Female pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are no longer legally required to bring along a male guardian or “mahram” when taking part in the “Hajj” and “umrah” pilgrimages in the country. This decision will apply to pilgrims all over the world and will end a decades-long rule imposed by Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system, every woman has a male guardian who is legally responsible for her decisions. They must obtain permission to travel, marry, and exit prison. It is not necessarily represented by one law or a codified set of laws, but rather an entire system built on the premise that women are “legally minors”. The system has been subject to criticism from women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. Limited changes from the Kingdom’s government as a response to said criticisms have accentuated this criticism even more. The pilgrimage rule was only one aspect of this all-encompassing structure.
The Hajj pilgrimage, which is conducted annually, is one that every Muslim is required to perform at least once in their lives, and forms the fifth pillar of Islam. Umrah, although seen as important, is a pilgrimage that is not considered mandatory, and can be held at any point in the year.
Ibrahim Hussein, a former advisor to Riyadh’s minister of Hajj said, “Allowing women to perform Umrah without the company of a male relative simplifies their lives. They already face several hurdles and live in tough socioeconomic situations. This may make it harder to find a mahram or make Umrah more expensive while they are keen to perform the pilgrimage.” This statement, along with another one by Tawfiq Al Rabiah, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj brought an end to any debate over whether a mahram is necessary to accompany a woman in her religious travels. "A woman can come to the kingdom to perform Umrah without a mahram," said Rabiah.
In the wake of this decision, security has been increased to alleviate the risk of violence against women who wish to carry out their pilgrimages alone. All modes of transportation as well as the ports have been covered. Changes have also been made legislation-wise, with a stronger infrastructure that includes an anti-harassment framework being implemented.
There are deterrent punishments for anyone thinking about breaching the law. Furthermore, security cameras are required in critical sites like airports, border crossing ports, the Grand Mosque, the Prophet's Mosque, and others. As a result, a woman is protected, especially when she is in the company of other women”, the former adviser", a former adviser to the minister of Hajj said.
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