The jurists agreed on some matters about a woman travelling, and they differed in others. Travel in the past was very different from travel today.
Their disagreement comes from the cause of the prohibition in the hadith. Was it an act of worship with no reasoning, or a ruling tied to safety and protection? Is the reason the act of travel itself, or the danger of harm?
Some jurists stuck to the hadith’s literal wording and forbade women from travelling without a mahram in all cases. Others allowed travel without a mahram for obligations like hajj, if she was with trustworthy women or even one trustworthy woman. Some allowed it only for old women, others allowed it if the road was safe.
First Matter: The basic principle
The basic principle is that a woman does not travel alone. She must be with her husband or a mahram. This rule is based on clear hadith to protect her, her honour, and her religion.
- Hanafi: al-Kasani in Bada’i al-Sana’i, al-Zayla’i in Tabyin al-Haqa’iq, and Ibn Abidin in his Hashiya made a mahram a condition for hajj and all travel.
- Maliki: Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid and Ibn Rushd in al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil tied the rule to fear of temptation, applying it to voluntary and recommended travel, not to obligatory journeys.
- Shafiʿi: al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim and Zakariyya al-Ansari in Asna al-Matalib confirmed the condition, explaining the different hadith wordings.
- Hanbali: al-Buhuti in Kashshaf al-Qina and al-Zarkashi in Sharh al-Kharqi held that hajj requires a mahram, citing multiple hadith.
Second Matter: Less than the distance of travel
The jurists allowed a woman to go out alone for less than the distance considered “travel.” She has daily needs, and making a mahram required for short trips would cause hardship.
- Hanafi: Al-Kasani, al-Zayla’i, and Ibn Abidin allowed this for any need.
- Maliki: Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid said less than three days is not considered travel, so it is like going to the market.
- Shafiʿi: Zakariyya al-Ansari in Asna al-Matalib allowed it if she felt safe.
- Hanbali: Al-Buhuti in Kashshaf al-Qina allowed it for going to the outskirts of the town without fear.
Third Matter: Necessity and obligation
The jurists permitted a woman to travel without a mahram if the travel was necessary or obligatory. Examples include:
- Migrating from enemy lands after accepting Islam
- Escaping captivity
- Urgent medical treatment
- Earning a livelihood when essential
- Reaching her family if cut off
- Moving from danger to safety
- Maliki: Ibn Rushd in al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil and Qadi Iyad in Ikmal al-Mu‘lim mentioned migration as proof.
- Shafiʿi: Zakariyya al-Ansari in Asna al-Matalib confirmed the same.
- Hanafi: al-Kasani in Bada’i al-Sana’i discussed the limits of travel and necessity.
- Hanbali: Ahmad ibn Hanbal said hajj is not obligatory without a mahram, while Malik and al-Shafiʿi allowed hajj with trustworthy company.
Fourth Matter: Travelling with a husband or mahram
The jurists agreed that a woman may travel with her husband or a mahram to any place, long or short.
- Hanafi: Ibn Abidin in his Hashiya mentions this.
- Maliki: Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Istidhkar records the consensus.
- Shafiʿi: al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim repeats the rule.
- Maliki: Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi in al-Mufhim clarifies that in cases of fitnah or neglect of religion, both man and woman are prevented, while in cases of necessity like migration, she may travel without a mahram.
Fifth Matter: Forbidden travel
It is forbidden for a woman to travel alone to a place where she knows she will be harmed or her honour violated, and she sins if she does so.
- Shafiʿi: al-Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim explains that every travel without a husband or mahram is forbidden unless it is obligatory travel like hijrah.
- Maliki: Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi in al-Mufhim affirms that she must not travel without a mahram for non-obligatory purposes.
- Shafiʿi: Ibn Hajar al-Haytami in al-Zawajir counts this among the major sins because of the corruption that results from it. End of Summary
Full Article
Clarifying the point of disagreement in the issue and the reason for their difference
There are matters that the jurists agreed upon in the issue of a woman travelling, and there are matters in which they disagreed. Also, there is a great difference between travel in the past and travel today.
