Brief
Is it permissible for my brother, who is not Muslim, to be my mahram for the purpose of travel? I have embraced Islam but all my siblings are non-Muslims.
Praise be to Allah
The Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade women to travel without a mahram. He said: “No woman should travel unless she has a mahram with her, and no man should enter upon her unless she has a mahram with her.” A man said: O Messenger of Allah, I want to go out with such-and-such a campaign, and my wife wants to go for Hajj. He said: “Go for Hajj with her.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1862) and Muslim (1341).
Who is a woman’s mahram?
A woman’s mahrams, with whom it is permissible for her to travel, are: her husband, or anyone who is permanently forbidden to marry her due to ties of blood or some other valid reason.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Her mahram is her husband, i.e., the one who has done a valid marriage contract with her, even if no intercourse has taken place and he has not been alone with her.
The words “or anyone who is permanently forbidden to marry her” exclude anyone for whom she is temporarily prohibited, such as a woman who is in ihram for Hajj or ‘umrah.
“due to ties of blood” means due to kinship
“or some other valid reason”. Valid reasons may be divided into two categories:
1. Breastfeeding
2. Ties through marriage
With regard to ties through blood or kinship, the mahrams in this category are: the father, son, brother, paternal uncle, brother’s son, sister’s son, and maternal uncle. These seven are mahrams due to ties of blood, and it is permanently forbidden for them to marry the woman.
Mahrams through breastfeeding are the same as the mahrams through blood ties. Those who are a woman’s mahrams through breastfeeding are: her father through breastfeeding, her son through breastfeeding, her brother through breastfeeding, her paternal uncle through breastfeeding, her maternal uncle through breastfeeding, the son of her brother through breastfeeding, and the son of her sister through breastfeeding. So there are seven through breastfeeding and seven through ties of blood. That is fourteen.
Mahrams through ties through marriage are four: the father of the woman’s husband, the son of the woman’s husband, the husband of the woman’s mother, and the husband of the woman’s daughter. They are the ascendants of her husband, namely his father and grandfathers, and his descendants, namely his sons and the sons of his sons and daughters, no matter how far the line of descent reaches. These mahrams also include the husband of her mother and the husband of her daughter. But there are three who become mahrams as soon as the marriage contract is done, namely the father of the woman’s husband, the son of the woman’s husband and the husband of the woman’s daughter. As for the husband of her mother, he does not become a mahram unless he has consummated the marriage with her mother.
End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘ (7/37-38)
For more information, please see fatwa no. 5538
If this mahram – such as her father or brother – is a disbeliever, can she travel with him and be alone with him when she is a Muslim?
There are two scenarios:
The first scenario is when this mahram who is a disbeliever has dubious morals or follows some evil ideas or religion that permits intimacy with mahrams. In that case, it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to travel with him or be alone with him, because the fear of fitnah from him is like the fear of a stranger, or even worse.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not appropriate for there to be any difference of opinion concerning a Magian, because he is not to be trusted with her and he thinks that she is permissible for him.
End quote from al-Mughni (5/34)
We may add to the category of the Magian anyone who follows a similar evil path of believing that it is permissible to be intimate with mahrams.
The second scenario is when he is trustworthy. Most of the scholars were of the view – and this is the correct view – that he is a mahram for her with regard to travel, so she may travel with him, because he is to be trusted with her in this case.
The Hanbalis disagreed concerning that and were of the view that the disbeliever cannot be a mahram for a Muslim woman. See: al-Mughni (5/34).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) favoured the view of the majority of scholars and said:
If he is of a different religion, as in the case of a disbelieving man and a Muslim woman, then he may be a mahram to a Muslim woman, on condition that he can be trusted with her. If he cannot be trusted with her, then he cannot be a mahram and she cannot be allowed to travel with him. End quote.
Ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘ (7/41)
Conclusion: your brother may be your mahram for the purpose of travel if he is trustworthy.
We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to guide him.
And Allah knows best.
I simply desired to appreciate you once again. I am not sure the things that I would have taken care of in the absence of these secrets shown by you about such industry. Entirely was a real daunting circumstance for me personally, but taking a look at this well-written technique you solved it forced me to weep over contentment. I am just happy for your service and thus have high hopes you recognize what a great job that you’re carrying out teaching many others via your blog post. Most probably you haven’t encountered any of us.
