Matters of the deceased
5-7-2005 | IslamWeb
Question:
If a man's spouse dies how soon can he remarry, or is he allowed to marry again? Or there certain guidelines or rules toward this? Also how long can a man mourn after his spouse dies? If a person of Muslim religion commits suicide is that persons admitted into paradise even though they took there own life.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
There is no harm for a man to marry another woman after the death of his wife or even before her death. He does not need to wait a certain period after the death of his wife. He may marry immediately after the death of his wife. All the Muslim scholars have agreed that a man does not need to observe the waiting period. So, he may marry again after being separated from his wife by her death or divorce without waiting for a certain period except if there is an impediment. For instance, a man wants to marry the sister or aunt of his wife or a woman whom he cannot be married to with his wife at the same time, or he has divorced his fourth wife, such a man cannot marry until the waiting period of his wife comes to an end in a revocable divorce. The jurists have all agreed upon this ruling. The majority of Muslim scholars apply the same ruling to the irrevocable divorce too. However, if she dies he may marry another wife without considering any waiting period.
A husband is not obliged to mourn his wife but a wife needs to mourn her husband since mourning prevents men from having an interest in her. If she adorns and beautifies herself men may become attracted to her, which may lead to marriage before completing the waiting period and could result in the mixing of lineages if she is pregnant by her deceased husband, which is forbidden. This is one reason for the legislation of the waiting period for a woman whose husband has died. On the other hand, a husband does not need to mourn his wife since if he marries right after the death of his wife it can not lead to the mixing of lineages.
As for the rulings of the one who commits suicide read Fataawa: 87204 and 89905.
Allaah Knows best.