The reason for the difference of the jurists in the ruling of a woman travelling without a mahram is their disagreement regarding the cause of the prohibition mentioned in the hadith forbidding a woman from travelling without a mahram. Is it an act of worship that must be accepted without asking about its reasoning, or is it a ruling based on a clear reason? And is the cause the very fact of travel so that a mahram is always required, or is the real cause the safety of the road and the protection of the woman?
The jurists researched the issue of a woman travelling without a mahram in the chapter of hajj, and their statements and understandings of the different hadiths that forbid and prevent a woman from travelling without a mahram varied, as well as their understanding of the intended reason for this prohibition.
Some of them held strictly to the apparent meaning of the hadiths that forbid a woman to travel without a mahram, and they did not differentiate between an obligatory journey and other than that, so they forbade a woman to travel without a mahram absolutely. Some permitted a woman to travel without a mahram for an obligation like hajj if she was accompanied by trustworthy women or even by a single trustworthy woman, but not for recommended journeys such as visiting family, or for permitted journeys such as travelling for work or trade.
Some permitted an old woman to travel, like Abu al-Walid al-Baji (d. 474 AH) from the Malikis, but not a young woman. Some permitted a woman to travel without a mahram absolutely if the road was safe and there was no fear of harm. We will discuss all of this in detail with references if Allah wills.
Before speaking about the ruling of a woman travelling without a mahram and the statements of the jurists on this, I will mention the matters that they agreed upon regarding the ruling of a woman travelling in general, and clarifying the point of disagreement, as follows:
First Matter:
The basic principle held by the jurists is that a woman does not travel alone. She travels only with her husband or with a mahram.
This rule was established to protect her, safeguard her honour and religion, and prevent harm or temptation. The jurists based this on clear hadith reports from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and then detailed how it applies in different cases.
Hanafi: Tabyin al-Haqa’iq by al-Zayla’i (2/5) «لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِامْرَأَةٍ إلَّا وَمَعَهَا ذُو مَحْرَمٍ وَلَا تُسَافِرْ الْمَرْأَةُ إلَّا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ رواه مسلم والبخاري. «وَلِأَنَّهَا يُخَافُ عَلَيْهَا الْفِتْنَةُ وَتَزْدَادُ بِانْضِمَامِ غَيْرِهَا إلَيْهَا وَلِهَذَا تَحْرُمُ الْخَلْوَةُ بِالْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ». A man must never be alone with a woman except when she is accompanied by a mahram, and a woman must not travel except with a mahram. This was narrated by Muslim and al-Bukhari. The reason is that she may be subjected to temptation, and this is more likely if someone joins her. For this reason, it is prohibited to be alone with a non-mahram woman.
Maliki: al-Istidhkar by Ibn Abd al-Barr 8/533 فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ الْمَحْرَمُ مِنَ الْمَرْأَةِ مِنَ السَّبِيلِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهَا زَوْجٌ أَوْ ذُو مَحْرَمٍ فَلَيْسَتْ مِمَّنِ اسْتَطَاعَتْ سَبِيلًا لِنَهْيِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِيَّاهَا عَنِ السَّفَرِ إِلَّا مَعَهُ... وَالَّذِي جَمَعَ مَعَانِيَ آثَارِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ – عَلَى اخْتِلَافِ أَلْفَاظِهِ – أَنْ تَكُونَ الْمَرْأَةُ تُـمْنَعُ مِنْ كُلِّ سَفَرٍ يُخْشَى عَلَيْهَا فِيهِ الْفِتْنَةُ إِلَّا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ أَوْ زَوْجٍ قَصِيرًا كَانَ السَّفَرُ أَوْ طَوِيلًا. Some scholars said that a mahram is part of the means for a woman. If she does not have a husband or a mahram with her, then she does not have the means, because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade her from travelling except with him. The meaning that unites the various wordings of this hadith is that a woman is prevented from any journey in which there is fear of temptation unless she is with her mahram or husband, whether the journey is short or long.
