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Fatwa CenterA woman can live alone without a Mahram
Question
Assalamu Alaikum Sheikh, I have a question. My question is 1) I have a sister who is married and has three daughters. who are 8, 14 and 19 years old. And her husband is living abroad for work. My father lives with my sister because my mother has passed away. My sister has only my father as a mahram. One of her brother that is my brother too is living abroad with his family. So our brother is inviting our father for a couple of months to live there because he has three small children who are 2, 4, and 9 years old and his wife is pregnant too, so our brother is thinking it that would be helpful for him and his family. And my sister in law's parents are passed away too. I have heard about a hadith in Bukhari saying that women are not allowed to stay or travel without a mahram. My sister is in need of my father because her daughter is getting some marriage proposals and she cannot face this without a mahram on her side. And also her husband cannot come whenever he wants because of his situation. So we are confused in this situation, can you clarify a solution for this. that means whether my father has to go near my brother or does he have to stay with my sister? Hope you would understand the question Insha'Allah! Jazakh'Allah khair
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is a condition for a woman to have a Mahram with her when travelling but not when staying in her residence; the Hadeeth which you referred to meant this. Ibn ‘Abbaas 
said: “A woman must not travel except with a Mahram.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
As regards a woman staying in her residence, then it is a condition that she be in a place where she feels secure about herself but it is not a condition that she has a Mahram with her as we clarified in Fatwa 120947.
Besides, the father is not obligated to reside with his daughter nor is he obligated to travel to his son. In case he volunteers to do so, then he should look to what is better and more beneficial. However, you may consult each other on this matter and exchange your views about it. Al-Bukhari 
reported in "Al-Adab Al-Mufrad" from Al-Hasan Al-Basri who said: “I swear by Allaah, no people consult each other except that they would be guided to the best options that they have; and then he recited the saying of Allaah (which means): {…and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves.} [Quran 42:38]”
Allaah Knows best.
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