Is the mother of a divorced wife considered a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the divorced husband, and is it permissible for him to shake her hand and travel with her?
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The questioner : Is the mother of a divorced wife considered a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the divorced husband, and is it permissible for him to shake her hand and travel with her?
The Shaykh : Yes, the mother of a wife is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her husband, meaning the husband of her daughter is a mahram to her, whether the wife remains with him, dies, or is divorced. This is because the mother of a wife is permanently forbidden to the husband of her daughter. Therefore, it is permissible for him to travel with her, that is, with his wife’s mother, and to shake her hand, and for her to uncover herself before him, because she is one of his mahram (relatives one may not marry). Likewise, the daughter of a wife, if he has consummated the marriage with her mother, becomes a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the husband, permanently forbidden to him, even if he divorces her mother. It does not matter whether she is the daughter of a husband before him or a husband after him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: meaning the forbidden ones, [An-Nisa 4:23] Likewise, the wife of a son is permanently forbidden to her father, so the wife of a son is one of the mahram (relatives one may not marry) of her father, even if the son divorces her. And likewise, the son of a husband is one of the mahram (relatives one may not marry) of his father’s wife, even if her father divorces her. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. From the questions of the questioner Muhammad Hasan Sudani, residing in the Kingdom, he says: O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, the mother of a wife is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her husband, meaning the husband of her daughter is a mahram to her, whether the wife remains with him, dies, or is divorced. This is because the mother of a wife is permanently forbidden to the husband of her daughter. Therefore, it is permissible for him to travel with her, that is, with his wife’s mother, and to shake her hand, and for her to uncover herself before him, because she is one of his mahram (relatives one may not marry). Likewise, the daughter of a wife, if he has consummated the marriage with her mother, becomes a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the husband, permanently forbidden to him, even if he divorces her mother. It does not matter whether she is the daughter of a husband before him or a husband after him, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and the mothers of your wives
وَأُمَّهَاتُ نِسَائِكُمْand your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you.
وَرَبَائِبُكُمُ اللَّاتِي فِي حُجُورِكُمْ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمُ اللَّاتِي دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَلا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْThe questioner : May Allah reward you. From the questions of the questioner Muhammad Hasan Sudani, residing in the Kingdom, he says: O honorable Shaykh.