Aid agencies sound the alarm as Israel's Gaza blockade enters a second month    Asian markets plunge as Trump's global tariff turmoil deepens    Trump's crackdown on university protests is casting a long shadow    Le Pen vows to fight conviction but large-scale protests fail to materialize    Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Issue of women traveling without mahram sparks debate
By Diana Al-Jassem
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 02 - 01 - 2009

Leading Saudi cleric Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Bin Nasser Al-Obaikan's views on allowing women to travel freely without having a mahram (a male relative with whom marriage is forbidden) has sparked a debate in the Saudi society.
Al-Obaikan, a member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars and Advisor to the Ministry of Justice, in a statement to Al-Hayat Arabic daily on Dec. 22 said he has found in his recent research on women's travel without mahram that it is “permissible” in Islam for a woman to travel alone without being accompanied by a mahram only when she feels secure.
Al-Obaikan first published his views in his website saying a thorough research on the subject has made him satisfied that a woman can travel without a mahram or without the consent of her male guardian if she feels that she is secure.
Several Shoura (Consultative) Council members and businesswomen have felt encouraged to act on the fatwa issued by Sheikh Al-Obaikan. Shoura members have favored an open discussion on the issue in the Council.
“It is a very important step to begin with. If we can remove this obstacle, our movement will become much easier,” said Aziza Mansour, businesswoman and owner of Aziza Mansour Company for Real Estate.
“I need to travel several times a month, but every time I need to take permission from my husband's brother as my husband died several years ago,” she said. “The existing regulations on women's travel make my business trips difficult and it delays several of my business deals,” she added.
Mansour has called upon the Shoura Council to remove this obstacle and put a system that allows women above 35 years or so to travel without requiring consent from her male guardians.
Dr. Talal Al-Bakri, chairman of the Social Affairs Committee in the Shoura Council, hoped that the system could be discussed in the Council. “I will be the first to vote for it,” he said.
Al-Bakri added that Sheikh Al-Obaikan has been requested to discuss his views in the Shoura Council meeting.
Dr. Sadaqa Fadel, chairman of the International Political Relations Committee in the Shoura Council, also said he would vote for the new proposed regulations on women's travel when it is put for vote in the Shoura Council.
An academic has also advanced the cause of having a system allowing woman to travel without a male guradian if she travels by air and there is no khalwa (close proximity) between her and other men in the flight.
“This fatwa allows women to travel without consort if she makes sure that she will not be seated next to a man,” said Dr. Ahmad Al-Sheaibi, professor of Islamic sociology at King Saud University in Riyadh.
There are dissenting voices as well. “The fatwa is not acceptable at all,” said Hissa Own, political writer and chairperson of Al-Bidaia Holding Company Group, the first Saudi company owned by a woman.
“A woman can ensure her safety onboard, but not after landing and arriving in the new destination,” she argued. “Although I am a businesswoman and I need to travel to several countries, the consort system never bothers me,” she added.


Clic here to read the story from its source.