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Fatwa CenterWife Wants to Go To Non-Muslim Country Without Mahram to Await Child's Birth
Question
I reside in Pakistan. My wife's family resides in Australia. We got married about 4 months ago. She is pregnant now, Al-Hamdu Lillah, but she wants to go back to Australia to live with by family until she delivers the child. She will be traveling with her mother and no male Mahram will accompany them. I cannot accompany them because I don't have Australian nationality or permanent residency status and also I don't want to travel to non-Muslim land for such reasons. Good medical facilities can be provided in Pakistan, although not as good as in developed countries. Still my wife insists going to non-Muslim land and she fears that she will not be treated well in hospitals in Pakistan. So please advise me. Should I allow my wife to travel to non-Muslim country and live there for about 9 months?
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.
In principle, a woman should not travel without a Mahram, because that is forbidden. The Prophet said: “It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to embark on a one day and one-night journey except in the company of a Mahram.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Based on this, your wife's journey to the land of non-Muslims without a Mahram is forbidden for two reasons:
1) Traveling to the land of non-Muslims.
2) Traveling without a Mahram.
Since necessary medical services are available in your country, there is no need for her to travel to a non-Muslim land without a Mahram.
For more benefit on the prohibition for a woman to travel without a Mahram, please refer to Fataawa 262621, 88562, 193077, 102095, and 85945.
Allah knows best.
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