Are my wife’s sisters mahram?

· 19 Shawwal 1433 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

Q. Are my wife’s sisters my mehram or not? How can I interact with them i.e. Hugs, kisses etc.

Answer

Your wife’s sisters are not your Mahrams. Social interaction with them is not permissible.

Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam forbade non-mahrams (unrelated men) to enter upon women. He Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “Beware of entering upon women.” One of the Sahaabah said to him, “O Messenger of Allaah, what about the brother-in-law?” He said: “The brother-in-law is death!” (Reported by al-Bukhari, Fath al-Baari, 9/330).

The expression “the brother-in-law is death” may have a number of meanings, such as the following:

 That being alone with a brother-in-law may lead to religious doom if it results in sin.

 That it may spell disaster for the wife if her husband’s attraction to her sister leads to divorce.

 That being alone with a non-mahram woman is as terrible as death.

And Allah Knows Best

Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

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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.”

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