Question
Can a woman go to hajj with the husband of her own sister if the sister is also with them.
Answer
The narrative from which it has been derived that a Mehram relation should accompany a woman when she undertakes to perform Hajj is actually related to the traveling of women. I have already explained my understanding of the related narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) in some details in one of my previous responses to a related issue1.
Keeping the explanation given in the referred response in perspective, I am of the opinion that the related narratives are an advise for women against traveling alone to avoid facing the inconveniences of a long journey on their own, on the one hand, and to limit the chances of any hearsay against their reputation, on the other. In other words, in these narratives, Muslim women have been advised to be very careful and prudent in all such matters that entail even the remotest of potentials of spoiling their reputations and of defaming them in any way.
If the above explanation of the related narratives were considered accurate, then it would logically follow that these narratives are, in fact, related to situations where a woman is traveling absolutely alone. If that is not the case and if a woman is actually traveling in a safe and reliable group of close relatives, in which she neither has to face the inconveniences of the journey on her own nor any risk of disrepute and defamation, she may then take up a journey with such a group of friends.
In my opinion, therefore, there is no harm in a woman’s traveling for Hajj in the company of her sister and brother-in-law2. However, because the Saudi Government may refuse to grant a Hajj Visa to women who are traveling without a Mehram (according to their interpretation of the related narratives), I would therefore suggest that you confirm the position with the Saudi Arabian Embassy in your area as well.
August 23, 2000
- Reference is to one of my previous responses to a question titled: ‘Women Living out of Station Without Guardians‘. [↩]
- Or even if only the two sisters undertake the journey. [↩]