Travel

[New Gal]

Found a website today that I think is a brilliant idea. Its where women register for female travelling companions.

Think its great, your friends obviously don’t have the same schedules as you nor the same destinations in mind and this way, you can create a profile, specify your travel goals, what you would like to do there and meet like minded ladies that you can fulfil all your travel ambitions with.

Seems a good idea in theory to me, as it’s a new person you can get to know them, they wont bug you as friends seem to do on your hols and you can be more upfront and say that you like your space as well at times and they wont get offended (will they?!)

What do we all think???

[cairo]

i think its a gr8 idea ,some vacations u really enjoy because u are meeting good ppl even if the place isnt the best

[mamasue]

New Gal I replied on the 'other forum'.
Yes it's a great idea!!
As you know, muslim women are not supposed to travel alone!

[New Gal]

Originally Posted by mamasue

New Gal I replied on the 'other forum'.
Yes it's a great idea!!
As you know, muslim women are not supposed to travel alone!

Ooooh which one are you on? Is the last part of your profile ID on here linked to the other?

I didn't know Muslim women aren't supposed to travel alone?! Lol, I have done.

Learn sumat new every day!!!

[mamasue]

Originally Posted by New Gal

Ooooh which one are you on? Is the last part of your profile ID on here linked to the other?

I didn't know Muslim women aren't supposed to travel alone?! Lol, I have done.

Learn sumat new every day!!!

No,NewGal.... muslim wimen are not supposed to travel without a mahram..... a responsible male member of the family, or husband.
Of course, it's never an issue in England.

In case you hadn't realised, I'm susue on the red forum!!

[New Gal]

Originally Posted by mamasue

No,NewGal.... muslim wimen are not supposed to travel without a mahram..... a responsible male member of the family, or husband.
Of course, it's never an issue in England.

In case you hadn't realised, I'm susue on the red forum!!

Lol, yeah I did think you might be.

I’ve travelled to both Muslim and non-Muslim countries and some of the locals might be a little surprised when I confirm I am Muslim after they have asked but even my parents and indeed grandparents have never said to me that I must travel with a bloke!

Oh well! If its not been an issue before, doubt it will be now, I plan to travel a lot more round Egypt once there as well lots of other places and will most probably be alone when I do :-)

[ArabRose]

Why are Muslim women not allowed to travel alone?

[New Gal]

Originally Posted by ArabRose

Why are Muslim women not allowed to travel alone?

Probably something to do with having male protection and receiving unwanted attention, safety etc. whether or not they DO travel alone is a different thing, I certainly have and will continue to do so! I can see the merits of that website though as well as the potential disadvantages but again, it’s a women only thing!

[cairo]

a muslim women not allowed to travel alone is one of the stereo type ideas abt muslims or arabs ,its prefered that a woman dont travel alone however its not a rule ,my mother is a muslim woman and she travels alone. it has nothing to do with religion

[New Gal]

You're wrong Cairo, apparently, its true that you can't travel without a man

Question: The general understanding is that it is prohibited in the Shariah for a female to travel without a Mahram under all circumstances and including for religious purposes such as hajj.

Are there any exceptions to this rule? If a woman wishes to travel to another city for a religious conference/seminar without the company of a mahram male, would that be permissible? If she wishes to travel alone (or with a sister) to a Muslim country to undertake Islamic studies, would that be permissible? If she wishes to travel to visit her parents in the home country, but her husband or another Mahram cannot join, would she be able to travel independently?

Is the rule to be applied differently in this age when most travelling, in flights etc., is done in collective groups?

Answer: In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Generally, it is impermissible for a woman to travel the distance of three days (equivalent to 48 miles) without her husband or a Mahram (unmarriageable kin) accompanying her.

There are many clear narrations of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) in this regard.

1) 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).

2) Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “A woman must not travel for three days except with a Mahram”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1036 & Sahih Muslim).

3) Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “It is unlawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the last day that she travels the distance of one day and one night without a Mahram accompanying her”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1038).

4) Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “'A woman must not travel except with a Mahram and a man must not enter upon her except if she has a Mahram”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1763).

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) states in his monumental commentary of Sahih Muslim:

“There are many such narrations that assert the impermissibility of a woman travelling without a Mahram. These narrations vary in their wordings. The narration of Ibn Abbas in Sahih al-Bukhari says that a woman must not travel without a Mahram, but it adds nothing else. However, the other narrations, in Sahih al-Bukhari and elsewhere, mention lengths of journeys for which a Mahram is required - some of the narrations specify three days, some two, some one, and some even less”.

Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) mentions that the difference found in these narrations is due to the different questioners and the places wherein the answers were given to them. al-Bayhaqi said: “It is as though the messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was asked regarding travelling for three days without a Mahram, and he refused. He was then asked about her travelling for two days, and regarding one day, etc and each narrator related from him what he heard”. (See: Commentary of Sahih Muslim by Imam Nawawi, 1015).

