A woman traveling without a Mahram for a necessity
Q: I am an elderly widow and I have an ID card. I have an elder sister who lives in
Al-Dammam.
She does not have anyone to help her except Allah (Exalted be He), so I visit her from time to time. When I want to ride a means of transportation, they ask me to bring a Mahram (spouse or permanently unmarriageable relative). I do not have a Mahram and I cannot bring one because Mahrams cannot be hired but have to be one of the unmarriageable male relatives. Could you advise me (Part No. 17; Page No. 337) in this regard?
A:
It is not permissible for a woman to travel without a Mahram except for a necessity. On the authority of
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"A woman should not travel except with a Mahram, and no man may visit her except in the presence of a Mahram."
(Related by
Ahmad,
Al-Bukhari, and
Muslim)
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.