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Woman travelling without mahram

Wasp

Active Member
There is a hadith that says:

"Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Let no woman travel for more than three days unless her husband or a Mahram is with her." Sahih Muslim

Wouldn't this mean travel non-stop? Should this really be applied so that a woman isn't allowed, let's say, for instance, to travel for 6 hours by plane to one destination and remain there for three days without a Mahram?
 

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
There is a hadith that says:

"Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Let no woman travel for more than three days unless her husband or a Mahram is with her." Sahih Muslim

Wouldn't this mean travel non-stop? Should this really be applied so that a woman isn't allowed, let's say, for instance, to travel for 6 hours by plane to one destination and remain there for three days without a Mahram?

As Salaam Alaikum: I can see the wisdom in such a saying, but it is doubtful that it is followed anywhere except Saudi Arabia perhaps? I live in an American college town. There are five large universities here, and there are many Muslim students here. It is my guess that up to half of them are Muslim women from the Middle East? I don't know, do women college students here have "temporary Mahrams"?

I know that even going shopping for groceries, a woman must be wary of the man who would take advantage if he can. Generally, I am home after dark, and there are certain parts of the city I just do not go to. We do the best we can.
 

Wasp

Active Member
As Salaam Alaikum: I can see the wisdom in such a saying, but it is doubtful that it is followed anywhere except Saudi Arabia perhaps? I live in an American college town. There are five large universities here, and there are many Muslim students here. It is my guess that up to half of them are Muslim women from the Middle East? I don't know, do women college students here have "temporary Mahrams"?

I know that even going shopping for groceries, a woman must be wary of the man who would take advantage if he can. Generally, I am home after dark, and there are certain parts of the city I just do not go to. We do the best we can.
Alaikum selam,

A lot of Muslims follow the rule even if the government doesn't impose it. And they don't have to follow it even if the government tries to impose it. So it would be largely up to the individual families.

Yemen certainly has a similar system. Though legally they can't prevent a woman from travelling away but in practice I have read that they do if the husband reports it and wants her to be stopped. Women also can't have a passport there without a Mahram with them.

I don't know about universities. Some scholars say if a Mahram is not going to accompany a woman she cannot go. But I don't really understand it as going to a university abroad or very far would be like moving away. And is there a rule on living alone? I sure haven't heard of one. And what if one doesn't have a Mahram? I think the restriction stops around the age 45 for a woman..
 

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
Alaikum selam,

A lot of Muslims follow the rule even if the government doesn't impose it. And they don't have to follow it even if the government tries to impose it. So it would be largely up to the individual families.

Yemen certainly has a similar system. Though legally they can't prevent a woman from travelling away but in practice I have read that they do if the husband reports it and wants her to be stopped. Women also can't have a passport there without a Mahram with them.

I don't know about universities. Some scholars say if a Mahram is not going to accompany a woman she cannot go. But I don't really understand it as going to a university abroad or very far would be like moving away. And is there a rule on living alone? I sure haven't heard of one. And what if one doesn't have a Mahram? I think the restriction stops around the age 45 for a woman..

I've been told that old women do not need Hijab.
 
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