Muslimah

Question I am a woman who works as a student supervisor in one of the schools. The nature of my work is such that I go on trips to schools outside the city in which I work, where I go with some other women who work there, accompanied by a driver but without a mahram. What is the ruling on that, and what is the ruling on the salary I take? – knowing that my personal circumstances and my work circumstances do not allow me to have a mahram with me. Answer Praise be to Allaah. If there is another woman or two women with you, or more, and the driver is trustworthy, there is nothing wrong with you riding with these women without a mahram, so long as this does not constitute travelling, because travelling is not permitted without a mahram, even if there are other women with you. Concerning the trips outside the city, if the places are nearby and you come back the same day, this is not travelling and you do not need a mahram.

Question Is a woman counted as a mahram for a non-related woman when travelling and in other cases, or not? Answer Praise be to Allaah. A woman cannot be a mahram for anyone else. The mahram is a man who is forbidden for marriage to the woman because of blood ties, such as her father or brother; or a mahram through marriage, such as her husband, husband’s father or husband’s son; or a father or son through ridaa’ (breastfeeding, i.e., the father or son of the woman who breastfed her), and so on. It is not permissible for a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman or to travel with her, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel except with a mahram” (saheeh, agreed upon). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man is alone with a woman, but the third one present with them is the Shaytaan” (narrated by Imaam Ahmad and others, from the hadeeth of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) with a saheeh isna...

Question I am a woman living in a non-Muslim country because of my husband’s work. I want to bring a servant from another country to help me in the house. Is it permissible for me to bring her without a mahram?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Bringing a servant without a mahram is an act of disobedience towards the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because it was narrated in a saheeh report that he said: “No woman should travel without a mahram.” And because bringing her without a mahram may be a cause of her being a source of fitnah (temptation) and exposing her to fitnah herself. That which may cause fitnah is forbidden, because that which may lead to something haraam is also haraam. With regard to the fact that some people take this matter lightly, this is a calamity, and their saying that this is necessary does not count as proof, because even if we assume that it is necessary to bring servants, it is not necessary to bring them without mahr...

Question I want to ask to what degree the husband’s duties towards his wife’s family extend. My question is because I am suffering a serious problem with my husband, because he treated my mother very badly when she came to visit us (because of an argument that took place between my mother-in-law and my mother); in the end my husband virtually threw my mother out. As a result of that, I had to leave the house with my mother, against my husband’s wishes as he wanted me to stay with him. Please note that I used to live in another country and I traveled with my mother to our country. My husband treats me very well, but I got angry when he treated her in this manner. He regretted it the next day, but she will not forgive him. Is what I did correct, or did I fail to obey my husband as enjoined by Allaah, may He be exalted and glorified?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The husband should uphold ties with his wife’s family and treat them well. This is part of treating his wi...

Question My question is that is Mahram subject to age? I. E. after a certain age (say 0 to 9,10 or 70s and 80s ect) is conditions of mahram applicable? What is the ruling on Mahram when Janazas are concern? (I.e. visiting a Janaza ect)Is same conditions applicable? Please explain? Answer Praise be to Allaah. This question covers three topics: 1 – The age at which a person is considered to be a valid mahram for a woman: It was said that with regard to the mahram with whom a woman may travel, he should be a Muslim, male, an adult and of sound mind, and someone whom a woman is permanently forbidden to marry, such as her father, brother, paternal uncle, brother through breast-feeding (radaa’ah), father-in-law, etc. 2- With regard to being alone with a non-mahram woman (khulwah) (inside the city, i.e., not traveling), this is avoided by the presence of an adult mahram or an adult in front of whom they feel shy. The presence of a young child is not sufficient. Khulwah may al...

Question I know that a woman is not permitted to travel without a mahram with her. I would like to know what is meant by (traveling) exactly. Where should we start measuring the distance, from the beginning (a place in the desert), or from where? My father has a farm on Misr-Ismailia way, and he likes us to visit him every so often, this farm is about 75 minutes maximum from home. Is this considered traveling? Considering that there are many new cities, schools, companies, and farms along the way. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The saheeh Sunnah indicates that it is not permissible for a woman to travel except with a mahram. This travelling is not defined by a specific distance, as is the case with shortening the prayers or breaking the fast, rather everything that is called travelling, whether it is long or short, is not permitted for a woman unless she has a mahram with her. Al-Bukhaari (1729) and Muslim (2391) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) sa...

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...

