Short answer
Yes. The iddah of four months and ten days applies to every widow, whatever her age, even after menopause and even if the marriage was never consummated. An elderly widow may still go out during the day for real needs such as medical care, and her family should make it easy for her.
The iddah of death is fard on every widow, young or old, and mourning (hidad) is wajib on an adult, sane Muslim widow. Age, menopause and illness do not cancel it, but genuine need allows going out by day, and danger or inability to stay allows moving home.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Families sometimes think that an older widow, past the age of children, does not need to keep the iddah. The Quran makes no such exception. It says those who leave wives behind, their wives wait four months and ten days, with no mention of age. The four schools agree.
The iddah is not only about pregnancy. It honours the marriage that has ended and is an act of worship; see why iddah is four months and ten days.
- She stays in her marital home and sleeps there each night.
- She may go out by day for medical appointments, the pharmacy, physiotherapy, or bank and estate matters.
- If she cannot live alone safely, a family member should come and stay with her. If that is truly impossible, or the home is unsafe, she may move to a relative's home and complete her iddah there.
- She avoids adornment, perfume and decorative clothes, but plain clean clothes, unscented creams and medicines are fine.
- Visitors, phone calls, family meals at home and normal conversation are all allowed.
Children and grandchildren have a part to play: bring what she needs, drive her to appointments, and keep her company. For the full rules, see what a widow can do during iddah, and find the end date with the iddah calculator.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:234
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًۭا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَعَشْرًۭا ۖ فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ ﴿٢٣٤﴾
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, [the wives, shall] wait four months and ten [days]. And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.
The ayah applies to every widow without an age limit.
Sunan Abi Dawud 2300
Graded sahih... امكثي في بيتك حتى يبلغ الكتاب أجله ...
"Stay in your house until the prescribed term is complete."
The widow spends her iddah in her home.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1280
Sahih... إلا على زوج أربعة أشهر وعشرا ...
"Except for a husband: four months and ten days."
The widow's mourning lasts the full iddah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab al-'Iddah. The death iddah for every widow.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Talaq, Fasl fi al-Hidad. Who must keep mourning, and moving out in necessity.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.