Fatwa ID: 06753
Answered by: Maulana Mamunur Hussain
Question:
A man married a woman the woman has 2 daughters from a previous marriage.
The woman now divorced her new husband, the stepfather was a mahram for the girls and remains a mahram for the rest of their life.
This mahram is only for not being able to marry them right?
He wouldn’t be eligible to enjoy any other facility etc., like the daughters shouldn’t go out with him, the daughters can’t do Umrah with him etc. as their mother divorced him and his a stranger now
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
A step-father will be considered a mahram to any of the woman’s daughters from a previous marriage so long as the marriage has been consummated1, once this hurmah is established, then they will be mahram for all intents and purposes, not just for marriage, even if the step-father now separates from their mother.
Regarding being a mahram for travelling etc., whilst in principle it will be allowed, it should be avoided where possible. If they were to travel together, they should be aware of their surroundings and avoid being alone together due to fear of fitna, as they are not related by blood.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Mamunur Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Al-Mabsoot (Dar al-Marifah, vol 4, pg 199)
فَأَمَّا حُرْمَةُ الرَّبِيبَةِ وَهِيَ بِنْتُ الْمَرْأَةِ لَا تَثْبُتُ الْحُرْمَةُ إلَّا بِالدُّخُولِ بِالْأُمِّ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى
2 Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah (DKI, vol 1, pg 557)
وَلَا تُسَافِرُ مَعَ عَبْدِهَا، وَلَوْ خَصِيًّا، وَلَا مَعَ ابْنِهَا الْمَجُوسِيِّ، وَلَا بِأَخِيهَا رِضَاعًا فِي زَمَانِنَا، وَلَا بِامْرَأَةٍ أُخْرَى
