ISLAMABAD – In a major development, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has granted conditional permission for women to embark on the Hajj pilgrimage without a mehram (close male relative).
The CII’s decision is based on the Fiqah-e-Jafria, Maliki, and Shafi’i schools of thought, which acknowledge the provision in Shariat allowing women to undertake the annual Islamic pilgrimage independently.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs sought the CII’s opinion on this matter, and the council spokesperson explained that if a woman’s parents or husband give their consent, she can perform Hajj without a mehram; however, according to the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought, a woman still requires a mehram for Hajj.
The CII spokesperson emphasized that women should travel with a reliable group of fellow female pilgrims, to ensure their safety and security and the ministry of religious affairs should thoroughly investigate the group before granting permission for the religious journey.
Last year, Saudi Arabia also announced that women from around the world can perform Umrah and Hajj without a mehram. This change aims to facilitate women’s access to these holy pilgrimages, particularly for those facing challenging social situations or difficulties in finding a mehram.
Pakistan’s quota for Hajj 2023 is 179,210 pilgrims. It is to be highlighted that 50 percent quota had been reserved for the Sponsorship Scheme which was a special facility given to Hajj pilgrims seeking foreign exchange from abroad in the specific dollar account of the religious affairs ministry.
For this year, the government had set Hajj expenses at Rs1.175 million per pilgrim, 68% more than the last year’s expenses which apparently became a reason for many of the Muslims to avoid performing the ritual amid skyrocketing inflation.
It is noteworthy that this is the first time Saudi Arabia would be welcoming pilgrims in large numbers i.e around 2.3m after the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Around one million people joined the 2022 Hajj season and only those in the age bracket 18 to 65 who were fully vaccinated or immunized against the virus and did not suffer from chronic diseases were allowed to visit the kingdom.
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