Wearing Black for A Deceased Family Members
4-9-2002 | IslamWeb
Question:
How long could we wear black if we have a family member who passed away?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
A Muslim has to demonstrate his satisfaction towards Divine Destiny. In other words, he has to be patient and to thank Allah when any misfortune befalls him. He has to Say: “Truly! To Allah we belong, and truly, to Him we shall return.”
Allah Says (what means): {…but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.} [Quran 2: 155-157]
In the same vein, the Prophet said: “The case of a believer is wonderful; there is good for him in everything, and this characteristic is exclusively for him alone. If he experiences something pleasant, he is grateful to Allah and that is good for him; and if he experiences some adversity, he is patient and submissive, and that too, is good for him.” [Muslim]
Another Hadeeth reads: “Allah, The Exalted, says: 'I have no better reward other than Paradise for a believing servant of Mine, Who is patient and resigned, when I take away one of his beloved ones among the most cherished things of the world.” [Al-Bukhari]
In fact, there is no special manner of dress or color that the relatives of the dead may wear. But the wife of the deceased should avoid any form of beautification and has to stay at her home for four months and ten days.
Allah Says (what means): {And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days, then when they have fulfilled their term, there is no sin on you if they (the wives) dispose of themselves in a just and honorable manner (i.e. they can marry). …} [Quran 2: 234]
As a rule, a woman who believes in Allah and the Hereafter should not observe the state of mourning for more than three days except a wife, who is required to do so for four months and ten days when her husband dies.
Allah knows best.