Hadith used to prove that travelling without a Mahram is permitted
Question:-
It has been narrated by ‘Adiy Ibn Hatim Radiallahu Anhu that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “And if you live a long life, you will surely see women travelling from Hira until they circumambulate the Ka’bah, fearing no one except Allah.” (Bukhari and others). Imam Ahmed’s report of the Hadith includes, “By He in whose hands is my soul, verily Allah will bring this matter [Islam] to completion until women travel from Hira and circumambulate the Ka’bah without being accompanied by anyone.”
From this hadith, some scholars have derived the permissibility of a woman travelling alone if her safety is guaranteed.
Is it correct?
If not, then kindly explain in detail for the benefit of the Ummah.
Answer:-
The narration in question is used as a proof by Imaam Shafi Rahimahullah where he permits females to travel for Hajj without a Mahram, as long as she is accompanied by other reliable females. The Ahnaaf do not accept this narration as a proof to permit females to travel without a Mahram, as there are several other narrations that prohibit a female from travelling alone without a Mahram which we have quoted below:
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the last day to undertake a journey of three days (which is estimated to be 77 kilometres) or more, except that her father, her son, her husband, her brother or a Mahram is with her.” [Muslim / Abu Dawud]
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “A woman should not undertake a journey of three days (which is estimated to be 77 kilometres) except that her Mahram is with her. [Muslim]
Some narrations state that she shouldn’t undertake a journey of two days which is approximately 51 kilometres, whilst other narrations state that she shouldn’t undertake a journey of even one day on her own, which is 25.6 kilometres. (The narrations are quoted below). In these times of mischief and unrest, it is necessary for a Mahram to be with a female, even on a two or one day journey. In times of peace and order, it is permissible to travel a journey less than three days without a Mahram, whereas a journey more than three days without a Mahram is Haraam. Due to peace and unrest in times, Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned different times (distances.) [Re:- The Hajj of a woman without a Mahram Pg.39 /40]
Maulana Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani Rahimahullah states, “For this reason Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah and Imaam Abu Yusuf Rahimahullah have made it Makrooh for a woman to travel for one-day without a Mahram or husband, and the Hanafi Ulama have deemed it appropriate to pass the Fatwa (judicial verdict) accordingly, in these times of tribulations. [Re:- I’laaus Sunan Pg.9 Vol.10] He states in another place, “Due to the troubled times, it is appropriate to pass Fatwa on this.
Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu narrates that he heard Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying, “No man should be alone with a woman except that her Mahram is with her, and a woman should not undertake a journey except with a Mahram. A man stood up and said, “My wife has come out intending Hajj and I have written (my name to participate) in a certain battle. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Depart and perform Hajj with your wife.” [Muslim /Bukhari]
These narrations clearly indicate that travelling alone without a Mahram is not permissible in Shariah, irrespective of whether it is for religious reasons such as Hajj and Umrah, or otherwise. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam commanded the Sahaabi (in the narration quoted above) to perform Hajj with his wife and didn’t permit her to perform Hajj on her own, even though she may have been living in the Arabian peninsula and in the best of eras which was void of Fitnah due to the presence of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The Fuqaha (jurists) have written that by travelling alone there is a great fear of Fitnah. If this was the condition in the previous times, we can then imagine the chaos that will be caused in our time if females are permitted to travel without their Mahaarim. A major portion of the Ummah still revere and respect the lands of Makkah Sharif and Madinah Sharif. However, when lust overpowers a person and one is unable to think correctly, then the respect and honour of these places will be destroyed. Perhaps this is exactly what the enemies are now trying to achieve by permitting females to travel for pilgrimage without their Mahram. Why the sudden change when females were not previously permitted to travel without a Mahram to the blessed lands?!
The jurists further write that if females are travelling together (alone), then the fear of Fitnah is even greater although other females are accompanying them. Also, women are not able to carry heavy luggage, arrange transport on their own, travel to the airports etc. The assistance of males will always be required. The moment a man assists her, she engages in conversation with him, expresses her appreciation by tipping him in some way or another, and expresses kindness, then the door of Fitnah opens. We are living in an era where men look for opportunities to strike up a conversation with a single or lonely female. These are matters that need no elaboration as the disastrous consequences are well known to us all. In conclusion, the Hanafi jurists after taking all these matters into consideration have prohibited women from travelling without a Mahram.
