Source: http://qa.muftisays.com/?11233
Question ID: #11233
 
Question: Traveling without mahrams
As salamu Alaykum,

I’m a female medical student in KSA and everyone is urging us to do research and go to clinics in the US or Canada etc for research abroad to get more experience and that it is the only way we can match for residency in our future in good places. We would travel as a group of girls, but I read that traveling without a mahram is prohibited, so I’m not sure what to do in this case.
Unfortunately we need to do these international research experiences (we must decide this week) and even for residency after 2 years, we’ll also have to end up traveling as there are no residency programs in KSA except for Saudi students, and all these things are vital for us to become capable and knowledgeable future physicians.
I can’t travel with a mahram as I do not have a brother or anyone available to accompany me except girls.
So what is the Islamic ruling on what to do in this case?

Thank you.
 
 
Answered by: Ulamaa ID 04 (London)
Date: 11/12/2024 09:33am

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامداومصليا

According to the Hanafi opinion, It will not be permissible for a woman to travel alone for more than 48 miles. A Mahram must accompany her. If there are no Mahram to accompany her then even with a group of women it will still not be permissible.

ما رواه البخاري (1729) ومسلم (2391) عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ : قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( لا تُسَافِرْ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ ، وَلا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا رَجُلٌ إِلا وَمَعَهَا مَحْرَمٌ .

Ibn ‘Abbaas (رضي الله تعالي عنهما) who said: The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “No woman should travel except with a Mahram, and no man should enter upon her unless a Mahram of hers is present.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

And Allah knows best

08 Jumadal Thaniya 1446/ 10 December 2024
Mufti Qamruzzaman

London, UK
 
www.MuftiSays.com