two months. A group of his companions narrated this from him, and he supported it with the statement of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him: "The 'idda of the umm al-walad (mother of the child) is two menstrual cycles, and if she does not menstruate, her 'idda is two months." Al-Athram narrated it from him with his chain of transmission. This is the opinion of 'Ata', al-Zuhri, Ishaq, and one of the opinions of al-Shafi'i; because the months are a substitute for the menstrual cycles, and the 'idda of one who has menstrual cycles is two cycles, so its substitute is two months. Furthermore, because she is a woman observing 'idda through months for a reason other than death, her number is like the number of menstrual cycles, were she a woman who has cycles, just like a free woman.

The second narration is that her 'idda is a month and a half. Al-Maymuni and al-Athram transmitted it, and Abu Bakr chose it. This is the opinion of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. It is also narrated from Ibn Umar, Ibn al-Musayyib, Salim, al-Sha'bi, al-Thawri, and the People of Opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y). It is a second opinion for al-Shafi'i; because the 'idda of a slave woman is half the 'idda of a free woman, and the 'idda of a free woman is three months, so half of that is a month and a half. We completed it to two cycles for the one who menstruates due to the impossibility of dividing a menstrual cycle, but when we turn to the months, halving is possible, so it is necessary to adopt it, as is the case in the 'idda of death. This becomes like the muhrim (one in ihram) who, when a half-mudd (measure) becomes incumbent upon him as compensation for hunting, is permitted to pay it; if he wishes to fast instead, he fasts one full day. Also, because it is an 'idda that can be halved, it is half the 'idda of a free woman, [like the 'idda of death, and because she is observing 'idda via months, it is half the 'idda of a free woman] like the woman whose husband has died.

The third narration is that her 'idda is three months. This is narrated from al-Hasan, Mujahid, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, al-Nakha'i, Yahya al-Ansari, Rabi'ah, and Malik, and it is the third opinion of al-Shafi'i; due to the generality of His statement, the Almighty: {Then their period is three months}. And because it is an istibra' (clearing/waiting period) for a slave woman who has reached menopause via the months, so it is three months, like the istibra' of a slave woman when one comes to own her or her master dies. Also, because the consideration of months here is for the purpose of knowing the purity of her womb, and this does not materialize without three months in both the free woman and the slave woman; because the pregnancy is a nutfah (drop) for forty days, [and a blood clot for forty days], then it becomes a lump, then it moves, and the woman's belly rises, so the pregnancy becomes apparent. This is a meaning that does not differ by servitude or freedom, and that is why the istibra' of a slave woman for her master is three months. Whoever rejects this narration says: It is contrary to the consensus of the Companions, for they disagreed on the two aforementioned opinions, and whenever the Companions disagree on two opinions, it is not permitted to originate a third opinion, for that leads to proving them wrong and the truth falling outside of all their opinions, and that is not permissible. Moreover, she is a woman observing 'idda for something other than pregnancy, so it is less than the 'idda of a free woman, like the woman who has menstrual cycles whose husband has died.