Question:
What is the meaning of the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: ”لا یخلون رجل بامرأۃ إلا مع زوج أو المحر م “ “A man should not be alone with a woman except in the presence of her husband or a mahram”? And is it permissible, in the presence of the woman’s husband, to sit with her in the same house without any veil or barrier, or not?
Answer:
The meaning of this hadith is that it is not lawful for a man to sit with a non-mahram (unrelated) woman in a place where no one can see the two of them, unless her husband or a mahram is with them, because there is a fear of temptation when they are alone in this way, and also a fear that the two of them will commit adultery or the things that lead to it, for which Allah is displeased and angry.
However, it is permissible for a non-mahram man to sit with a woman and her husband or her mahram, provided that the woman is veiled and her private parts and the parts that must be covered are not exposed.
