Nephew as Mahram in Hajj

18/10/2009| IslamWeb

Question:

Would appreciate if you could advise on the following question. Can my mother-in-law be accompanied by her nephew (sister's son) as her Mahram on her Hajj pilgrimage?

Fatwa:

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 is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for a woman to travel accompanied by her nephew since he is among the unmarriageable persons and she is his maternal aunt.

Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster mother who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives' mothers, your step daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom you have gone in - but there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), - the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allâh is OftForgiving, Most Merciful.} [4: 23].

It does not matter whether the journey is for Hajj or for other purposes.

Allah Knows best.