Can Maternal Siblings Be Mahrams? Exploring Islamic Family Relationships
Question: There are two sisters and one brother. They have the same mother but different fathers. One sister and the brother share the same father, while the other sister has a different father. The question is, can the sister with a different father make the brother her mahram? Also, can the son of the sister with a different father be a mahram to the first sister?
Answer: If the mother is the same and the fathers are different, then all the children from the same mother are maternal siblings, also known as maternal brothers and sisters (akhiyaafi). Maternal siblings are prohibited to marry one another just like full siblings are. Therefore, the maternal brother is a mahram to his sister. Similarly, the son of the sister with a different father is also a mahram to the first sister because the children of maternal siblings are also prohibited from marrying each other.
Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah
Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia
Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail