Has the divorced woman's iddah (waiting period) ended with the conclusion of its duration, despite her menstrual cycle being irregular during it? And is her divorcee entitled to take her back without a new marriage contract?

The waiting period (iddah) for a divorced woman who menstruates is three menstrual cycles. When the third menstrual period ends and she performs the ritual bath (ghusl), her iddah is complete. The irregularity of her cycle or a delay in its onset does not affect this.

As for a woman whose menstruation has ceased and she does not know the reason for its cessation, her iddah is one year. This period encompasses the typical duration of pregnancy (nine months) and the iddah of a woman who has despaired of menstruation (three months). This is the view held by Umar, Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, and the Malikis. It is also an old opinion of Al-Shafii and the madhhab of the Hanbalis.

The Shafiis, in their new opinion, hold that she should wait until she menstruates, and then observe the iddah by cycles, or until she despairs of menstruation, and then observe the iddah by months.

Based on medical advancements, a woman whose menstruation has ceased and she does not know the reason can observe an iddah of three months if it is confirmed through medical examination that her womb is empty of pregnancy. Otherwise, her iddah is one year.