Question Summary:
Is the ruling of the ‘iddahof a prepubescent girl the one mentioned in al-Ahzāb or al-Talāq?

Question Detail:

According to various classical scholars, a prepubescent can be involved in a marriage contract, but the marriage is to be consummated when she reaches puberty. If the ‘iddah for a prepubescent divorcee is three months (sūrah 65:4), then how come sūrah 33:49 says that there is no ‘iddah if the marriage isnot consummated?

In short, is there an ‘iddah for a divorced prepubescent or not? If there is, what do you say about sūrah 33:49? If there is not, what do you say about sūrah 65:4?

Answer :

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāh wa-barakātuh.
There are two āyahs under discussion.  The first one is from sūrah al-Ahzāb.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا (الأحزاب: 49)
O you who believe, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have marital relations, then you have no ‘iddah upon them… (Qur’an 33:49)
 
The second āyah under discussion is from sūrah al-Talāq.
 
وَاللَّائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا (الطلاق: 4)
And those of your women who have passed the age of monthly courses and those who have no courses, if you have doubts, their ‘iddah is three months… (Qur’an 65:4)
 
The āyah in al-Ahzāb is stating that if a couple has not engaged in marital relations, then the woman does not have to observe an 'iddah in case of a divorce.  This is regardless of the age of the wife.  On the other hand, the āyah in al-Talāq is discussing the 'iddah of a woman in the case where the couple had engaged in marital relations.  A prepubescent girl, with whom a marriage is not normally consummated, falls within the ruling mentioned in al-Ahzab. 
 
At times, even though a girl reaches the age of maturity, she still does not menstruate due to certain medical conditions.  However, because of her having reached maturity, she and her husband may have consummated the marriage.  In the case of a divorce and the absence of menstruation in this scenario, she will observe an 'iddah equivalent to three lunar months.  This is the ruling mentioned in al-Talaq.  Hence, there is no contradiction in rulings, as they discuss different scenarios.
 
And Allah knows best.
 
Mufti Abrar Mirza
Chicago, IL (USA)
Under the Supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)