Performing Hajj with her brother in-law

23-9-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

My sister is planning to go for Hajj this year, Insha Allaah, with her husband. Can I go with them, as I have no other Mahram?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

In principle, a man is not a Mahram of his sister in-law. So, she should not travel with him even if her sister is travelling with them.

The issue of the travelling a woman who wants to perform Hajj and could not find a Mahram is controversial among the Muslim scholars .

The majority of the Muslim scholars are of the opinion that Hajj is not obligatory upon the woman who cannot find a Mahram to accompany her on her obligatory Hajj trip. However, Imaam Shaafi’i, Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah and others believe that it is lawful for the woman who cannot find a Mahram to go to Hajj without a Mahram provided she travels in the company of trustworthy people who would protect her. Based on this opinion, we believe that you may go to Hajj in the company of your sister and her husband provided you are performing your obligatory Hajj, and provided the group with whom you will be traveling is trustworthy.

Allaah Knows best.