Tirmidhi

1:
That is, one should not undertake a journey with the intention of reward,
except to these three mosques only.
By this, any fourth mosque and all other mosques and graves are excluded,
even to the extent that it is not permissible to travel with the intention of visiting the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) grave.
However, if one travels to Madinah with the intention of visiting the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi), then the legislated visitation (ziyarah) of the Prophet’s grave is permissible.

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
How far can a woman travel without a mahram?
There are various narrations regarding this matter. It appears that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked about different distances on different occasions, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) responded accordingly. Some asked about a journey of three days, some about two days, and some about one day. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave the same answer to each: that travel without a mahram is not permissible. In some narrations, the distance of one barid is mentioned, which is twelve miles, and in some, three miles is mentioned. The correct view is that whatever the journey may be, whether short or long, it is understood that a woman should not travel without a mahram, as is narrated at the end of this chapter from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma):

(LA TUSAFFIR AL-MAR’AH ILLA MA‘A DHI MAHRAM) (That a woman should not travel except with a mahram.)

However, according to the Hanafi scholars, a woman may travel a distance less than three days without a mahram. There is a difference of opinion regarding the journey of Hajj. According to Imam Malik rahimahullah and Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, if there is safety, tranquility, and peace during the journey, which can be achieved in three ways:

➊ The husband is with her.
➋ Such a relative is with her with whom marriage is not permissible.
➌ A group of trustworthy and reliable women are with her.

The presence of any one of these three is necessary; only then is Hajj obligatory upon the woman, and without this, she cannot perform Hajj. This is also the position of ‘Ata’, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr rahimahullah, Ibn Sirin rahimahullah, and Awza‘i rahimahullah. According to the Hanafis and Hanbalis, a woman cannot perform Hajj without a mahram. However, if the distance is less than three days, then according to the Hanafis, she may perform Hajj. Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri rahimahullah has written that if it is a time of safety and the woman is confident, she may travel alone. Maulana Badr Alam Meerthi has also supported this view (Fayd al-Bari, vol. 3, p. 397). The correct view is that in normal circumstances, a woman should not travel without a mahram. If there is a necessity or excuse and the mahram cannot accompany her, then the woman may perform the obligatory Hajj, provided that trustworthy women and their mahrams are with her.

From the narration of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (radi Allahu anhu), it is established that it is not permissible to set out on a journey to any place considering it sacred, blessed, or honorable, or thinking that it will increase reward, or making a vow to pray or worship there, except for three mosques. However, for any other purpose, such as seeking knowledge or for tourism, one may travel to any place.