Is it permissible for a woman to perform 'Umrah with her maternal aunt and her son without a Mahram?
If traveling from Makkah to Jeddah is considered a journey, then a woman is not permitted to travel without a mahram. A maternal cousin's son is not a mahram unless there is a reason for mahramiyyah such as suckling. The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has issued a fatwa prohibiting the transportation of female students from Jeddah to Makkah without a mahram, based on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "A woman should not travel except with a mahram." If the Umrah is obligatory, some scholars have permitted a woman to travel for obligatory Hajj and Umrah with a trustworthy company. However, if the Umrah is voluntary, it is not permissible to travel for it with the aforementioned company unless the distance is not considered a journey.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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