Her father is poor, and she is presently living on her own in the home of a local family. She shares only the accommodation with them; she eats and sleeps separately. They have granted her complete freedom to practise the requirements of her religion—prayer, fasting, and the like. Is her staying alone with this family a violation of the religion? In addition, she performs all her prayers only after returning from work, because, for several reasons, her workplace is not suitable for the performance of the prayers. What is the ruling on all of this?
Answer: First, we thank you, dear questioner, for holding fast to the religion and for your eagerness to observe its rites. As for leaving your husband when you discovered that he shows no commitment to the faith, does not pray, and does not fast, that was what the Law required of you. It is impermissible for you to remain with him in such a state, because whoever deliberately abandons the prayer is a disbeliever, and a Muslim woman may not stay under the marital bond of such a man. You acted with the utmost excellence in separating from this wicked husband and safeguarding your religion by distancing yourself from him.
Regarding your journey to Belgium on your own and your residence with a family to whom you are not related, this is not permissible:
- A woman may not travel without a mahram (an unmarriageable male relative).
- It is forbidden for a Muslim woman to reside with an unrelated family and with men who are not her maharim.
Therefore, my advice to you is to return to your homeland, or for your father to travel with you if you wish to go to Belgium or anywhere else. For you to travel alone and live alone—or to reside with a family to whom you are unrelated—is something Islam does not sanction and Allah, exalted is He, does not approve of, for a woman is ʿawrah,