Not to be confused with Maharam.This article is about a male social role in Islam. For adult female escort for unmarried women in Western tradition, see Chaperone (social).
In Islam, a mahram is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (haram). A woman does not need to wear hijab around her mahram or spouse, and an adult male mahram or husband may escort a woman on a journey, although an escort may not be obligatory.[1]
siblings of parents, grandparents, and further antecedents
children and further descendants of siblings
in-lawmahrams with whom one becomes mahram by marrying someone:
all the ancestors of one's spouse
all the descendants of one's spouse
all who marry a direct ancestor
all who marry a direct descendant (A woman may marry her stepfather, but only if the stepfather has not consummated his marriage to her mother.)
Rada or "milk-suckling mahrams" with whom one becomes mahram because of being nursed by the same woman:
foster mother
foster sibling
When a woman acts as a wetnurse (that is she breast feeds an infant that is not her own child for a certain amount of time under certain conditions), she becomes the child's rada mother. In English these can be referred to as milk brother, milk-mother, and so on. For a man, mahram women include his mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, grandaunt, niece, grandniece, his father's wife, his wife's daughter (step-daughter), his daughter-in-law (if previously married to his biological son. She is not mahram if she was married to his adopted son), his mother-in-law, his rada mother and rada sister. As the Prophet Mohamed said, "What is forbidden by reason of kinship is forbidden by reason of suckling."[2]
These are considered mahram because they are mentioned in the Quran (An-Nisa 22–23):
22. Do not marry former wives of your fathers—except what was done previously. It was indeed a shameful, despicable, and evil practice. 23. ˹Also˺ forbidden to you for marriage are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal and maternal aunts, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your foster-mothers, your foster-sisters, your mothers-in-law, your stepdaughters under your guardianship if you have consummated marriage with their mothers—but if you have not, then you can marry them—nor the wives of your own sons, nor two sisters together at the same time—except what was done previously. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
All of the man's female relatives mentioned in these two verses are considered his maharim, because it is unlawful (haram) for him to marry them, except the wife's sister, whom he can marry if he divorces her sister, or if his wife dies. The notion of mahram is reciprocal. All other relatives are considered non-maharim.
A woman may be legally escorted during a journey by her husband, or by any sane, adult male mahram by blood, although an escort may not be required, including:
her father, grandfather or other male ancestor
her son, grandson or other male descendant
her brother
her uncle, great uncle, or uncle from a previous generation
the son, grandson, or other descendant of her sibling
Rulesedit
Mahramedit
A Muslim woman's mahrams form the group of allowable escorts when she travels.
For a spouse, being mahram is a permanent condition. That means, for example, that a man will remain mahram to his ex-mother-in-law after divorcing her daughter.
Abdul-Rahman, Muhammad Saed, Islam: Questions and Answers - Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings, London: MSA Publication Limited, 2007, pp. 22–23.
Packard, Gwen K., Coping in an Interfaith Family, New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 1993, p. 11.
April 10, 2024
mahram, confused, with, maharam, this, article, about, male, social, role, islam, adult, female, escort, unmarried, women, western, tradition, chaperone, social, islam, mahram, family, member, with, whom, marriage, would, considered, permanently, unlawful, har. Not to be confused with Maharam This article is about a male social role in Islam For adult female escort for unmarried women in Western tradition see Chaperone social In Islam a mahram is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful haram A woman does not need to wear hijab around her mahram or spouse and an adult male mahram or husband may escort a woman on a journey although an escort may not be obligatory 1 Contents 1 Overview 1 1 People with whom marriage is prohibited 1 2 Legal escorts of women during journey 2 Rules 2 1 Mahram 3 See also 4 ReferencesOverview editPeople with whom marriage is prohibited edit permanent or blood mahrams include all direct ancestors all direct descendants siblings siblings of parents grandparents and further antecedents children and further descendants of siblings in law mahrams with whom one becomes mahram by marrying someone all the ancestors of one s spouse all the descendants of one s spouse all who marry a direct ancestor all who marry a direct descendant A woman may marry her stepfather but only if the stepfather has not consummated his marriage to her mother Rada or milk suckling mahrams with whom one becomes mahram because of being nursed by the same woman foster mother foster siblingWhen a woman acts as a wetnurse that is she breast feeds an infant that is not her own child for a certain amount of time under certain conditions she becomes the child s rada mother In English these can be referred to as milk brother milk mother and so on For a man mahram women include his mother grandmother daughter granddaughter sister aunt grandaunt niece grandniece his father s wife his wife s daughter step daughter his daughter in law if previously married to his biological son She is not mahram if she was married to his adopted son his mother in law his rada mother and rada sister As the Prophet Mohamed said What is forbidden by reason of kinship is forbidden by reason of suckling 2 These are considered mahram because they are mentioned in the Quran An Nisa 22 23 22 Do not marry former wives of your fathers except what was done previously It was indeed a shameful despicable and evil practice 23 Also forbidden to you for marriage are your mothers your daughters your sisters your paternal and maternal aunts your brother s daughters your sister s daughters your foster mothers your foster sisters your mothers in law your stepdaughters under your guardianship if you have consummated marriage with their mothers but if you have not then you can marry them nor the wives of your own sons nor two sisters together at the same time except what was done previously Surely Allah is All Forgiving Most Merciful Surah An Nisa 4 22 23 All of the man s female relatives mentioned in these two verses are considered his maharim because it is unlawful haram for him to marry them except the wife s sister whom he can marry if he divorces her sister or if his wife dies The notion of mahram is reciprocal All other relatives are considered non maharim Legal escorts of women during journey edit See also Women in Islam Movement and travel A woman may be legally escorted during a journey by her husband or by any sane adult male mahram by blood although an escort may not be required including her father grandfather or other male ancestor her son grandson or other male descendant her brother her uncle great uncle or uncle from a previous generation the son grandson or other descendant of her siblingRules editMahram edit A Muslim woman s mahrams form the group of allowable escorts when she travels For a spouse being mahram is a permanent condition That means for example that a man will remain mahram to his ex mother in law after divorcing her daughter See also editBaligh Chaperone social an adult female escort for unmarried girls in Western European tradition duena in Spanish anglicised duenna Cousin marriage Dayyuth Ḥ R M Hijab Islamic marital jurisprudence Islamic sexual jurisprudenceReferences edit Mahram Oxford Islamic Studies Online www oxfordislamicstudies com Archived from the original on January 21 2021 Retrieved 2021 01 16 Sahih al Bukhari 5110 Abdul Rahman Muhammad Saed Islam Questions and Answers Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings London MSA Publication Limited 2007 pp 22 23 Packard Gwen K Coping in an Interfaith Family New York Rosen Publishing Group 1993 p 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mahram amp oldid 1217467866, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
