Question:
I am a medical student studying in the Caribbean.
There are quite a few Muslims here. There are a few sisters studying here by themselves. This is not a Muslim country and a lot of haraam goes on here just like in a lot of other western countries and even some Muslim countries. Now a lot of these sisters are being told that it is haraam for them to be here without a Mehram (or a protector).
What is your opinion on this? Is it Haraam for them to be here alone? Please state your evidence if you can.
If it is wrong for them to live here, what advice do you have for them? Their families spend a lot of money in their education and are waiting for them to return as doctors!!
Yousef
Reply:
There are a few differences in the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the referred issue. According to some narratives, the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said that a woman should not undertake a journey of over three nights alone, without the company of a mehram(Immediate blood relation) relation. While other narratives simply state that a woman should not take up any journey without the company of a mehramrelation. With a close look at these narratives, in the perspective of the social directives of the Qur’an and those ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh), it actually seems that the referred issue is actually not a part of the Shari`ah but an advice to Muslim women to be very careful in all such matters that may, in any way, effect their reputation. In our opinion, the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have directed women to avoid traveling alone for their own protection and also to prevent mischief mongers to spread a negative word about them. It should also be noted that these narratives actually relate to taking up long journeys, not to staying away from one’s home. Undertaking journeys, especially in the times of the Prophet (pbuh) was not an easy task. It had its inherent dangers and hazards. It seems that the Prophet (pbuh) actually advised Muslim women to avoid taking up these inherent dangers of a long journey alone.
In one of the narratives in Bukhari, prophet(pbuh)has predicted peace and security within the Arabian peninsula in such way that it makes it clear that all the narratives regarding women not travelling alone were purely temporary measures.According to this hadith “prophet asks Adee bin Hatim(ra)that have you seen the land of ‘Heera’?.Adee(ra)says ‘no’but i have heard about it.Prophet(pbuh)then said that if you live long enough then you will witness yourself that a woman will embark on a journey from ‘Heera’,she will then circumambulate the kaaba(and whilst she will be doing this)She will have no fear but the fear of God”.
The above narrative clarifies that this is the kind of society prophet(pbuh) wanted to establish.
Hope the answer helps you.
UIUK Team
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