Sahih al-Bukhari 5334

It is related from Humayd ibn Nafi' that Zaynab bint Abi Salama told him these three hadiths. Zaynab said, "I visited Umm Habiba, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when her father, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, had died. Umm Habiba called for yellow scent – khaluq or something else. She put some of it on the slavegirl and then wiped it on her cheeks and said, 'By Allah, I have no need of perfume, but I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a dead person more than three days unless it is her husband. She should mourn him for four months and ten days.'" Zaynab said, "I visited Zaynab bint Jahsh when her brother had died. She asked for scent and put it on and then said, 'I only put on perfume because I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say on the minbar, "It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a dead person more than three days unless it is her husband for whom she should mourn for four months and ten days."'" Zaynab said, "I heard Umm Salama say, 'A woman* came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Messenger of Allah, my daughter's husband has died and she has an eye complaint. Can she use kohl?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said "No" two or three times. Every time he said "No." Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It [mourning] is only four months and ten days. In the Jahiliyya, one of you would throw a piece of dung after a year."'" [*This was 'Atika bint Nu'aym] Humayd said, "I asked Zaynab, 'What is meant by throwing a piece of dung after a year?' Zaynab replied, 'When a woman was widowed, she would enter a very small room [or small tent], put on her worse clothes and would not touch any perfume until a year had passed. Then an animal would be brought to her: a donkey, a sheep or a bird, and rub herself against it. Rarely did she rub herself against any animal which did not subsequently die. Then she would come out and be given a piece of dung which she would throw. Then she could resume using perfume and other things. Malik was asked what she rubbed against it and he said that she rubbed it against her skin.