According to the Hanafi Ijtihad, the distance that is considered here is three days and three nights, for the narrations mentioning three days & three nights have reached the level of certainty. All the Companions who narrated other than three days also narrate the distance of three days and three nights. The narrations that mention two or one day will be restricted to specific circumstances, such as the fear of more fitna. Hence, they (Hanafi School) consider the narrations that mention three days & three nights as the basis of prohibition. (Zafar Ahmad al-Tahanawi, I’la al-Sunan, V. 10, P. 11).

It must be remarked here that this refers to the distance usually covered by walking or on a animal in three days & three nights (with the usual breaks for resting and eating). Therefore, the restriction of travelling with a Mahram applies if the distance of the journey exceeds this, even if the journey itself is accomplished in a shorter time.

The scholars have differed on the length of this distance. Many scholars are of the opinion that it is 16 Farsakh, and each Farsakh equals three miles, thus totalling to 48 miles. (See: Faydh al-Bari ala Sahih al-Bukhari, 2/397).

Thus, the Hanafi Fuqaha are very clear in that a woman must not travel to the distance of three days without her husband or Mahram accompanying her.

The great Hanafi Jurist, Imam al-Kasani (Allah have mercy on him) states:

“One of the conditions for the permissibility of a woman travelling for Hajj is that she is accompanied by her husband or a Mahram. If neither of them is accompanying her, then Hajj will not be obligatory.

Our (Hanafi school) proof is what Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he said: “Verily, a woman must no travel for Hajj except that her Mahram is accompanying her”. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) also said: “A woman must not travel except that her Mahram or Husband is with her”. Also, a woman is unsafe if her husband or Mahram is not accompanying her, and this is the reason why it is even impermissible for her to travel on her own (meaning, not in the company of a stranger, m), and this fear (of their safety, m) is increased when they are in a group. This is the reason why it is impermissible for a man to be in seclusion (khalwa) with a non-Mahram woman even if she has another woman accompanying her”. (Bada’i al-Sana’i, 2/1230).

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:

“One of the conditions for a woman, whether young or old, to a able to travel for Hajj is that she is accompanied by her Mahram if the distance between her and Makkah is of three days. If the travelling distance is less than that, then she will perform Hajj without her Mahram”. (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 219).

Imam al-Haskafi (may Allah have mercy on him) also states the same ruling in his renowned Durr al-Mukhtar, on which Allama Ibn Abidin (may Allah have mercy on him) commentates with the following:

“It is impermissible for a woman to travel the distance of three days and three nights. However, it will be permissible for her to travel the distance which is less than that without a Mahram because of need. It is reported from Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf (Allah have mercy on them both) that they disliked the travelling of a woman on herself even to the travel distance of one day and one night, and the Fatwa should be on this opinion due to the widespread immorality. This is also affirmed by the Hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: “It is Impermissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the last day that she travels the distance of one day and one night except with a Mahram accompanying her”. However, it is stated in al-Fath (fath al-Qadir of Ibn al-Humam, m): “When the relied upon opinion is the first (i.e., distance of three days and three nights, m), the husband does not have a right to prevent her from performing Hajj if the distance between her and Makkah is less than three days”. (Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/465).

The above excerpts from the major reference books in the Hanafi School clearly indicate the impermissibility of a woman travelling without her Mahram or Husband. So much so, that we see Ibn Abidin (A major authority) stating that due to widespread immorality and corruption in his time, a woman should not be even allowed to travel the distance of one day (even though, the fatwa is on three days and three nights/48 miles). If that was the case in his time, then what would the ruling be in our age?

It should be remembered here, that the basis for this ruling is not an evil assumption about the woman and her manners, as some people unreasonably think, but it is to take care of her reputation, dignity and safety. It is to protect her from the desires of those who have diseased hearts, from the assault of an immoral person or a thief.

Some contemporary people argue that travelling in modern times have changed from how it was in the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). It is incumbent upon us to look at travelling in our time. It is not like how travelling was in the past. It is not filled with the dangers of the waterless deserts, encounters with thieves, highway robbers, etc. Now travelling is by various modes of transportation that usually gather large amounts of people at a time, such as planes, cars, buses, ships, etc…Thus, this provides plenty of confidence and reliability, removing feelings of fear for the woman, because she will not be by herself in any place, and the principle of Islamic Jurisprudence states: “Rulings change due to the changing of times”. Also, some classical scholars have made exceptions with regards to the impermissibility of women travelling in that they may travel in a group, or if there is no fear or risk of Fitna, it would be permissible.

The above understanding is incorrect due to many reasons, and the permissibility of women travelling without a Mahram can not be justified on its basis.