Respected Shaikh, assalaamu alaikum. Please give me the direct answer to my important question below. (Links are not appropriate sometimes.) My daughter's application in Qatar University for a bachelor's degree was not accepted due to a lack of capacity. I wanted to keep her with myself and my family, so we were very interested in Qatar University, but her application has not been accepted. Now she got a chance in Malaysia, in Masha University for higher study. There is accomodation for girls there. Is it allowed in Islam for my daughter to go to Malaysia for study purposes? May Almighty Allah bless all of us.

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm that your daughter travels to that country and studies there if this does not involve a violation of the Shariah, such as traveling without a mahram (permanently unmarriageable kin) or studying in a mixed institute or university that allows free mixing of male and female students without observing the teachings of Islam in this respect. However, if it does involve a violation of the Shariah, such as traveling without a mahram, then it is impermissible for her to travel.

It should be noted that the presence of a mahram man is a condition in travelling (in the journey) only. As for living there, it is enough that she lives in a safe place. Ibn Qudaamah wrote, "The mahram man should accompany the woman in her journey to a place where she shall be safe; he may return and leave her there if he wishes or stay with her if he wishes."

Allah knows best.