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Women travelling abroad by themselves

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by DarulUloomTT.net

Q. With regards to women travelling, I am well aware that her Mahram must accompany her if her visit exceeds 24 hours or 3 days according to various ahadith.

My question however, if a girl marries a man who lives abroad and migrates with him to his homeland, how would she go about visiting her family back in Trinidad?

For example, if she on her own has the means to go back and forth 2-3 times for the year, and it would not be practical for her Mahram to do the same, could he then take her to the airport and make sure she goes on the plane, and upon her arrival her Mahram in Trinidad would be there waiting to receive her?


A. The traditions of the Prophet (SAS) are very clear and explicit on this issue. The Prophet (SAS) has strictly prohibited a woman from undertaking a journey (which makes one a traveler in the Shariah) except that she has her husband or Mahram with her.

In the case you have mentioned, it will be required for the husband or Mahram to accompany the woman on the entire journey. Simply dropping her at the airport is not sufficient. In fact, going to the airport is such a short travel that a woman may be able to do it without having the need of a Mahram.

It is the long distance covered on the plane that makes her a Musafir (traveller), and in which there is the necessity for a Mahram or the husband to accompany the woman.

The Prophet (SAS) has emphatically stated, ‘No woman must undertake a journey except that with her, is her Mahram.’ (Sahih Al Bukhari)

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Waseem Khan

This answer was collected from DarulUloomTT.net, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Waseem Khan from Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago.

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