If it is permissible for a woman to live alone, why can’t she travel without a mahram?
Question Can women live alone? If they can live alone, why can't they travel alone?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. A woman may live alone subject to the condition that she is trustworthy and is not a woman of dubious character. With regard to a woman travelling without a mahram, it is clearly not allowed, as in the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1729) and Muslim (2391) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel except with a mahram, and no man should enter upon her unless a mahram of hers is present.” A man said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go out with such and such an army and my wife wants to go for Hajj.” He said: “Go out (for Hajj) with her.” This is completely wise, because travel involves hardship and exhaustion, and because of her weakness a woman needs someone to help her and stay by her side. Things may happen to her that may cause her to lose control w...