Can a Woman Perform Umrah Without a Mahram?
Question
Can a woman go for Umrah by herself, without a mahram? Would it also be permissible for her to go with a group of female friends? What are the Islamic rulings regarding this?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
The matter of a woman traveling for Umrah without a mahram depends on her journey and the safety of her travel. The jurists examined this issue by balancing between the textual evidence and the objectives of Sharia, which seek protection, dignity, and facilitation in acts of worship.
1. The Shar‘i Principle
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“A woman must not travel except with a mahram.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
This command was revealed in a time when travel was unsafe and dangerous. The objective of the prohibition is to protect women from harm, not to prevent them from acts of obedience or worship. When that danger no longer exists, jurists have considered the underlying purpose of the text (‘illah) and adjusted the ruling accordingly.
The Prophet ﷺ also foretold a time of safety and security, saying:
“The time is near when a woman will travel from Hira (in Iraq) to the Ka‘bah fearing none but Allah.” (Bukhari)
This hadith indicates that when travel becomes safe, women may undertake journeys, even long ones, without fear or danger.
2. The Maliki and Shafii Opinions
Both the Maliki and Shafii schools hold that if the route is safe and a woman travels in the company of trustworthy women or under secure supervision, then her journey for Hajj or Umrah is permissible. The condition of safety fulfills the Sharia’s intent of protection.
This is further supported by the historical precedent that the Mothers of the Believers, the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, performed Hajj after his death while accompanied by groups of women and under the general supervision of the Muslim authorities. None of the Companions objected, which is understood as tacit approval (ijma‘ sukuti).
3. Contemporary Fatwa Councils
The same reasoning has been affirmed by many leading institutions of Islamic jurisprudence today.
- Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee has ruled that it is permissible for a woman to perform Hajj or Umrah without a mahram if accompanied by trustworthy women and if her travel is secure.
- Jordan’s Dar al-Iftaa and other fiqh councils in the Muslim world have issued similar rulings, noting that modern air travel and organized pilgrimage groups ensure the safety that fulfills the Sharia condition of amn al-tariq (security of the route).
4. Relevant Usul Principle
الحكم يدور مع علته وجوداً وعدماً
The ruling revolves with its cause, existing when it exists and ceasing when it ceases.
This means that the ruling of requiring a mahram is tied to the cause (‘illah) of potential harm or insecurity. When that cause no longer exists, such as in safe and supervised travel, the ruling also ceases to apply. Thus, the fiqh adapts to circumstances while maintaining the purpose of Sharia.
Final Ruling
A woman may perform Umrah without a mahram if she travels with a trustworthy group of women and the route is secure. This view is supported by the Maliki and Shafii schools, the example of the Mothers of the Believers, and the majority of contemporary fatwa councils including Al-Azhar and Jordan’s Dar al-Iftaa.
And Allah knows best.