Question:
Can a woman travel alone with a driver to places like the market, school, or college? Kindly explain with Islamic evidences.
Answer:
Many evils in our society stem from our neglect in recognizing their causes. Instead of addressing the root issues, we turn a blind eye, which ultimately leads to serious consequences. Sending oneโs wife, daughter, or sister alone with a non-mahram driver is akin to entrusting a personal and critical responsibility to a strangerโsomething which is extremely dangerous both religiously and socially.
โ Travel Without a Mahram is Forbidden:
The Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ said:
"ููุง ุชูุณูุงููุฑู ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ู ูุนู ุฐูู ู ูุญูุฑูู ู"
"A woman must not travel except with a mahram (a male relative whom she cannot marry)."
(Sahih Muslim: 3272/1341)
Some argue that short-distance travel may be exempt, but the following reason negates such an assumption:
โก Prohibition of Seclusion (Khalwah) with a Non-Mahram:
The Messenger of Allah ๏ทบ said:
"ููุง ููุฎูููููููู ุฑูุฌููู ุจูุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ููู ูุนูููุง ุฐูู ู ูุญูุฑูู ู"
"No man should be alone with a woman unless she has a mahram with her."
(Sahih Muslim: 3274/1341)
He also said:
"ุฃูููุง ููุง ููุฎูููููููู ุฑูุฌููู ุจูุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ููุงูู ุซูุงููุซูููู ูุง ุงูุดููููุทูุงูู"
"Beware! Whenever a man is alone with a woman, the third among them is Shaytan (Satan)."
(Sahih, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1171)
If a woman travels with a non-mahram driver without a chaperone, seclusion (khalwah) occurs, and Shaytan is present to incite sin. Thus, such travel is clearly prohibited in Islam due to the presence of khalwah, which itself is haram.
A woman is not allowed to travel alone with a non-mahram driver, even for short trips. This practice contradicts Islamic teachings and leads to scenarios that are both religiously impermissible and morally harmful. Women should therefore completely avoid travelling alone with a non-mahram driver.
Anas ibn Malik (ุฑุถู ุงููู ุนูู) reported that the Prophet ๏ทบ frequently recited the following supplication:
"ุงููููููู ูู ุฅููููู ุฃูุนููุฐูุจููู ู ููู ุงููููู ูู ููุงููุญูุฒูููุ ููุงููุนูุฌูุฒู ููุงููููุณูููุ ููุงููุฌูุจููู ููุงููุจูุฎูููุ ููุถูููุนู ุงูุฏููููููุ ููุบูููุจูุฉู ุงูุฑููุฌูุงูู"
"O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt, and from being overpowered by men."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 6369)
Can a woman travel alone with a driver to places like the market, school, or college? Kindly explain with Islamic evidences.
Answer:
Many evils in our society stem from our neglect in recognizing their causes. Instead of addressing the root issues, we turn a blind eye, which ultimately leads to serious consequences. Sending oneโs wife, daughter, or sister alone with a non-mahram driver is akin to entrusting a personal and critical responsibility to a strangerโsomething which is extremely dangerous both religiously and socially.
Two Main Shari'ah-Based Reasons Why This is Prohibited:
โ Travel Without a Mahram is Forbidden:The Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ said:
"ููุง ุชูุณูุงููุฑู ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ู ูุนู ุฐูู ู ูุญูุฑูู ู"
"A woman must not travel except with a mahram (a male relative whom she cannot marry)."
(Sahih Muslim: 3272/1341)Some argue that short-distance travel may be exempt, but the following reason negates such an assumption:
โก Prohibition of Seclusion (Khalwah) with a Non-Mahram:
The Messenger of Allah ๏ทบ said:
"ููุง ููุฎูููููููู ุฑูุฌููู ุจูุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ููู ูุนูููุง ุฐูู ู ูุญูุฑูู ู"
"No man should be alone with a woman unless she has a mahram with her."
(Sahih Muslim: 3274/1341)He also said:
"ุฃูููุง ููุง ููุฎูููููููู ุฑูุฌููู ุจูุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฅููููุง ููุงูู ุซูุงููุซูููู ูุง ุงูุดููููุทูุงูู"
"Beware! Whenever a man is alone with a woman, the third among them is Shaytan (Satan)."
(Sahih, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1171)If a woman travels with a non-mahram driver without a chaperone, seclusion (khalwah) occurs, and Shaytan is present to incite sin. Thus, such travel is clearly prohibited in Islam due to the presence of khalwah, which itself is haram.
Conclusion:
A woman is not allowed to travel alone with a non-mahram driver, even for short trips. This practice contradicts Islamic teachings and leads to scenarios that are both religiously impermissible and morally harmful. Women should therefore completely avoid travelling alone with a non-mahram driver.
Supplication for Anxiety and Grief
Anas ibn Malik (ุฑุถู ุงููู ุนูู) reported that the Prophet ๏ทบ frequently recited the following supplication:"ุงููููููู ูู ุฅููููู ุฃูุนููุฐูุจููู ู ููู ุงููููู ูู ููุงููุญูุฒูููุ ููุงููุนูุฌูุฒู ููุงููููุณูููุ ููุงููุฌูุจููู ููุงููุจูุฎูููุ ููุถูููุนู ุงูุฏููููููุ ููุบูููุจูุฉู ุงูุฑููุฌูุงูู"
"O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt, and from being overpowered by men."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 6369)