As salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. I have a question in regards traveling without mahram. I live in a part of the world where many women travel alone, and are raped, murdered and kidnapped on a regular basis. Despite this many Muslim women in this area travel alone, even those who have mahram to go with them. A sister recently argued with me on the distance in which a Muslim sister needs mahram. Me, myself, have traveled only a few miles from home, in the past, alone and have had bad experiences, such as people throwing things and me, cursing me and the like. We live in a non Muslim society you see. Am I extreme in my thinking in regards to having mahram with you if you can, even if you are going only a short distance. Jazaka Allah khair

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.

You do not appear to be extreme in what you have mentioned; rather, you are right - Allaah willing. A woman is prohibited from travelling without a Mahram whether the distance of travel is long or short. For more information, please refer to Fatwa 88562.

The necessity of having a Mahram is even more stressed in the cases which you have mentioned and a woman is obliged to be careful from going out to a place where she could be harmed. Allaah says (what means): {…and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining].} [Quran 2:195]

Moreover, Ibn ‘Abbaas narrated that the Prophet said: “There should be no harm nor reciprocal harm.” [Ahmad]

Allaah Knows best.