Wants to Travel to See Parents but No Mahram Available

15-10-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

I would like to travel to see my parents. Can I travel by myself if all my Mahrams can't go with me for some reason? I really want to see my parents whom I haven't seen for 3 years. Can I go with another woman or two, without the Mahram?

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  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to travel a distance of a day and night in a journey without being accompanied by a Mahram regardless of the purpose of her visit whether it is for visiting parents, relatives, or any other reason.

This ruling is based on the Hadeeth of the Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) who said: “No woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day should travel a distance of a day and night journey unless her Mahram is with her.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

However, the Muslim scholars have differed only in the matter of permissibility of the journey of a woman to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah with a group of trustworthy women without being accompanied by a Mahram. The preponderant opinion is that it is not permissible for a woman to travel without a Mahram even for going to Hajj and ‘Umrah since there is no evidence permitting her to do so.

Allah knows best.

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