Male pilgrims don’t need to accompany female pilgrims to do Hajj in Saudi Arabia. A male guardian or a “mahram” was necessary to accompany the female pilgrims if they wanted to do Hajj. The Hajj and Umrah Services Adviser Ahmed Saleh Halabi was quoted saying, “It is now acceptable for a woman to perform Hajj or Umrah without a mahram, accompanied by “trustworthy women or secure company to perform Hajj or Umrah.”
“It makes women’s lives easier to be able to conduct Umrah without a male relative’s assistance. They already experience several difficulties and endure difficult socioeconomic conditions. While they are eager to undertake Umrah, this may make it more difficult to obtain a mahram or increase the cost of Umrah, according to Ibrahim Hussein, a former advisor to the minister of Hajj.
An ongoing debate came to an end, on whether or not a mahram or a male guardian is necessary to accompany a woman after the minister’s remarks during a news conference held at the Kingdom’s embassy in Cairo.
Safety measures have been extended across the Kingdom, as well as in all modes of transportation and at ports, to ensure women’s safety. According to the report, a strong infrastructure, including an anti-harassment framework, has been implemented in legislation.
“There are sanctions that serve as a deterrent to anyone considering breaking the law. Additionally, crucial locations including airports, border crossing points, the Grand Mosque, the Prophet’s Mosque, and others must have security cameras. As a result, a woman is safeguarded, particularly when she is around other women, according to the former adviser Hussein.