Women's Hajj

A female pilgrim should be accompanied by her husband or a person unmarriageable to her, for Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with the son and his father) said: I heard Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) saying, "A female pilgrim should not travel except in the company of her husband or a person unmarriageable to her." A man stood and said, "O Messenger of Allah! My wife is going to perform Hajj while I have listed myself among those who will participate in a battle." He replied, "Go and perform Hajj with your wife."

The Hanafis and Hanbalis have held that a female pilgrim should be accompanied by her husband or a person unmarriageable to her. The Shafi`is have held that she may be accompanied by her husband, a person unmarriageable to her or by pious and upright women; and some said that only one pious and upright woman is enough.

The Malikis maintained that she can go in the company of a trustworthy group if she could reach Mecca in no more than full day. If a woman does not fulfill this condition and goes to perform Hajj alone without her husband or a relative unmarriageable to her, her Hajj is valid but she shall bear the sin of not abiding by the commands of Hajj. These conditions are only required in the obligatory Hajj or `Umrah.

Seeking the husband's permission to perform Hajj:
A husband has no right to forbid his wife from performing the obligatory Hajj or a votive Hajj, but he can forbid her from going on a voluntary Hajj. In this case, she is to bear the costs of the necessary companion, but neither her husband nor the relative unmarriageable to her is obliged to travel with her.

As for the women giving birth to a child or having monthly period, they should complete the Hajj rituals except circumambulating the Sacred House. This is based on the hadith of `Aisha (Allah may be pleased with her) said: I came to Mecca while having my monthly period and performed neither circumambulation around the Sacred House nor Sa`i between Safa and Marwah. I narrated this to the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: "Act as a pilgrim should act but avoid circumambulation until you get pure."

in case she gets impure due to menstruation or childbirth before performing the Arrival CircumambulatioIn, she is not obliged to perform it and nothing is required from her.

In case she gets impure due to menstruation or childbirth before performing the Ifadah Circumambulation, she should maintain her state of Ihram until she gets pure and then circumambulate.

Malikis, Shafi`is and Hanbalis held that her Circumambulation would not be accepted so long as she is in the state of menstruation. Hanafis maintained that her Circumambulation is valid, yet undesirable and sinful.

In case she gets impure due to menstruation or childbirth after performing the Ifadah Circumambulation, she is not obliged to perform the Farewell Circumambulatio