He said: "One of you used to stay in her house wearing her shabbiest clothes for a year, then she would come out. No, (the mourning period is) four months and ten (days)."  

النسائي:٣٥٠١أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قُلْتُ عَنْ أُمِّهَا قَالَ

نَعَمْ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَخَافُوا عَلَى عَيْنِهَا أَتَكْتَحِلُ فَقَالَ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فِي شَرِّ أَحْلاَسِهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ خَرَجَتْ فَلاَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا  

ahmad:26501Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab b. Um Salamah from her mother

[Machine] A woman's husband passed away, and her eye became infected. They mentioned her to the Prophet ﷺ and they mentioned kohl (eyeliner) to him, saying, "Should we be concerned about her eye?" He said, "She used to stay in her house during her menstrual period, or during her husband's menstrual period, (i.e., she observed 'Iddah, the period of waiting after a husband's death or divorce) and when a dog passed by her, she would throw something at it. Should it not be four months and ten [days]?"  

أحمد:٢٦٥٠١حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَاشْتَكَتْ عَيْنَهَا فَذَكَرُوهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَذَكَرُوا الْكُحْلَ قَالُوا نَخَافُ عَلَى عَيْنِهَا؟ قَالَ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فِي شَرِّ أَحْلَاسِهَا أَوْ فِي أَحْلَاسِهَا فِي شَرِّ بَيْتِهَا حَوْلًا فَإِذَا مَرَّ بِهَا كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعْرَةٍأَفَلَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا؟  

ahmad:26652Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah And Ḥajjāj > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab Āb.ah Abū Salamah from her mother

One among you used to spend one year in a dungeon dressed in worst clothes. (And at the end of this period) she threw dung at the dog which happened to pass that way and then she came out (of her 'Idda). Can't she (wait) even for four months and ten days? (Using translation from Muslim 1488c)  

أحمد:٢٦٦٥٢حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ وَحَجَّاجٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شُعْبَةُ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ زَوْجُهَا فَخَافُوا عَلَى عَيْنِهَا فَأَتَوْا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَكُونُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فِي أَحْلَاسِهَا أَوْ فِي شَرِّ أَحْلَاسِهَا فِي بَيْتِهَا حَوْلًا فَإِذَا مَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعْرَةٍ فَخَرَجَتْ فَلَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا  

tabarani:20210ʿAlī b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > ʿĀṣim > Shuʿbah b. al-Ḥajjāj > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab b. Um Salamah from her mother

[Machine] A woman's husband died and she complained about her eye. So they went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked for permission to use kohl, mentioning that they were concerned about her eye. The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of you stayed in her house for a period of time, during which she threw away a speck of dust. Shouldn't she observe a period of four months and ten [days]?"  

الطبراني:٢٠٢١٠حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ثنا عَاصِمٌ ثنا شُعْبَةُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ تُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَاشْتَكَتْ عَيْنَهَا فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ وَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ عَلَى عَيْنِهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي بَيْتِهَا حَوْلًا فَإِذَا كَانَ حَوْلًا رَمَتْ بِبَعْرَةٍ أَفَلَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا؟»  

nasai-kubra:5664Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlá al-Ṣanʿānī > Khālid > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab from her mother

"From her mother?" He said: "Yes" - "that the Prophet was asked about a woman whose husband had died but they were worried about her eyes - could she use kohl?" He said: "One of you used to stay in her house wearing her shabbiest clothes for a year, then she would come out. No, (the mourning period is) four months and ten (days)." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3501)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٦٦٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى الصَّنْعَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ قُلْتُ عَنْ أُمِّهَا قَالَ

نَعَمْ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَخَافُوا عَلَى عَيْنِهَا أَتَكْتَحِلُ؟ فَقَالَ «قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي بَيْتِهَا فِي شَرِّ أَحْلَاسِهَا حَوْلًا فَإِذَا مَرَّ رَمَتْ بِبَعَرَةٍ ثُمَّ خَرَجَتْ فَلَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا»  

bayhaqi:15464Abū ʿAlī al-Rūdhbārī > Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Maḥmawayh al-ʿAskarī > Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad al-Qalānisī > Ādam b. Abū Iyās > Shuʿbah > Ḥumayd b. Nāfiʿ > Zaynab b. Um Salamah from her mother

A woman was bereaved of her husband and her relatives worried about her eyes (which were diseased). They came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and asked him to allow them to treat her eyes with kohl, but he said, "She should not apply kohl to her eyes. (In the Pre-Islamic period of Ignorance) a widowed woman among you would stay in the worst of her clothes (or the worst part of her house) and when a year had elapsed, if a dog passed by her, she would throw a globe of dung, Nay, (she cannot use kohl) till four months and ten days have elapsed." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5338)   

البيهقي:١٥٤٦٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الرُّوذْبَارِيُّ أنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مَحْمَوَيْهِ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ نا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَلَانِسِيُّ نا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ نا شُعْبَةُ نا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّهَا

أَنَّ امْرَأَةً تُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا زَوْجُهَا فَرَمَدَتْ فَخَشَوْا عَلَى عَيْنِهَا فَأَتَوَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوهُ فِي الْكُحْلِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَا تَكْتَحِلْ قَدْ كَانَتْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ تَمْكُثُ فِي شَرِّ أَحْلَاسِهَا أَوْ فِي شَرِّ أَبْنِيَتِهَا فَإِذَا كَانَ حَوْلٌ فَمَرَّ كَلْبٌ رَمَتْ بِبَعْرَةٍ فَلَا حَتَّى تَمْضِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ آدَمَ وَأَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