Pakistani Women ‘Conditionally’ Allowed to Perform Hajj Without Mahram

Pakistani women have been conditionally allowed to perform Hajj without a male guardian (mahram) following approval from the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

The Religious Affairs Ministry sought the CII’s opinion, and it stated that, according to the Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought, a woman can undertake Hajj or Umrah without a mahram if her parents or husband provide permission.

However, the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought insist on a male mahram for a woman to perform Hajj. This decision reflects differences in interpretation among various Islamic schools of thought.