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ أَخْبَرَنَا النَّضْرُ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ أَخْبَرَنَا سَعْدٌ الطَّائِيُّ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحِلُّ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ قَالَ: «بَيْنَا أَنَا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- إِذْ أَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ الْفَاقَةَ، ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ آخَرُ فَشَكَا قَطْعَ السَّبِيلِ، فَقَالَ: يَا عَدِيُّ، هَلْ رَأَيْتَ الْحِيرَةَ؟ قُلْتُ: لَمْ أَرَهَا، وَقَدْ أُنْبِئْتُ عَنْهَا. قَالَ: فَإِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتَرَيَنَّ الظَّعِينَةَ تَرْتَحِلُ مِنَ الْحِيرَةِ حَتَّى تَطُوفَ بِالْكَعْبَةِ لاَ تَخَافُ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ -قُلْتُ: فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِي فَأَيْنَ دُعَّارُ طَيِّئٍ الَّذِينَ قَدْ سَعَّرُوا الْبِلاَدَ؟ – وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتُفْتَحَنَّ كُنُوزُ كِسْرَى. قُلْتُ: كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ؟ قَالَ: كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ. وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتَرَيَنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُخْرِجُ مِلْءَ كَفِّهِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ يَطْلُبُ مَنْ يَقْبَلُهُ مِنْهُ فَلاَ يَجِدُ أَحَدًا يَقْبَلُهُ مِنْهُ. وَلَيَلْقَيَنَّ اللَّهَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ يَلْقَاهُ وَلَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ تُرْجُمَانٌ يُتَرْجِمُ لَهُ، فَيَقُولَنَّ: أَلَمْ أَبْعَثْ إِلَيْكَ رَسُولاً فَيُبَلِّغَكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى. فَيَقُولُ: أَلَمْ أُعْطِكَ مَالاً وَأُفْضِلْ عَلَيْكَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى. فَيَنْظُرُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَلاَ يَرَى إِلاَّ جَهَنَّمَ، وَيَنْظُرُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَلاَ يَرَى إِلاَّ جَهَنَّمَ. قَالَ عَدِيٌّ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- يَقُولُ: اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ شقٌّ تَمْرَةٍ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ. قَالَ عَدِيٌّ: فَرَأَيْتُ الظَّعِينَةَ تَرْتَحِلُ مِنَ الْحِيرَةِ حَتَّى تَطُوفَ بِالْكَعْبَةِ لاَ تَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ، وَكُنْتُ فِيمَنِ افْتَتَحَ كُنُوزَ كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكُمْ حَيَاةٌ لَتَرَوُنَّ مَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ-: يُخْرِجُ مِلْءَ كَفِّهِ».(فيض الباري ص445 ج4)
وَأَمَّا اشْتِرَاطُ الزَّوْجِ أَوْ الْمَحْرَمِ لِلْمَرْأَةِ فِي السَّفَرِ، وَهُوَ مَسِيرَةُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَصَاعِدًا فَلِقَوْلِهِ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «لَا يَحِلُّ لِامْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخَرِ أَنْ تُسَافِرَ سَفَرًا يَكُونُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَصَاعِدًا إلَّا وَمَعَهَا أَبُوهَا أَوْ ابْنُهَا أَوْ زَوْجُهَا أَوْ أَخُوهَا أَوْ مَحْرَمٌ مِنْهَا» رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَقَالَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «لَا تُسَافِرْ الْمَرْأَةُ ثَلَاثًا إلَّا وَمَعَهَا ذُو مَحْرَمٍ» رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – يَجُوزُ لَهَا الْحَجُّ إذَا خَرَجَتْ فِي رِفْقَةٍ وَمَعَهَا نِسَاءٌ ثِقَاتٌ لِلْعُمُومَاتِ نَحْوَ قَوْله تَعَالَى {وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ} [آل عمران: 97] الْآيَةَ وَقَوْلُهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «حُجُّوا بَيْتَ رَبِّكُمْ» وَلِحَدِيثِ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ أَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – قَالَ: «يُوشِكُ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ الظَّعِينَةُ مِنْ الْحِيرَةِ تَؤُمُّ الْبَيْتَ لَا جِوَارَ مَعَهَا لَا تَخَافُ إلَّا اللَّهَ تَعَالَى» وَقَالَ عَدِيٌّ: رَأَيْت الظَّعِينَةَ تَرْتَحِلُ مِنْ الْحِيرَةِ حَتَّى تَطُوفَ بِالْكَعْبَةِ لَا تَخَافُ إلَّا اللَّهَ تَعَالَى رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ لَهَا زَوْجًا وَلَا مَحْرَمًا؛ وَلِأَنَّهُ سَفَرٌ وَاجِبٌ فَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ لَهَا الْمَحْرَمُ فِيهِ كَالْمُهَاجِرَةِ وَالْمَأْسُورَةِ إذَا تَخَلَّصَتْ مِنْ أَيْدِي الْكُفَّارِ وَلَنَا مَا رَوَيْنَا وَقَوْلُهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «لَا تُسَافِرْ امْرَأَةٌ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ تَحُجَّ إلَّا وَمَعَهَا زَوْجُهَا» ذَكَرَهُ فِي الْإِمَامِ وَعَزَاهُ إلَى الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – يَقُولُ «لَا يَخْلُوَنَّ رَجُلٌ بِامْرَأَةٍ إلَّا وَمَعَهَا ذُو مَحْرَمٍ وَلَا تُسَافِرْ الْمَرْأَةُ إلَّا مَعَ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ، إنَّ امْرَأَتِي خَرَجَتْ حَاجَّةً وَإِنِّي اكْتَتَبْت فِي غَزْوَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – انْطَلِقْ فَحُجَّ مَعَ امْرَأَتِك» رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَالْبُخَارِيُّ؛ وَلِأَنَّهَا يُخَافُ عَلَيْهَا الْفِتْنَةُ وَتَزْدَادُ بِانْضِمَامِ غَيْرِهَا إلَيْهَا وَلِهَذَا تَحْرُمُ الْخَلْوَةُ بِالْأَجْنَبِيَّةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَعَهَا غَيْرُهَا مِنْ النِّسَاءِ؛ وَلِأَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ لَا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى الرُّكُوبِ وَالنُّزُولِ وَحْدَهَا عَادَةً فَتَحْتَاجُ إلَى مَنْ يُرْكِبُهَا وَيُنْزِلُهَا مِنْ الْمَحَارِمِ أَوْ الزَّوْجِ فَعِنْدَ عَدَمِهِمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مُسْتَطِيعَةً وَالنُّصُوصُ (تبيين الحقائق ص5 ج2)
(ولنا) ما روي عن ابن عباس – رضي الله عنه – عن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أنه قال: ألا «لا تحجن امرأة إلا ومعها محرم» ، وعن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أنه قال: «لا تسافر امرأة ثلاثة أيام إلا ومعها محرم أو زوج» ولأنها إذا لم يكن معها زوج، ولا محرم لا يؤمن عليها إذ النساء لحم على وضم إلا ما ذب عنه، ولهذا لا يجوز لها الخروج وحده (بدائع الصنائع ص123 ج2)
وَكَذَلِكَ الْمُسَافِرَةُ لِقَوْلِهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «: لَا تُسَافِرُ الْمَرْأَةُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيهَا إلَّا وَمَعَهَا زَوْجُهَا أَوْ ذُو رَحِمٍ مَحْرَمٍ مِنْهَا» فَدَلَّ أَنَّهُ لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تُسَافِرَ مَعَ الْمَحْرَمِ (المبسوط للسرخسي ص150 ج10)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ المَلِكِ، سَمِعْتُ قَزَعَةَ -مَوْلَى زِيَادٍ -قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الخُدْرِيَّ – رضي الله عنه – يُحَدِّثُ بِأَرْبَعٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم -، فَأَعْجَبْنَنِي وَانَقْنَنِي، قَالَ: “لاَ تُسَافِرِ المَرْأَةُ يَوْمَيْنِ إِلاَّ مَعَهَا زَوْجُهَا أَوْ ذُو مَحْرَمٍ. وَلاَ صَوْمَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ: الفِطْرِ وَالأَضْحَى، وَلاَ صَلاَةَ بَعْدَ صَلاَتَيْنِ: بَعْدَ الصُّبْحِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ، وَبَعْدَ العَصْرِ حَتَّى تَغْرُبَ، وَلاَ تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ: مَسْجِدِ الحَرَامِ، وَمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى، وَمَسْجِدِي”. (انظر: 586 – مسلم: 827 – فتح: 3/ 70)
عنْ أبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِي الله تَعَالَى عَنْهُمَا قَالَ قَالَ النبيُّ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِالله واليَوْمِ الآخِرِ أنْ تسَافِرَ مَسِيرَةَ يَومٍ ولَيْلَةٍ لَيْسَ مَعَهَا حُرْمَةٌ. (عمدة القاري ص129 ج7)
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 21 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1444 / 18 October 2022