Maliki: al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil by Ibn Rushd (4/28) «لا تسافر المرأة مسيرة يوم وليلة إلا مع ذي محرم منها» وحمل مالك رحمه الله قوله عليه السلام: «لا تسافر المرأة مسيرة يوم وليلة إلا مع ذي محرم منها» على السفر المبا ح والمندوب إليه دون السفر الواجب A woman must not travel the distance of one day and one night except with a mahram of hers. Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, interpreted the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that a woman must not travel one day and one night except with her mahram, as applying to permissible and recommended journeys, not to obligatory journeys.
Shafi’i: Al-Majmu by al-Nawawi 4/329 وَأَمَّا الْجَوَابُ عَمَّا احْتَجَّ بِهِ الْقَائِلُونَ بِاشْتِرَاطِ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، فَهُوَ أَنَّ الْحَدِيثَ الَّذِي ذَكَرُوهُ لَيْسَ فِيهِ أَنَّ السَّفَرَ لَا يَنْطَلِقُ إِلَّا عَلَى مَسِيرَةِ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَإِنَّمَا فِيهِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ لِلْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تُسَافِرَ بِغَيْرِ مَحْرَمٍ هَذَا السَّفَرَ الْخَاصَّ. وَيَدُلُّ عَلَى هَذَا أَنَّهُ ثَبَتَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ رِوَايَةٌ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تُسَافِرِ الْمَرْأَةُ يَوْمَيْنِ إِلَّا وَمَعَهَا زَوْجُهَا أَوْ ذُو مَحْرَمٍ As for the response to those who argue for the condition of three days, the hadith they mentioned does not state that travel only applies to a journey of three days. Rather, it states that a woman is not permitted to travel without a mahram on this specific type of journey. This is supported by what is authentically narrated from Abu Sa’id, who said: the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: A woman must not travel for two days except when her husband or a mahram is with her.
Shafi’i: Asna al-Matalib by Zakariyya al-Ansari (1/447) فَإِنْ كَانَ مَنْ يُرِيدُ النُّسُكَ امْرَأَةً اُشْتُرِطَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مَعَهَا زَوْجٌ أَوْ مَحْرَمٌ بِنَسَبٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ لِتَأْمَنَ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا وَلِخَبَرِ الصَّحِيحَيْنِ «لَا تُسَافِرُ الْمَرْأَةُ يَوْمَيْنِ إِلَّا وَمَعَهَا زَوْجُهَا أَوْ ذُو مَحْرَمٍ If the one who intends the rites is a woman, it is required that her husband or a mahram by blood or otherwise goes out with her, so that she is safe with herself, because of the report in the two Sahihs: A woman must not travel for two days except when her husband or a mahram is with her.
Hanbali: Sharh al-Zarkashi ala Mukhtasar al-Khiraqi (3/303) المذهبُ المشهورُ المعروفُ أنَّ المرأة لا تُسافِرُ للحجِّ إلَّا مع ذي مَحرَم”، ثم ساق أحاديث الباب: «لا يحلُّ لامرأةٍ تؤمنُ بالله واليومِ الآخر أن تُسافر سفرًا ثلاثةَ أيّامٍ إلّا ومعها أبوها أو ابنُها أو زوجُها أو أخوها أو ذو محرمٍ منها» … إلى آخر ما ذكر. The well known and famous view is that a woman must not travel for hajj except with a mahram. Then he mentioned the hadiths of this chapter: It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a journey of three days except with her father, her son, her husband, her brother, or a mahram of hers, and so on.
Hanbali: Kashshaf al-Qina by al-Buhuti (2/394) وَالْمَحْرَمُ هُنَا (زَوْجُهَا) سُمِّيَ مَحْرَمًا مَعَ كَوْنِهَا تَحِلُّ لَهُ لِحُصُولِ الْمَقْصُودِ مِنْ صِيَانَتِهَا وَحِفْظِهَا مِنْ إبَاحَةِ الْخَلْوَةِ بِهَا بِسَفَرِهِ مَعَهَا And the mahram here may be her husband, who is called a mahram even though she is lawful for him, because the objective of protecting her and guarding her is achieved by his travelling with her, and seclusion with her is made permissible.
This is because of what came in the Sunnah of the Prophet from several hadiths that indicate this:
An-Nawawi said: His saying, peace and blessings be upon him, “A woman must not travel three days unless with a mahram,” and in another narration: “more than three unless with a mahram or her husband,” and in another: “He forbade a woman to travel for two days,” and in another: “It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to travel for a night unless with a mahram of hers,” and in another: “for a day and a night,” and in another: “A woman must not travel except with a mahram.”
