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What is the ruling on men sitting next to women in transportation out of necessity?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If a Muslim man is compelled to use mixed transportation, he must fear Allah, lower his gaze, and avoid sitting next to women as much as possible, even if it means standing. This is based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Beware of women, for indeed, the first trial of the Children of Israel was concerning women," and his saying: "I have not left behind me any trial more harmful to men than women." If he cannot change his seat or stand, it is permissible for him to sit next to a woman while keeping as much distance as possible from her. However, if he fears temptation, he must immediately disembark to preserve his religion.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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