Female does not have a Mahram for Hajj
Question
Kindly provide a Shar’i ruling on an elderly Hanafi lady undertaking the Hajj journey without a Mahram. What should a lady of senior age who has saved up for Hajj do, if she is widowed or divorced and does not have a Mahram to accompany her? Is it acceptable in Shariah for a lady in these circumstances to go without a Mahram?
Answer
It will not be permissible for a woman to travel for Hajj without a Mahram. She should make a WasiyYat (bequest) that Hajj should be performed on her behalf in the case of her demise. This Wasiyyat should then be executed from the estate with the proviso that it does not exceed one third of the net estate value.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
مع زوج او محرم مع وجوب النفقة لمحرمها عليها (شامي ج٣ص٤٦٤)
ثمرته تظهر في وجوب الوصية بالحج إذا مات قبل وجود المحرم يجب الايصاء لان الموت بعد الوجوب (فتح القدير ج٢ص٤٢٢)
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم: لا تسافر المرأة الا مع ذي محرم، ولا يدخل عليها رجل الا ومعها محرم، فقال رجل: يا رسول الله! إني اريد ان اخرج في جيش كذا وكذا، وامراتي تريد الحج فقال: اخرج معها (الفتاوي التاتارخانية ج٣ص٤٧٤)
ان وجود الزوج او المحرم شرط وجوب الأداء فيجب الايصاء (أوجز المسالك ج٣ص٧٣٩)
كتاب النوازل ج٧ص٥٦٧-٥٦٨
- Answered by
- Maulana Ahmed Saeed
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/female-does-not-have-a-mahram-for-hajj/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-26401
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Mufti Online · 177 fatawa from 8 Darul Iftas on this
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