These are the narrations of Muslim. In a narration of Abu Dawud: “nor travel for a barid.” The scholars said: The difference of these wordings is because of the difference in questioners and circumstances, and the prohibition of three days does not mean the permission of a day or a night or a barid.
Al-Bayhaqi said: It is as if the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about a woman travelling for three days without a mahram, so he said: No.
And he was asked about two days, so he said: No.
And he was asked about one day, so he said: No. (Sharh al-Nawawi ala Sahih Muslim 9/102-103).
Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi said: His saying, “three days,” or “two days,” or “a day and a night,” is not to be understood as contradiction due to the different narrations, for the narrators from the Companions differed. Some narrated what others did not, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said all of this at different times according to what he was asked. (al-Mufhim lima Ashkala min Talkhis Kitab Muslim by Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi 3/450).
Third Hadith: From Abu Sa’id al-Khudri who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a journey of three days or more unless accompanied by her father, or her son, or her husband, or her brother, or a mahram of hers.” The scholars acted on this, disliking that a woman travel except with a mahram
Abu Isa (Imam At Tirmidhi) commented under this hadith saying:
In this chapter there are also narrations from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Umar. Abu Isa said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.
It was also narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: “A woman must not travel a journey of a day and a night except with a mahram.”
The scholars acted on this, and they disliked that a woman travel except with a mahram.
The scholars differed about the woman if she is wealthy and does not have a mahram, is hajj obligatory upon her? Some of the scholars said: Hajj is not obligatory upon her, because the mahram is part of the means of reaching the House, as Allah the Exalted said: “for whoever is able to find thereto a way” (Aal Imran: 97). They said: If she does not have a mahram, then she is not able to find a way to it. This is the opinion of Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 161 AH) and the scholars of Kufa.
Some of the scholars said: If the road is safe, then she may go out with the people for hajj. This is the opinion of Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) and al-Shafi’i (d. 204 AH).
Jami At Tirmidhi (2/460-461)
(Also Reported in Sunan Ibn Majah 2898, and Sahih Muslim 1340a)
The hadiths in this issue are many with wordings close in meaning, all requiring the presence of a mahram when a woman travels.
Second Matter:
Some of the fuqaha said that when the distance is less than what is considered travel, a woman may go out without a mahram. This is because she has needs in daily life that require her to leave the house, and to make a mahram a condition for every short trip would cause undue hardship.
Therefore, going out for what is less than the distance of travel is permitted for her without a mahram, for any need she wishes.
Hanafi: Bada’i al-Sana’i by al-Kasani (3/208) وَأَمَّا بَعْدَ انْقِضَاءِ الْعِدَّةِ فَلَهَا أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إلَى مَا دُونَ مَسِيرَةِ سَفَرٍ بِلَا مَحْرَمٍ؛ لِأَنَّهَا تَحْتَاجُ إلَى ذَلِكَ فَلَوْ شُرِطَ لَهُ الْمَحْرَمُ لَضَاقَ الْأَمْرُ عَلَيْهَا، وَهَذَا لَا يَجُوزُ After the waiting period ends, she may go out for less than the distance of travel without a mahram, because she needs that. If a mahram was made a condition for her, it would cause hardship for her, and this is not allowed.
Hanafi: Tabyin al-Haqa’iq by al-Zayla’i 2/6 وَلَا يَلْزَمُنَا خُرُوجُهَا إلَى مَا دُونَ السَّفَرِ؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ مُبَاحٌ لَهَا بِغَيْرِ مَحْرَمٍ وَلَا زَوْجٍ لِأَيِّ حَاجَةٍ شَاءَتْ It is not necessary for us to forbid her from going out for less than the distance of travel, because this is permitted for her without a mahram or a husband, for whatever need she wishes.