I would like to express some appreciation to the writer for bailing me out of this particular incident. As a result of looking throughout the the web and seeing proposals which are not helpful, I believed my entire life was well over. Living minus the strategies to the problems you have fixed as a result of your blog post is a serious case, as well as the ones that could have in a negative way damaged my entire career if I hadn’t discovered the website. The capability and kindness in maneuvering every item was excellent. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I had not come upon such a stuff like this. It’s possible to at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks a lot so much for this specialized and result oriented help. I won’t be reluctant to endorse your blog post to anyone who will need recommendations on this situation.
Thank you so much for providing individuals with remarkably brilliant possiblity to read in detail from this website. It is often so fantastic and packed with a good time for me and my office co-workers to visit your site nearly three times per week to find out the newest tips you have. Of course, we are actually fascinated for the powerful tips and hints you give. Some 2 ideas in this posting are undeniably the most effective I have ever had.
I happen to be writing to make you be aware of what a brilliant experience my child gained going through your web site. She came to find some details, which include what it’s like to possess an incredible teaching nature to let the mediocre ones smoothly know just exactly a number of multifaceted subject areas. You truly did more than our expectations. Thanks for churning out these warm and friendly, dependable, revealing as well as easy thoughts on the topic to Tanya.
I simply wanted to thank you so much once more. I do not know what I would’ve gone through without the type of opinions shown by you relating to such situation. It was before an absolute daunting issue for me, but being able to see a new specialized tactic you treated it made me to cry over happiness. I will be grateful for this service and hope that you find out what a great job you are always doing instructing people today via your site. I am sure you have never encountered all of us.
I precisely had to appreciate you yet again. I am not sure the things I would’ve achieved in the absence of these creative concepts revealed by you directly on that industry. It absolutely was an absolute frightful case in my circumstances, but noticing this well-written fashion you solved that made me to weep for gladness. Now i am thankful for the information and then believe you really know what a powerful job that you’re accomplishing instructing others with the aid of your web page. Most probably you haven’t met any of us.
I am writing to make you know what a impressive encounter my wife’s girl gained using your web site. She picked up such a lot of things, not to mention how it is like to possess an awesome teaching spirit to have other folks very easily fully grasp a variety of advanced matters. You undoubtedly exceeded my desires. I appreciate you for delivering such great, trusted, revealing and cool tips about your topic to Gloria.
My wife and i got now fortunate when Edward could finish up his investigation with the precious recommendations he was given through your weblog. It’s not at all simplistic to simply find yourself releasing tips and tricks that people could have been making money from. So we consider we now have you to be grateful to because of that. The main explanations you’ve made, the easy blog menu, the relationships your site assist to foster – it’s got everything astonishing, and it’s assisting our son and our family believe that this matter is amusing, which is extremely vital. Thank you for the whole thing!
I’m just writing to make you know of the fabulous experience our girl had going through yuor web blog. She learned some issues, including how it is like to possess a marvelous coaching style to let men and women with ease gain knowledge of specified very confusing things. You truly exceeded readers’ expected results. I appreciate you for distributing such informative, safe, edifying and also fun thoughts on that topic to Jane.
My wife and i were very relieved when John could complete his survey from the precious recommendations he had when using the web page. It is now and again perplexing to just continually be giving for free instructions which often many people may have been selling. We do know we have the writer to give thanks to for that. The entire illustrations you have made, the simple website navigation, the relationships you will help engender – it’s most astounding, and it’s facilitating our son and our family do think the matter is interesting, which is exceedingly indispensable. Many thanks for the whole lot!
Nice post. I study one thing more challenging on totally different blogs everyday. It’s going to all the time be stimulating to learn content material from different writers and follow slightly something from their store. I抎 favor to make use of some with the content material on my blog whether or not you don抰 mind. Natually I抣l offer you a hyperlink on your internet blog. Thanks for sharing.
It is best to take part in a contest for among the finest blogs on the web. I will suggest this website!
This website online is mostly a stroll-by way of for all of the data you needed about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse right here, and you抣l positively discover it.
There are some fascinating time limits on this article but I don抰 know if I see all of them center to heart. There may be some validity however I’ll take maintain opinion till I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we would like extra! Added to FeedBurner as effectively
Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thanks Nevertheless I’m experiencing concern with ur rss . Don抰 know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting equivalent rss downside? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx
Spot on with this write-up, I actually assume this website wants far more consideration. I抣l most likely be once more to learn rather more, thanks for that info.
I found your weblog web site on google and examine a couple of of your early posts. Proceed to keep up the excellent operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN Information Reader. In search of forward to studying extra from you later on!?