Is it permissible for women to drive?

Due to the great amount of Fitnah in this era in which we are living, women are not encouraged to drive. Once a woman learns how to drive, she tends to exit the house for any small petty reason. A woman should remain in the confines of her home at all times and only emerge at the time of necessity.

If there is a dire need for her to drive and there is no male present who could relieve her of this necessity, she may drive provided that she does so out of extreme necessity, she does not travel for more than the Safar distance (approx. 77km) and she is certain that it will not be a means of her falling into Fitnah.