Hanafi: Hashiyat Ibn Abidin (2/464) (قَوْلُهُ فِي سَفَرٍ) هُوَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيهَا فَيُبَاحُ لَهَا الْخُرُوجُ إلَى مَا دُونَهُ لِحَاجَةٍ بِغَيْرِ مَحْرَمٍ بَحْرٌ The phrase “in travel” refers to three days and nights. So she is permitted to go out for less than that if there is a need, without a mahram.
Maliki: al-Tamhid by Ibn Abd al-Barr (21/54) وَكُلُّ سَفَرٍ يَكُونُ دُونَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَلِلْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تُسَافِرَ بِغَيْرِ مَحْرَمٍ هَذَا قَوْلُ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ Any journey that is less than three days, a woman may travel without a mahram. This is the view of al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa and his companions, and it is also the view of Ibn Mas‘ud.
Shafi‘i: Asna al-Matalib by Zakariyya al-Ansari (1/448) وَإِلَّا فَلَهَا أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مَعَ الْوَاحِدَةِ لِفَرْضِ الْحَجِّ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ فِي شَرْحَيْ الْمُهَذَّبِ وَمُسْلِمٍ وَكَذَا وَحْدَهَا إذَا أَمِنَتْ، وَعَلَيْهِ حُمِلَ مَا دَلَّ مِنْ الْأَخْبَارِ عَلَى جَوَازِ السَّفَرِ وَحْدَهَا Otherwise, she may go out with one woman for the obligatory hajj according to the correct view in the commentaries on al-Muhadhdhab and Muslim, and likewise she may travel alone if she feels safe. Upon this basis, the reports that indicate the permissibility of her travelling alone are understood.
Hanbali: Kashshaf al-Qina by al-Buhuti (2/394) وَ (لَا) يُعْتَبَرُ الْمَحْرَمُ إذَا خَرَجَتْ (فِي أَطْرَافِ الْبَلَدِ مَعَ عَدَمِ الْخَوْف) عَلَيْهَا؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِسَفَرٍ A mahram is not required if she goes out to the outskirts of the town when there is no fear for her, because this is not considered travel.
Third Matter:
Some of the fuqaha permitted a woman to travel without a mahram in cases of necessity or obligation. They held that every journey which becomes wajib for her is allowed even if no mahram is present. Among these is if a woman accepts Islam in enemy lands, she must migrate to the land of Islam even without a mahram, out of fear for her religion and safety. Likewise if she is a captive who escapes.
They also extended this principle to similar necessities, such as travelling for urgent medical treatment, travelling if her livelihood depends on it, if she is cut off from her family and needs to reach them, or if she must move from a place of danger to a place of safety.
Hanafi: Al-Binayah Sharh al-Hidayah by al-Ayni (4/150) وقيل: جازت لها الهجرة إلى دار الإسلام بلا محرم، فينبغي أن يجوز الحج. وأجيب: بأن خوفها في القيام في دار الحرب أكثر من خوف الطريق It was said that it is allowed for her to migrate to the land of Islam without a mahram, so it should also be allowed for her to perform hajj. The answer given is that her fear while staying in the land of war is greater than her fear on the road.
Maliki: Al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil by Ibn Rushd (4/28) وحمل مالك رحمه الله قوله عليه السلام: «لا تسافر المرأة مسيرة يوم وليلة إلا مع ذي محرم منها» على السفر المباح والمندوب إليه دون السفر الواجب، بدليل إجماعهم على أن المرأة إذا أسلمت في بلاد الحرب لزمها أن تخرج إلى بلد الإسلام وإن لم يكن معها ذو محرم منها، فأوجب على المرأة الحج وإن لم يكن لها ذو محرم يحج بها خلافا لأهل العراق Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, understood the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, “A woman must not travel a day and night except with a mahram from her” to refer to permissible and recommended travel, not obligatory travel. The proof is the consensus that if a woman accepts Islam in the land of war, she must leave for the land of Islam even if she does not have a mahram with her. In the same way, he made hajj obligatory on a woman even if she has no mahram to accompany her, in opposition to the people of Iraq.
