Praise be to Allah

A woman who does not find a legal attendant is not required to perform the major and minor pilgrimages (Hajj and Umrah); she is excused if she refrains from doing so. Moreover, she is forbidden to perform them in the absence of such a companion. She must wait for Allah to provide her with a mahram before she can travel with him.

Since the paths to goodness are many, the Muslim who is unable to perform certain acts of worship may well be content with the acts he knows how to do while waiting for Allah to assist him and facilitate the acts he was unable to perform.

One of the manifestations of divine grace is that the worshipper is rewarded for the acts of obedience that he decided to undertake but could not complete because of an impediment. This is proved by the hadith reported by al-Bukhari (4423) according to Anans ibn Malick (pbuh) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was returning from the Tabuk expedition and was in the vicinity of Madinah, he said, « There are certainly people in Madinah who were by your side whenever you crossed a valley in the course of your journey.

– He said, « While you were in Madinah, O Messenger of Allah!

– While staying in Madinah because they had an excuse.

The scholars of the Commission said: « The woman without a mahram is not obliged to go on the pilgrimage because the availability of the mahram is one of the necessities (of the journey) which are included in the conditions of eligibility about which Allah Most High says: « And it is a duty to Allah for those who have the means to go on the pilgrimage to the House. (Qur’an, 3:97).

Therefore, she is not allowed to travel without the company of either her husband or a mahram. This opinion is confirmed in this hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim according to Ibn Abbas who heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: « Let no man meet with a woman without a mahram; let no woman travel without a mahram. A man stood up and said, « O Messenger of Allah, my wife is undertaking the pilgrimage and I have already signed up for an invasion ….

– Go on the pilgrimage with your wife, » said the Prophet (peace be upon him).

This is the opinion that is supported by al-Hasan, an-Nakhai, Ahmad, Isaak, Ibn al-Mudhir and the supporters of the (personal) opinion. This is the right opinion which is proved in the above-mentioned verse and in all the hadiths which forbid the woman to travel without being accompanied by her husband or a mahram. However, Malick, Shaafii and al-Awzai objected to this and formulated a condition that is not based on any argument. This makes Ibn al-Moundhir say: They have abandoned the apparent meaning of the hadith and formulated a condition that is not based on any argument.

See Fatwa of the Standing Committee for Religious Research and Consultancy, (11/90-91).

They (the members of the said committee) said: « If, as you say, neither your husband nor your mahram can accompany you on your pilgrimage, you are not required to do so, as the company of the husband or mahram is a condition of eligibility for the pilgrimage and the pilgrimage is forbidden without their presence. The latter cannot be replaced by your brother’s wife or by a group of women, according to the more correct opinion of the two opinions issued by the ulama on this subject, taking into account the saying of the Prophet (blessings and salutations be upon him): No woman should travel without being accompanied by a mahram (hadith declared authentic by al-Bukhari and by Mouslim) However, if your brother accompanies his wife, you may travel with them since your brother is a mahram for you.

In the meantime, devote yourself to good deeds that do not require travel and remain patient in the hope that Allah will facilitate your affairs and give you the opportunity to travel on pilgrimage with your husband or a mahram.

Fatwa of the Standing Committee on Religious Research and Consultancy, 11/96.

Allah knows best.