AboutHayat Anne Collins Osman Expertise I can answer questions about Islamic belief and practice, accepting Islam, fiqh and fatwa, women`s issues, and marriage and family matters. I will not address questions regarding political issues.
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Question r women allowed to study away from their home as islam says no women can travel without mahram
Answer Asalamu aleykum
The majority of scholars say that a woman should not travel away from home unless a mahrem is with her.
However, there were situations, even at the time of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) when women did travel without a mahrem.
Woman Traveling Without a Chaperone
by Sheikh Sâmî al-Mâjid
Professor at al-Imam University, Riyadh.
The Islamic legal rulings that pertain to the daily affairs of life are always connected to the welfare of the people in their individual lives and in their relationships with each other. Such rulings, therefore, have causes that can be grasped by reason and understood in a clear and precise manner.
These rulings differ from those that pertain to acts of worship, since acts of worship are connected to the benefits of the Hereafter and our direct relationship with Allah. Such matters are generally not discernable to the human intellect. Many great scholars have tried to determine the wisdom behind why we do certain things in prayer and in pilgrimage - and quite often they have failed and said: "This is purely a matter that we must accept on faith. Allah knows best about it."
The ruling that a woman may not travel without her husband or a male escort from her immediate family (a mahram) falls under the first category of rulings. We can appreciate the reason for the prohibition. When we understand that the reason for this prohibition is the fear for her sanctity and honor and the fear that she might be taken advantage of or raped, then we know that the issue is one that needs to be weighed in light of the benefits and harm present in a given situation.
Therefore, we have the opinion in Islamic Law that it is permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram when she is reasonably assured of her safety or when traveling poses no more danger for her than staying at home. The latter situation is often the case in non-Muslim countries where walking down her own street can be more dangerous for her and full of temptation that sitting on board an airplane. The environment of an airplane is quite often safer and more wholesome than that of the neighborhood in which she lives.
From this point of departure, we shall present the evidence and juristic reasoning of the pe! ople of knowledge:
`Adî b. Hâtim relates that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said to him: "O `Adî, have you seen al-Hîrah (a region in Iraq)."
`Adî replied: "I have not seen it, but I have heard of it."
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "If you live long enough, you will see a woman departing by camel in a litter and traveling until she reaches the Ka`bah without fearing anyone but Allah."
`Adî informs us that he thought to himself: "Where are the robbers and bandits who run rampant through the land?" Then `Adî says: "I have seen a woman travel by camel litter from al-Hirâh to the Ka`bah fearing no one but Allah." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]
This hadîth shows us that it is permissible for a woman to travel unescorted if the road is safe. Someone might argue that the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is merely reporting that such a thing would one day take place, not that it is permissible. However, this argument is weak. This sta tement is made in a context of praising Islam and showing its future ascendancy. Therefore, it must be assumed that what is being used to indicate such praise is permissible in and of itself. Moreover, `Adî b. Hâtim saw this woman and did not condemn her action, nor did anyone else.
Al-Bâjî, in al-Muntaqâ, writes: "Perhaps what some of our scholars have said (regarding prohibition) refers only to cases where the woman is alone or with a small group. As for the great caravans and the secure major thoroughfares, they are to me no different than the places of residence that are filled with markets and merchants. In such cases, her safety is secured without the presence of a mahram or female companions. This opinion has been related to us from al-Awzâ`î."
Qâdî `Iyâd, when discussing the prohibition of a woman traveling without a mahram to escort her, says: "This refers only for a young woman. As for an older woman who is less enticing, she can travel anywhere she wants with out her husband or a mahram. Ibn Daqîq al-`! Id: considers this a specification of a general ruling in consideration of the meaning behind it."
The great jurists Mâlik and al`Awzâ'î - and also al-Shâfi`î in his more prevalent opinion - rule that a mahram escort is not a condition for a woman to make her obligatory pilgrimage. The only condition is that she will be safe on the journey. Al-Shâfî'î says: "Safety can be achieved by her being chaperoned by her husband or her mahram, or by the company of other trustworthy women."
Some scholars have said that if it is safe enough, she needs no one to accompany her. She can travel alone along with the caravans and be safe. This is indicated by the hadîth of `Adî that we mentioned earlier.
Permissibility is even more certain when a woman cannot find a mahram and her best interests are to be secured by her traveling. Permissibility is indisputable in cases where travel becomes a necessity for her, on account of the principle in Islamic Law that necessity makes unlawf ul things permissible. This is why the scholars have permitted a woman to travel unescorted to emigrate from a non-Muslim country to a Muslim one. In some situations, they even declare such a journey to be obligatory upon her.
And Allah knows best. And may the peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad.
Allahumma 'allimna ma yanfa 'una, wa anfa 'na bima 'allamtana.
"O Allaah, teach us what is useful & let us benefit from what you have taught us."
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For living alone, the situation is seen differently. However, this fatwa is only about living alone in one's own city where one is known. I could not find a fatwa specific to your question. I suggest you request one at one or more of the sites at the end of this message.
Islam Questions & Answers
www.islam-qa.com
Question Reference Number:: 45917
Title: If it is permissible for a woman to live alone, why can’t she travel without a mahram?
Home > Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings > Acts of Worship > Pilgrimage > Mahram to Travel with Women >
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 when her mahram is not with her. This is well known nowadays when there are so many accidents involving cars and other means of transportation.
Moreover, if a woman travels alone, that exposes her to temptation and men may make approaches, especially when there is a great deal of corruption. Someone may sit near her who does not fear Allaah, and he may tempt her to do something haraam.
If we assume that a woman is travelling alone in her car, she is exposed to other dangers, such as her car breaking down, or evil people ganging up on her, etc.
This makes its clear that Islam is the first of all systems to take care of women, protect their honour, respect them and regard them as precious pearls that must be protected from evil.
We submit to the command of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and we know that it contains complete wisdom and mercy, because Allaah only forbids to His slaves that which is harmful for them.
It is not correct to compare travel to a woman staying alone in a house in her own land, because there are more dangers in the place that a woman travels to. If a woman is in her own town, if anything happens to her or she needs someone to help her, she will find someone to help her. The fear of evil people attacking her is less when she is in her own town and her own house than when she is travelling.