Shafiʿi: Asna al-Matalib by Zakariyya al-Ansari (1/448) لِأَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ إذَا كَانَتْ بِبَلَدٍ لَا قَاضِيَ بِهِ، وَادُّعِيَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَيَّامٍ لَزِمَهَا الْحُضُورُ مَعَ غَيْرِ مَحْرَمٍ إذَا كَانَ مَعَهَا امْرَأَةٌ، وَيَلْزَمُهَا أَيْضًا الْهِجْرَةُ مِنْ دَارِ الْحَرْبِ إِلَى دَارِ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ وَحْدَهَا؛ لِأَنَّ خَوْفَهَا ثَمَّ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ خَوْفِ الطَّرِيقِ If a woman is in a town with no judge in it, and a claim is made against her from a distance of several days, she must attend without a mahram if another woman is with her. She is also required to migrate from the land of war to the land of Islam even if she is alone, because her fear in that land is greater than her fear on the road.
Hanbali: Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama (3/98)
قال: «وحكم المرأة إذا كان لها محرم كحكم الرجل»
He said: “The ruling of a woman when she has a mahram is like the ruling of a man.”
ظاهر هذا أن الحج لا يجب على المرأة التي لا محرم لها، لأنه جعلها بالمحرم كالرجل في وجوب الحج، فمن لا محرم لها لا تكون كالرجل، فلا يجب عليها الحج. وقد نص عليه أحمد. فقال أبو داود: قلت لأحمد: امرأة موسرة، لم يكن لها محرم، هل يجب عليها الحج؟ قال: لا.
The apparent meaning of this is that hajj is not obligatory upon a woman who does not have a mahram, because he made her with the presence of a mahram like a man regarding the obligation of hajj. So the one who has no mahram is not like a man, and hajj is not obligatory upon her. Imam Ahmad (d. 241 AH) explicitly stated this. Abu Dawud said: I asked Ahmad, “A wealthy woman who has no mahram, is hajj obligatory upon her?” He said: “No.”
وقال أيضا: «المحرم من السبيل». وهذا قول الحسن البصري، والنخعي، وإسحاق بن راهويه، وابن المنذر، وأصحاب الرأي.
And he also said: “The mahram is part of the means.” This is also the view of al-Hasan al-Basri (d. 110 AH), Ibrahim al-Nakha’i (d. 96 AH), Ishaq ibn Rahawayh (d. 238 AH), Ibn al-Mundhir (d. 318 AH), and the scholars of opinion.
وقال ابن سيرين، ومالك، والأوزاعي، والشافعي: ليس المحرم شرطا في حجها بحال.
Ibn Sirin (d. 110 AH), Malik (d. 179 AH), al-Awza’i (d. 157 AH), and al-Shafi’i (d. 204 AH) said: A mahram is not a condition for her hajj in any case.
قال ابن سيرين: «تخرج مع رجل من المسلمين لا بأس به».
Ibn Sirin (d. 110 AH) said: “She may travel with a Muslim man who is reliable.”
وقال مالك: «تخرج مع جماعة النساء».
Malik (d. 179 AH) said: “She may travel with a group of women.”
وقال الشافعي: «تخرج مع حرة مسلمة ثقة».
Al-Shafi’i (d. 204 AH) said: “She may travel with a free trustworthy Muslim woman.”
وقال الأوزاعي: «تخرج مع قوم عدول، تتخذ سلما تصعد عليه وتنزل، ولا يقربها رجل، إلا أنه يأخذ رأس البعير، وتضع رجلها على ذراعه».
Al-Awza’i (d. 157 AH) said: “She may travel with upright people. She uses a step to mount and dismount. No man comes near her, except that he holds the head of the camel and she places her foot on his arm.”
قال ابن المنذر: «تركوا القول بظاهر الحديث، واشترط كل واحد منهم شرطا لا حجة معه عليه».
Ibn al-Mundhir (d. 318 AH) said: “They abandoned the apparent meaning of the hadith, and each one of them introduced a condition that has no proof for it.”
ولنا ما روى أبو هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لا يحل لامرأة تؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن تسافر مسيرة يوم إلا ومعها ذو محرم».
Our evidence (Hanbali) is what was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (d. 57 AH), that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a day’s journey except with a mahram.”
