The Ruling on a Woman Traveling with Her Husband’s Brother

Question:
This sister, the questioner, says: Honorable Shaykh, I have a question. Is it permissible for me to travel with my husband’s brother and his family from one city to another, a distance of three hours away? Knowing that I have children, one of whom is seven years old and the other is one year old. Please give me a ruling on my question?

Answer:
A woman’s mahram (a relative one may not marry) is one who is permanently forbidden to her by lineage or a permissible cause. This is the woman’s mahram. It is required that he be an adult, sane, and Muslim. These are the conditions for a woman’s mahram. It is not permissible for her to travel with her sister’s husband, because he is not a mahram for her. She is forbidden to him as long as her sister is under his responsibility; she is forbidden to him, but this prohibition is not permanent; it is only temporary. Therefore, he is not a mahram for her. He is a stranger to her. She must veil herself from him and not travel with him. Yes.