I got married about 2 years ago. My wife wants go away with her sisters and friends and spend a weekend away, just them relaxing doing things etc.
is it permissible for her to go?
The distance is beyond 48miles.
Can she travel without me? And is it permissible for her to go and stay with her friends and sisters like this?
In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.
Answer
In the Holy Quran Allah Tala has said that women should stay in their homes:
“And remain in your homes.” (Al-Ahzaab v.35)
Furthermore, there are various other hadiths, which support the fact that women during the Holy Prophet (saw) time remained in their homes. The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam has said that women should stay indoors, because when they come out Satan makes her a means of spreading evil amongst Muslims.
“A woman is an object of concealment, thus when she emerges, Satan uses her a means of spreading evil.”
(Mishkat, Tirmizi)
Ibn-Khuzaymah and Ibn-Hibban have also reported the following hadith.
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“A woman is closer to her Lord when she is (hidden) in the midmost of her house.”
Islam’s approach to women staying at home is that they will be prevented and saved from the mischief of the outside world. However, Islam being a divine religion has understood that sometimes and in some situations women need to come out of their homes for their personnel needs.
This can be derived from the following hadith:
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“For women, there is no share in going out except if it is necessary.” (Tabrani)
Although Islam has permitted women to leave their homes for necessities, it has placed some guidelines for them. One of them being that if they are travelling for more than three days (48 miles), their husbands or their mahrams (unmarriageable kins) should accompany them.
They are many clear narrations regarding this:
1) “A woman must not travel except with a mahram and a man must not enter upon her except if she has a mahram.” (Bukhari p.250 v.1)
2) “A woman must not travel for three days except with a mahram.” (Muslim p.432 v.1)
3) “It is unlawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the last day that she travels the distance of three nights without a mahram accompanying her.” (Muslim p.433 v.1)
Allahmah Ibn Aabedeen Shami (RA) writes that it will be impermissible for a woman to travel the distance of three days and three nights without a mahram. However, it will be permissible for her to travel a distance, which is less than that without a mahram because of need. (Raddul Muhtar p.465 v.3)
The reason why Islam takes these measures is to protect women from any sort of harm e.g. physical attacks from immoral people or thieves who might rob them where they will be defenceless to stop them.
With regards to your question it will not be permissible for your wife to spend a weekend away which is more than 48 miles away. An alternative will be that they spend a weekend somewhere which is within the 48 miles radius.
Only Allah Knows Best
Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
