Conditional CII nod for women to perform Haj without Mehram

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has given conditional permission to women to perform Haj without a Mehram.

The CII, in response to a query from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said that according to Fiqh-e-Jafria and Maliki and Shafi’i schools of thought, there was provision in Shariat for a woman to perform Haj or Umra without a Mehram.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs had sought the opinion of the council on the matter. The CII in written reply to a question asked by the Ministry said that according to Fiqh-e-Jafria, Maliki and Shafi’i schools of thought, a woman whose parents or husband allow her, could go for Haj without a Mehram. However, according to Hanfi and Hanbli schools of thought, the performance of Haj for a woman is not an obligation (Farz) if her male Mehram is not available.

It may be pointed out here that the Saudi government in October, last year had allowed women from across the world to perform Haj and Umrah without a Mehram.

The CII, however, has conditioned the performance of Haj for a woman without a Mehram in line with the edict of the three schools of thought (Fiqh-e-Jafria and Maliki and Shafi’i ) with the company of trustworthy women in a group. It also said that the Ministry of Religious Affairs should properly scrutinise a Haj group in which a woman wants to perform Haj without a Mehram.