I would like to know the meaning of mahram. Does this only apply to women travelling for Hajj, Umrah, or in everyday life?
Question
What happens to a widow who has no husband, son, uncles, or brother, but has the finance to go for Hajj/Umrah? Is she not allowed to go or can she go using another male who might not be a relative, as a mahram?
Answer
Mahram is an Arabic word which means avenue of prohibition. Contextually, it refers to the prohibition of marriage of certain males to certain females, for example, brother to sister, etc. Kindly refer to www.jamiat.org.za/isinfo/mahram.html.
According to Shari?ah, it is not permissible for a female to undertake a journey of 88 kms. or more without a Mahram. If a female does not have a Mahram, then she cannot go for Umrah and Hajj.
1. The reference for Mahram is in Surah Nisaa, last page of the forth Juz of the Qur?aan
2. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ?It is not permissible for a female to travel without her Mahram for three days.? (Mishkaat vol.1) The Jurists have calculated the journey of three days as 88 kms.
And Allah Taãla Knows Best.
Was salaam
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
- Answered by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, please ask a Mufti. Report an issue
For corrections or mistakes, please email us at fatawasa786@gmail.com.
Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/889
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-889
People also ask
Who are a woman's mahrams?
“This is not permissible. If the woman is not your mahram, then this is obviously haraam and if the woman is your mahram e.g. your mother or sister then too this is not permissible and is against the Islamic teachings.”
Mufti Online · 463 fatawa from 6 Darul Iftas on this
What the Darul Iftas sayRelated fatawa
Mufti Online17 Apr 2014Perform Hajj without a mahramCan a woman perform Hajj if she does not find any mahram?
Jamiat KZN11 Mar 2013Female going for Umrah without a MahramCan a woman of over 50 who does not have a Mahram available travel for Umrah alone.
Ask Imaam12 Oct 2000Is it permissible for a man to marry his mother's sister?- Ask Imaam30 Sep 2000It is permissible for the women to work? If permissible, what is the conditions?
- Ask Imaam15 Jan 2003Can a Woman travel alone for her second Umrah?Is it true that for an unmarried Muslimah to go for a second umrah, she must be accompanied by her muhrim.
Ibn Masood24 Jan 2026Elderly Women Travelling Without A MahramCan three elderly women go for Umrah without a Marham accompanying them?