Can a mother and her daughter go for Umrah without the company of the father?

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Firstly, it is prohibited in Shari’ah for a woman to travel the distance of safar (which is 48 miles or 78 km) without a mehram.

(Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:

“A woman cannot travel (a distance of) three days unless she has a mehram with her” (Sahih Muslim #3322)

“It is prohibited for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a distance of three nights unless with a mehram” (Sahih Muslim #3324)

This also includes the cases of a woman who wants to perform Hajj and Umrah. In the case of performing Hajj, if a woman has the financial means to do so, it will be compulsory upon her. However, according to the Hanafi Madhab she will also require a mehram to accompany her. If she does not have a mehram, then this is a valid excuse to delay the Hajj until she is able to go with a mehram. So in the case of Umrah, it will of course also be necessary for a mehram to accompany her, otherwise it will not be permissible to undertake this journey.

(Raddul Muhtaar, 2/464, HM Saeed)

And Allāh knows best.

Muftī Asif Umar

Washington, DC (USA)

Concurred by:

Muftī Abrar Mirza

Chicago, IL (USA)

Under the Supervision of Muftī Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)