Is it permissible for a woman to travel without a mahram to visit her brother who is ill with cancer and to help him, or must she wait 20 days for her 14-year-old son to accompany her, given her fear of his condition deteriorating during this period?

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade women from traveling without a mahram. This prohibition is general for all types of travel, and it is stipulated that the mahram must be an adult. The purpose of this prohibition is to prevent potential fitna (temptation/strife) and corruption, as Islamic rulings are fundamentally based on what is generally prevalent. However, scholars have permitted a woman to travel without a mahram in cases of dire necessity or an overriding benefit, such as a woman possessing essential medical expertise needed for her sick brother, and there is no one else to care for him. But merely visiting a sick person without urgent necessity does not permit committing what is forbidden.