The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has given conditional permission for women to go on the Hajj pilgrimage without a male companion known as a mehram. This decision is based on certain provisions found in the Fiqah-e-Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought, which allow women to perform Hajj without a mehram. The Ministry of Religious Affairs asked the council for their opinion on this matter.
According to the CII spokesperson, a woman can undertake the Hajj pilgrimage without a mehram if she has the consent of her parents or husband. However, it’s important to note that according to the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought, a woman still needs a mehram to perform Hajj. The spokesperson emphasized the need to carefully investigate the group she plans to travel with for Hajj, ensuring their reliability and satisfaction before allowing her to proceed on her religious journey.
In October of the previous year, Saudi Arabia also allowed women from all over the world to perform Umrah and Hajj without a mehram. This has made it more convenient for women who face social challenges or difficulties in finding a male companion.
