Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Saudi Arabia‘s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, said that women traveling to Saudi Arabia can now complete their pilgrimages without a mahram, or male guardian. According to the state agency SPA, this and other announcements were made at a press conference held at the Kingdom’s Embassy in Cairo. Osama bin Ahmed Nugali, the Saudi ambassador to Egypt, as well as top representatives from the embassy and ministry attended the ceremony.
It is now OK for a woman to conduct Hajj or Umrah without a mahram as long as she is accompanied by “trustworthy women or a secure company to perform Hajj or Umrah. This is the view of the Maliki and Shafi’i scholars.” according to Hajj and Umrah Services Adviser Ahmed Saleh Halabi.
The issue over whether a mahram must accompany a woman or not was put to rest by the minister’s remarks during a press conference held at the kingdom’s embassy in Cairo. He said that there is no cap on the number of Umrah visas issued to Muslims worldwide. (Diazepam)
He further declared that Muslims entering the country on any type of visa would be able to conduct Umrah. Al-Rabiah stated that almost 200 billion Saudi Riyals, or more than $53 billion, have already been spent on expanding the Great Mosque in Mecca. The biggest and most expensive expansion in history is this one. The minister said that in order to make the Hajj accessible to everyone, the ministry is seeking to lower the cost of attending it.
According to author Faten Ibrahim Hussein, a former advisor to the Minister of Hajj, the amenities are offered to help Saudi Arabia realize its 2030 goal. She continued by saying that all forms of transportation and facilities have been introduced, increasing the security in the kingdom and making it simpler for tourists. She stated: “There are many women who come to the Kingdom to work without a mahram, and since we live in a secure environment, there have been no major incidences… There is no longer any reason to be afraid of women entering without a mahram “According to Arab news.
