Women driving cars

Question ID: 
2201
par***@gmail.com asks:

Question

As-Salaamu Alaykum Mufti Sahab,

According to Islamic rulings, a woman can travel up to approximately 77 km without a mahram. In Mauritius, I used to travel by bus to visit relatives, and it was generally safe and respectful—men would offer seats to women.

However, nowadays, with women demanding equal treatment as men, common courtesy has declined. Pregnant women, for example, are often left standing for the entire journey.

Additionally, there is a real risk of harassment when getting on & off the bus as you may rub as the alley is narrow. Given these concerns, I decided to drive a car, as driving is safer and less stressful for me as a young & beautiful woman.

Yet, some people are now saying that I shouldn’t drive and must return to taking buses. What is your opinion on this matter?

JazakAllah Khair.

Answer

Waalaikumussalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Allah Taa’la addressing to the women says in Surah Ahzaab verse 33: “ Remain in your homes and do not make a display of yourselves as was the practice of the former period of ignorance ”

From the above verse, we understood that a woman is only allow to leave her house in dire necessity. To visit close mahram relatives like parents is your right once every week and for other mahram like siblings once a year.

Driving for woman is generally not allowed because it was always a manly act, Rasoolullah Swallaaahu alahi wasallam forbade man to imitate woman and woman to imitate man.

It will only be allowed in dire necessity, in the case there is no other suitable options. We understand that travelling by bus is not free from fitnas, but for a woman to be allowed driving is not free from fitna as well, specially when nowadays we see women going out everywhere for outside jobs or just for fun with friends. So, when a woman will have the liberty to drive then for petty things also she will use her car to go out. In this time of Fitnah, woman is not encouraged to drive except in real necessity, she must adhere to the laws of Pardah (wearing a veil), because a lady travelling alone in her car, are more prone to different types of Fitnah and attack.
With regard to your situation, it is advisable to hire a taxi and take along with you a mahram or at least a lady to accompany you, better to have a known taxi driver who is a senior religious muslim if available.

"ینبغي أن یؤذن لھا في زیارتھما الحین بعد الحین علی قدر متعارف ... وفیه: الصحیح المفتی به تخرج للوالدین في کل جمعة بإذنه و بغیر إذنه و لزیارۃ المحارم في کلّ سنة مرة بإذنه وبغیر إذنه."(ج: ۴،ص: ۱۹۵ وکذ ا فی الشامیۃ، ج: ۳، ص: ۱۴۶، الھندیہ: ج: ۱،ص: ۵۵۷)

"لا تركب مسلمة على سرج للحديث. هذا لو للتلهي، ولو لحاجة غزو أو حج أو مقصد ديني أو دنيوي لا بد لها منه فلا بأس به.و في الرد : (قوله : للحديث) وهو «لعن الله الفروج على السروج» ذخيرة. لكن نقل المدني عن أبي الطيب أنه لا أصل له اهـ. يعني بهذا اللفظ وإلا فمعناه ثابت، ففي البخاري وغيره «لعن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء والمتشبهات من النساء بالرجال» وللطبراني «أن امرأة مرت على رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - متقلدة قوسا فقال: لعن الله المتشبهات من النساء بالرجال والمتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء» " (قوله ولو لحاجة غزو إلخ) أي بشرط أن تكون متسترة وأن تكون مع زوج أو محرم (قوله أو مقصد ديني) كسفر لصلة رحم ط."
(کتاب الحظر والإباحة، باب الاستبراء وغيره، فصل في البيع، فرع يكره إعطاء سائل المسجد إلا إذا لم يتخط رقاب الناس، ج:6 ص:423 ط: سعيد)

Answered by:
(Mf) Abdallah
For the Jamiatul Ulama of Mauritius