Current Administrative Policy

• Saudi authorities now allow women to obtain an Umrah visa without a male guardian.
• Women of any adult age (18+) may perform Umrah independently or as part of a group without a mahram.
• Earlier policy only permitted women 45 years and older to travel without a mahram when part of an organised group.
• In practice, many licensed tour operators now offer women-only Umrah packages where female pilgrims travel and stay together under official supervision.

This administrative change reflects Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to modernise and make pilgrimage more accessible under Vision 2030 reforms.

The Islamic Ruling On Women Performing Umrah Alone

Now that we understand the Saudi government allows women to perform Umrah without a mahram, the question remains: is this also permitted Islamically?

According to the Islamic rulings, a woman should not travel for Umrah without a Mahram.

A Mahram is a male relative whom a woman cannot marry due to blood, breastfeeding, or marital relations, such as:

• Father
• Brother
• Son
• Husband
• Uncle
• Father-in-law

The Prophet ﷺ said: “A woman must not travel except with a Mahram.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

This ruling is upheld by the majority of classical scholars and remains the safest and most precautionary opinion, especially for long-distance journeys like Umrah. Travelling with a Mahram protects a woman’s physical safety, emotional well-being, and religious integrity.

Even though Saudi law may allow women to travel without a mahram administratively, this does not change the traditional Islamic requirement as understood by many scholars, especially when a long journey is involved.

Rules Of Umrah For Women

Women pilgrims enter the state of Ihram differently from men:

• Women can wear regular modest clothing in any colour
• Clothing should be non-attractive, loose and opaque
• A woman must not wear a face veil (niqab) or gloves while in Ihram
• Head covering (hijab) is permitted and required

Women may enter the Ihram during menstruation or post-natal bleeding after performing ghusl and making intention. However:

• Tawaf must be delayed until purity is attained
• Other rituals (except Tawaf) may be performed
• Dhikr, dua, and remembrance of Allah are allowed
• Scholars should be consulted if time constraints arise

Note: It is recommended to consult and seek an opinion from scholars on doubtful Islamic matters.