mutlaqah

Mutlaqah, written in Arabic as مطلقة, is a term used in Arabic language and Islamic jurisprudence to denote a divorced woman. The word is the feminine form related to the verb talaqa, which means to divorce. In legal and religious texts, mutlaqah identifies a woman who has undergone a divorce from her husband and is typically subject to the waiting period known as iddah.

In fiqh, the status of mutlaqah is tied to the rules governing talaq and iddah. The duration and conditions of the iddah vary by school of law and by whether the woman is pregnant. If she is not pregnant, the iddah is defined by the relevant jurisprudence and can last for a defined period; if she is pregnant, the iddah lasts until delivery. During the iddah, remarriage is generally not permitted, and reconciliation with the former husband can occur in the case of revocable divorces. After the iddah ends, mutlaqah is typically free to remarry under a new marriage contract, subject to local law and religious requirements.

Usage and variations: mutlaqah is used across many Muslim communities to describe a divorced woman in both traditional legal texts and contemporary family law. Transliteration varies, with spellings such as mutlaqa, mutlaqat, or mutlaqah encountered in English-language sources. The term also appears in secular legal contexts in some countries to designate a woman’s marital status for purposes of rights, inheritance, and remarriage.

Overall, mutlaqah is a standard Arabic juridical term that conveys a woman’s divorce status and its implications under Islamic marital law and modern legal frameworks.