What is the ruling on a woman traveling without a mahram in order to seek knowledge?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on a woman traveling from one city to another without a mahram if she is seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : If it is what?
The questioner : Seeking knowledge.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram, whether for knowledge, Hajj, 'Umrah, visiting, or anything else, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 9:2565 However, some people may think that this is travel, when it is not. For example, some women nowadays go from their town to a nearby town to learn or to teach, and they return on the same day. This is not travel. Accordingly, if a woman goes, for example, from Unayzah to Buraydah to learn or to teach, accompanied by women, and they return to their homes after the lesson ends, this is not travel. So it is permissible for the woman to go and return. However, it is not permissible for her to be alone with the driver if he is not a mahram to her.
The questioner : If she is on a plane, may Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : No, not on a plane, nor in a car. Even on a plane, it is not permissible for her to travel. Because we say: First, her mahram in the town from which she flew, if he takes her to the waiting area, he returns, and she remains alone with men. Then, even if he were to take her as far as boarding the plane, the plane may take off at its scheduled time, or it may be delayed due to a technical malfunction, weather, or something else. Then, once she has boarded the plane, a preventer may stop her from landing at the airport she intended, either due to bad weather conditions, as they say, or a technical malfunction, such as the landing gear refusing to lower, or other reasons. So she remains, going to another town. Then, even if she is saved from this and lands at the airport she wants, her second mahram who is to receive her may arrive at the scheduled time, or he may not arrive. He may fall asleep, he may fall ill, he may be prevented by traffic congestion, his car may break down and he may not arrive at the airport. Then, even if she is saved from this and everything goes well, who will sit next to her on the plane? A wicked man who is traveling may sit next to her, and he may tempt her and she may be tempted, as this sometimes happens. Therefore, the wisdom of the Shari'ah in prohibiting a woman from traveling absolutely is the correct wisdom, and it is the one that ensures safety.
The Shaykh : If it is what?
The questioner : Seeking knowledge.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram, whether for knowledge, Hajj, 'Umrah, visiting, or anything else, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
A woman should not travel except with a mahram
لا تسافر امرأة إلا مع ذي محرمThe questioner : If she is on a plane, may Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : No, not on a plane, nor in a car. Even on a plane, it is not permissible for her to travel. Because we say: First, her mahram in the town from which she flew, if he takes her to the waiting area, he returns, and she remains alone with men. Then, even if he were to take her as far as boarding the plane, the plane may take off at its scheduled time, or it may be delayed due to a technical malfunction, weather, or something else. Then, once she has boarded the plane, a preventer may stop her from landing at the airport she intended, either due to bad weather conditions, as they say, or a technical malfunction, such as the landing gear refusing to lower, or other reasons. So she remains, going to another town. Then, even if she is saved from this and lands at the airport she wants, her second mahram who is to receive her may arrive at the scheduled time, or he may not arrive. He may fall asleep, he may fall ill, he may be prevented by traffic congestion, his car may break down and he may not arrive at the airport. Then, even if she is saved from this and everything goes well, who will sit next to her on the plane? A wicked man who is traveling may sit next to her, and he may tempt her and she may be tempted, as this sometimes happens. Therefore, the wisdom of the Shari'ah in prohibiting a woman from traveling absolutely is the correct wisdom, and it is the one that ensures safety.