Question:

Is it allowed for a woman to travel without a male relative?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

It is not permissible for a woman to travel the distance of 77 kilometres or more without a male mahram. Even for the purpose of performing obligatory Hajj it is prohibited for a woman to travel 77 km or more without a male mahram, even if she will be accompanied by other women who will have male mahrams with them. Consider the following hadith:

 

Ibn Umar (Radiyallaahu Anhu) narrates that the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “A woman must not travel (the distance of) three days except with a mahram” (Bukhari and Muslim)

 

Note that the distance of three days equals to approximately 77 kilometres. Therefore it will not be permissible for a woman to travel the distance of 77 kilometres or more without a mahram even if it will only take her a few hours or less to travel this distance (such as in a car or on an airplane).

 

As for a woman to travel less than the distance of 77 kilometres without a male mahram, it will be permissible only if there is a need for her to do so and there is no fear of fitna. If there is any fear of fitna, it will not be permissible.

 

في البحر الرائق : ( قوله : ومحرم أو زوج لامرأة في سفر ) أي وبشرط محرم إلى آخره لما في الصحيحين { لا تسافر امرأة ثلاثا إلا ومعها محرم } وزاد مسلم في رواية { أو زوج } وروى البزار { لا تحج امرأة إلا ومعها محرم فقال رجل يا رسول الله إني كتبت في غزوة وامرأتي حاجة قال ارجع فحج معها }  ...( و بعد صفحة) ... وقيد بالسفر وهو ثلاثة أيام بلياليها لأنه يباح لها الخروج إلى ما دون ذلك لحاجة بغير محرم

( البحر الرائق: 2/314 )

 

وفي رد المحتار: ( قوله في سفر ) هو ثلاثة أيام ولياليها فيباح لها الخروج إلى ما دونه لحاجة بغير محرم بحر ، وروي عن أبي حنيفة وأبي يوسف كراهة خروجها وحدها مسيرة يوم واحد ، وينبغي أن يكون الفتوى عليه لفساد الزمان شرح اللباب ويؤيده حديث الصحيحين " { لا يحل لامرأة تؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن تسافر مسيرة يوم وليلة إلا مع ذي محرم عليها } " وفي لفظ لمسلم " { مسيرة ليلة } " وفي لفظ " { يوم } " لكن قال في الفتح : ثم إذا كان المذهب الأول فليس للزوج منعها إذا كان بينها وبين مكة أقل من ثلاثة أيام

( رد المحتار: 2/364، سعيد )

 

(وانظر: أحسن الفتاوى: 4/532، 8/29 )

 

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Faizal Riza
7/10/2011
Darul Ifta Australia
www.mufti-online.net

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