Traveling Alone for Umrah: The Requirement of a Mahram for Women
Question: My husband is in Saudi Arabia. Can I travel alone from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia for Umrah if I only have enough provisions for one person?
Answer: In this regard, we should know that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) prohibited women from traveling without a Mahram (a male guardian). Therefore, a woman cannot travel from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia or from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan without a Mahram, regardless of where her husband is, whether in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. The main issue is that a woman must always travel with a Mahram, both when going on a journey and when returning.
It does not matter if the woman only has enough provisions for herself to perform Umrah. The main concern is that a woman should not travel without a Mahram. If there is no Mahram, she should not undertake the journey for Umrah, even if she does not have the expenses for the Mahram.
✍ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi
❪Jeddah Dawah Center – Al-Salamah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia❫