Question I am in XXX since 3 years and have not been to Pakistan since then.I have two kids and my parents have not met them. They really miss my kids a lot.My husband is a doctor too and he can't get a leaf from his job.I want to know that in this condition can I travel without a mehram? It is just for the sake of making my parents happy. Answer Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram, whether she is travelling to do an act of worship such as Hajj or visiting her parents in order to honour them and be kind to them, or travelling for permissible purposes such as going on vacation etc. The evidence for that is as follows: 1 – The general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “No woman should travel unless she has a mahram with her, and no man should enter upon her unless her mahram is present.”  A man stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, my wife has gone out for Hajj, and I want t...

Question I want to go fo Umah but as i cant go without Meam, i'm stuck & sad, my husband is vey much busy with his wok cant leave the site fo8-10 days , kindly guide me how can i p fom umah & please pay fo my family & husband. Answer Praise be to Allaah. A woman who does not have a mahram to travel with does not have to go for Hajj or ‘Umrah, and she is excused if she does not go. It is haraam for her to travel for Hajj or for any other reason without a mahram, and she has to be patient until Allaah makes it easy for one of her mahrams to travel with her. The ways of goodness are many. If a Muslim cannot do one act of worship, he may strive hard in those acts of worship that he can do, until Allaah makes it easy for him to do the acts of worship that he could not do. By the bounty of Allaah towards His believing slaves, if a person resolves to do an act of worship but he is unable to do it because of some excuse, he will be granted the reward of one who d...

Question What is the ruling on a wife’s maternal uncle visiting her when she is alone during the time her husband is working? This situation has come up more than once. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The maternal uncle is a mahram for all the daughters and granddaughters of his sisters, because Allaah says in Soorat al-Nisa’, defining women who are forbidden in marriage: “Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters” [al-Nisa’ 4:23] So there is nothing wrong with his visiting his sister’s daughter and being alone with her or travelling with her, so long as there are no reasons for suspicion, such as if he is an evildoer and cannot be trusted with his sister’s daughter. If there are any grounds for suspicion, then he is not allowed to be alone with or visit her when her husband is not present. Some of the salaf – such as ‘Ikrimah and al-Sh...

Question What is the definition of the ‘awrah between a woman and her brother? What is the ‘awrah between a girl and her mother or sister?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The ‘awrah of a woman in front of her mahrams such as her father, brother and nephew is her entire body except that which usually appears such as the face, hair, neck, forearms and feet. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women” [al-Noor 24:31]. So Allaah has permitted a ...

Question what people can a muslimah take her hijab off from? Answer Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible for a woman to take off her hijaab in front of her mahrams. A woman’s mahram is a person whom she is never permitted to marry because of their close blood relationship (such as her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc., and her son, grandson, great-grandson, etc., her paternal and maternal uncles, her brother, brother’s son and sister’s son), or because because of radaa’ah or breastfeeding (such as the brother and husband of the woman who breastfed her), or because they are related by marriage (such as the mother’s husband, the husband’s father, grandfather, etc., and the husband’s son, grandson, etc.). More details on this subject are given below: Mahrams by ties of blood These are the ones mentioned in Soorat al-Noor, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or t...

Question What is your opinion of what many women do nowadays, whereby they wear very short clothes when they are with other women and there are no men present? Some of these clothes show a large part of the back and stomach, or they wear these short clothes (like shorts) in front of their children at home?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas issued a statement on this matter, which reads as follows: Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions. The believing women at the beginning of Islam were extremely pure, chaste, and modest, which was the blessing of belief in Allaah and His Messenger and following the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Women at that time used to wear concealing garments, and it is not known that they used to uncover themselves when they met one another or when they met their mahrams. The women of this ummah followed...

Question I was wondering is it permissible for me to mix, sit with and take off my hijab in front of my father-in-law who is kaafir? and how about my mother-in-law can i take my hijab off in front of her? can u also advice me how i should treat them?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly:  There is nothing wrong with a Muslim woman mixing with her mahrams, including kaafirs who are forbidden to her in marriage (because of close ties of blood or marriage, such as the father-in-law), if there is no danger of fitnah from them. The same applies to kaafir women among her relatives or others whom she has to mix with for some reason, such as her husband’s mother. The Muslim woman should call them to Islam in ways that are better, by showing the best attitudes promoted in Islam, such as speaking and acting kindly, whilst adhering to Islamic rulings such as not being the first to greet them and not feeling love towards them in the heart. With regard to the way she should dres...