• Women: Traveling for studies
Can Muslim girls go to a non-Muslim country for study and enroll in a mixed institution of education?
What a Muslim girl should not do is to travel alone, whether to a Muslim or a non-Muslim country. She must be accompanied by a mahrem who may be either a husband or a close relative whom she may not marry, such as her father, brother, son, uncle, etc. You must have noticed that here in Kingdom, when a woman signs a contract for employment, she is required to have a mahrem coming with her. If she does not have a mahrem she may not be issued a visa, despite her having a contract of employment.
Studying in mixed institution of education depends on how the students conduct themselves. That a woman attends a lecture in a university which is attended by both men and women is permissible. What is not permissible is to socialize in the way it is practiced in the West. Therefore, if a Muslim woman observes the standards of propriety then she may pursue her studies in any institute.
• Women: Traveling without a male relative
Is it permissible for a Muslim girl to travel to another country without having a male relative with her? What about her travel alone when the flight may take six or seven hours? May I also ask how a woman should express her view in the defense of Islam? I agree that she is the weaker sex but God has granted her wisdom in equal measure to man. Please advise.
If we look at the restrictions on women’s travel and carefully examine its purpose, we find that it is all meant as a gesture of honor for women and to ensure that good care is taken of them at all times.
Besides, the travel on which she must have a male companion is that which takes at least one day and one night to cover. At that time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, that might have been a distance of 60 kilometers for the average traveler.
Does the restriction apply to this type of distance these days when we cover it in less than one hour by car or train? I believe that the expression of the restricted travel in time rather than distance is very significant. The Prophet, peace be upon him, could have mentioned distance, in accordance with its measurements of the time, but he did not because he did not wish to make things more difficult for Muslims.
The idea of the restrictions is that Muslim women should be well looked after during their travel. Hence, if a woman is traveling by bus, say, from Jeddah to Madinah, which is a distance covered today in a few hours, but needed a few days at the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, she may travel on her own, provided that she has the necessary care at her destination.
If this woman is traveling from her husband’s home in Jeddah to visit her parents in Madinah, she may do so, without having to do the actual traveling with her husband. The same with air travel. The important thing is that she would have at her destination a close relative, or some arrangements, which ensure that she would come to no trouble.
Women may be physically weaker than men, but this does not mean that they are lesser in status than men. Indeed when we look at what Islam requires of men and women, we find that they are equal in every respect. Hence, the obligations God has imposed on both men and women are the same, and the reward for doing them is the same in both cases. It is not for any person, therefore, to claim that Islam gives women a lesser status, because such a claim is false.
In explaining the message of Islam men and women can do equally valuable work. Both need to make sure that whatever they say about Islam is accurate. This comes from proper study and clear understanding of the Islamic message. It is always important to be certain of one’s sources. One should study in the best schools, be taught by the best teachers and make sure that what is taught is right. He or she is then able to express Islamic principles in proper manner. May God help you to achieve that.
• Women: Unacceptable treatment of women
I am referring to a practice which is found in many parts of the world. If a woman is walking alone, she is subjected to a great deal of teasing. If a woman is seen in the marketplace, many a young man try to touch or tease her. What does Islam say to this?
In the early days of Islam, when the Muslim community settled in Madinah and began to establish the first Islamic state, there were many non-believers, hypocrites and Jews in the city. Such people did not pay any heed to Islamic standards of propriety and decorum. On the contrary, they recognized that Islam placed very great emphasis on morality. All those people were hostile to Islam.
They wanted to have a go at it and tried to irritate the Muslim community. Some of them felt that one of the easiest ways to irritate the Muslims was to direct their abusive remarks at chaste Muslim women. The Qur'an takes such people to task, warns them that they must desist from such practices immediately, or they will be expelled from Madinah. At the same time, Muslim women were commanded to wear modest dress and to observe Islamic standards of propriety.
The following passage of the Qur'an refers to those events: "Those who malign believing men and believing women without their having done any wrong, will surely burden themselves with the guilt of calumny, and thus with a flagrant sin. Prophet, say to your wives and your daughters as well as believing women that they should draw over themselves some of their outer garments (when in public). This will be more conducive to their being recognized and not annoyed. God is indeed much forgiving, merciful. Thus it is; if the hypocrites, and those who are sick at heart, and those who try to cause disturbances in the city by spreading false rumors will not desist (from their hostile actions), We shall indeed give you mastery over them, and then they will not remain your neighbors in this city except for a short while. Bereft of God's mercy, they shall be seized wherever they may be found, and slain one and all." (33;56-61)
I think the answer to your question is very clear on the basis of these Qur'anic verses. The action of those people whom you describe is certainly forbidden. It is not at all acceptable from them or from anyone else. There are three types of action to be taken in order to remedy the situations you describe. The first is by Muslim women who must always bring their behavior in line with Islamic teachings. They should appear in public in such a way which will make them easily recognized as decent and chaste women. They must in no way do anything that may be understood as encouragement to such people.
Secondly, the local community must be on the alert to put an end to such actions as and when they are taken. If young people begin to annoy or irritate Muslim women, they must be taken to task immediately. Thirdly, the authorities should always be vigilant so that they can punish such behavior in a way which deter anyone from trying to annoy or tease Muslim women.