Understanding the Requirement for a Mahram in Islamic Travel
Question: In response to a question, you mentioned that a mother and daughter cannot perform Umrah without a mahram. A woman objected, citing a hadith that states a woman needs a mahram for a journey of three days, while nowadays we reach Makkah in one or two days. Why is a mahram still required?
Answer: There are various hadiths regarding a woman’s travel without a mahram. Some hadiths state that a woman should not travel even a single night without a mahram, while others say she should not travel for two days or three days without a mahram. All these hadiths are authentic. Additionally, there are other narrations that mention that a woman should not travel without a mahram, without specifying day or night, as seen in the hadith from Sahih Bukhari.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“لَا تُسَافِرِ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَّا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ، وَلَا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا رَجُلٌ إِلَّا وَمَعَهَا مَحْرَمٌ” (Sahih Bukhari: 1862)
Translation: A woman should not travel without a mahram, and no man should enter upon her except when she has a mahram with her.
The summary of these hadiths is that any journey that is considered a travel should not be undertaken by a woman without a mahram. Some scholars have defined the distance for travel as 80 kilometers. Therefore, if a woman is traveling 80 kilometers or more, she must have a mahram with her. Whether she completes this distance in one hour, one day, or two days is irrelevant. The main issue is that for travel of this distance or more, a mahram is required.
✍ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi
❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