Hajj: Women pilgrims no longer need to be accompanied by male guardian

Male guardian or ‘mahram’ is no longer required with a woman pilgrim on Hajj or Umrah in Saudi Arabia. The change was announced by the Minister of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah.

Women travelling to the gulf nation for the pilgrimage can now do so without a mahram, Arab News has reported quoting the minister. The announcement came at a press conference in the Saudi Arabian embassy in Egypt capital Cairo. This puts an end to the contention around the requirement of a mahram with women going for the sacred pilgrimage.

The minister also said that Umrah visas for Muslims from around the world had no ceiling or quota. Pilgrims coming to the Kingdom from around the world with any visas will be permitted to perform Umrah, he said.

He also gave an update on the recent expansion of the Great Mosque in Mecca, which is by far the biggest and most expensive expansion in history where the cost has now surpassed $53 billion or almost 200 billion Saudi Riyals or over $53 billion.

"There are many women who come to the Kingdom to work without a mahram, and there are no significant incidents, thanks to the security we live in…There is no fear for women to come without a mahram because the reason for that no longer exists," Ibrahim Hussein, a former advisor to the minister was quoted as saying. 

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