وعن ابن عباس قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «لا يخلون رجل بامرأة إلا ومعها ذو محرم، ولا تسافر امرأة إلا ومعها ذو محرم». فقام رجل فقال: يا رسول الله، إني كنت في غزوة كذا، وانطلقت امرأتي حاجة. فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «انطلق فاحجج مع امرأتك». متفق عليهما.
And Ibn Abbas said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: “A man must not be alone with a woman except when she has a mahram with her, and a woman must not travel except with a mahram.” A man stood and said: O Messenger of Allah, I was enrolled in such and such expedition, and my wife has gone out for hajj. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Go and perform hajj with your wife.” Agreed upon.
وروى ابن عمر وأبو سعيد الخدري نحوا من حديث أبي هريرة.
Ibn Umar (d. 73 AH) and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (d. 74 AH) narrated reports similar to that of Abu Hurayrah.
قال أبو عبد الله: أما أبو هريرة فيقول: «يوما وليلة». ويروى عن أبي هريرة: «لا تسافر سفرا» أيضا. وأما حديث أبي سعيد فيقول: «ثلاثة أيام». قلت: ما تقول أنت؟ قال: لا تسافر سفرا قليلا ولا كثيرا، إلا مع ذي محرم.
Abu Abd Allah, meaning Imam Ahmad (d. 241 AH), said: As for Abu Hurayrah, he said: “A day and a night.” It is also narrated from Abu Hurayrah: “She must not travel at all.” And as for the hadith of Abu Sa’id, he said: “Three days.” I asked: What do you say? He said: “She must not travel, whether a little or much, except with a mahram.”
وروى الدارقطني بإسناده عن ابن عباس أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «لا تحجن امرأة إلا ومعها ذو محرم».
And al-Daraqutni narrated with his chain from Ibn Abbas (d. 68 AH) that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “No woman should perform hajj except with a mahram.”
وهذا صريح في الحكم. ولأنها أنشأت سفرا في دار الإسلام فلم يجز بغير محرم، كحج التطوع.
This is explicit in the ruling. And because she is initiating travel within the land of Islam, it is not permitted without a mahram, just like a voluntary hajj.
So her travelling for earning her livelihood when it is necessary is permitted, as is her travelling for treatment, and her moving to a safe land is permitted. A woman travelling from lands of war to safe lands without a mahram is permitted, and in fact obligatory, to preserve herself, her honour, and her religion.
An-Nawawi said: The scholars agreed that she may not travel in other than hajj and umrah except with a mahram, except migration from the land of war, for they agreed that she must migrate to the land of Islam even if she has no mahram. The difference is that remaining in the land of disbelief is forbidden if she cannot practise her religion and fears for her religion and herself, while delaying hajj is not like this. (Sharh al-Nawawi ala Sahih Muslim 9/104, al-Mufhim by Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi 3/450, al-Muhalla by Ibn Hazm 7/49).
Fourth Matter:
The jurists agreed that a woman may travel with her husband or with a mahram, whether the journey is short or long. This was mentioned by Ibn ʿĀbidīn among the Hanafis, by Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr among the Malikis, and by al-Nawawi among the Shafiʿis. They also clarified that this applies to non-obligatory journeys, while in cases of necessity or fear for her religion or life, such as hijrah from the land of disbelief, she may travel even without a mahram, as noted by al-Qurṭubi.
Fifth Matter:
The jurists agreed that it is forbidden for a woman to travel alone to a place where she knows she will be harmed or her honour violated, and she sins by doing that. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d. 974 AH) counted a woman travelling alone on a road where she fears for herself and her honour among the major sins.
al-Zawajir an Iqtiraf al-Kaba’ir by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (1/247) الكبيرة المائة: سفر المرأة وحدها في غير الفرض… إذا سافرت وحدها بحيث تخاف على نفسها وعرضها فهو كبيرة، لما يترتب عليه من الفساد العظيم من استيلاء الفساق عليها، وذلك ذريعة إلى الزنا، والذرائع لها حكم المقاصد The one-hundredth major sin is a woman traveling alone on a non-obligatory journey… If she travels alone in a manner that she fears for herself and her honour, it is a major sin because of the great corruption it may lead to, such as immoral men overpowering her. This also becomes a means to zina, and means take the ruling of their ends.
