Fatwaa ID: 430

Question:
Assalaamalaikum wrwb
Since Saudi is now allowing only females, without mehram, to do umrah;
1) is it permissible for women to travel by themselves to do the same?
2) Is it permissible if the women without mehram travelled with a Umrah group/ troupe with a travel agency ? That way they are with the group all through the journey to and from their home?
3) If a mother with 2 daughters wants to go to Makkah / Kabah, can she go without a niyyah of Umrah because it is v hard to coordinate timing of periods of 3 ladies. So, she feels she would not risk things by making umrah niyyah. Rather just go, do nafl tawaafs and sit outside the permissible perimeters ( if any of them is in haidh) and just do dua and cool their eyes and heart by just being there.
Same way, can they do it similar dua etc in Madinah too if any of them is/ are on haidh ?

All 3 have done their umrahs once in 2017 and it was terrifyingly tough and the periods messed a lot of things. So now they have ptsd to go for umrah. But they yearn so so so bad to just be able to go, but without umrah niyyah. So can they do that ??

Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.

1. It is not permissible for a woman to travel the distance of safar or more by herself to perform ‘Umrah or Hajj. It is necessary for her husband or a mahram to travel with her. The laws of Shari’ah are decided by Allaah Ta’aala, not the Saudi regime.
2. No. It is not permissible for a woman to travel with a ‘Umrah group without her husband or a mahram for ‘Umrah. This is the unanimous position of all four legal schools.
3. No. According to the Hanafi legal school, it is necessary for a person crossing the meeqaat to enter the state of ihraam, irrespective of his intention or purpose. In the enquired situation, we advise you to plan appropriately. If necessary, you may take medication to delay the haydh.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best.
Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury
Darul Iftaa New York
https://askthemufti.us/

06/26/1444 AH – 01/19/2023 CE | AML1-6917

وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين

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