What is the ruling on a woman riding next to a strange man in public transportation, and what should she do to avoid harassment from some men?

The Hadith (definition) of Hamzah ibn Abi Usayd, narrated by his father, indicates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to women who were mixing with men on the road: "Move back, for you have no right to the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road." The meaning of "تحققن" (tahaqna) is to take the right of the road and its middle, and "حافات الطريق" (hafat at-tariq) means its sides. This demonstrates the prohibition of women mixing with men in public roads.

Accordingly, mixing and physical contact in public transportation are even more strongly prohibited. A woman must use another means of transport free from this forbidden act. If she cannot find one and is compelled to go out, she is permitted to ride, with the obligation to repel harm and harassment and not to remain silent about wrongdoing.