Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took credit for Saudi Arabia changing its guidelines allowing women to register for the annual Hajj pilgrimage without a male guardian (mahram) as his own government’s achievement, leaving netizens in splits.
Modi was addressing the 28th National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) foundation day programme on Tuesday through video conferencing.
While claiming that India always uphelds human rights, he said his government has provided new rights to Muslim women by outlawing the practice of Triple Talaq and claimed that his government ‘freed’ them from performing the Hajj without a ‘Mahram’. #WATCH | At 28th NHRC Foundation Day PM Modi says, "…For decades, Muslim women were demanding laws against Triple Talaq. We provided new rights to them by forming a law against Triple Talaq. Our govt also freed Muslim women from the compulsion of 'Mahram' during Haj…" pic.twitter.com/juX4gGN0lr— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2021
Who is a Mahram and can a woman travel for Hajj without one?
A mahram is a person whom a woman is not permitted to marry either because of their close blood relationship or because they are related by marriage (husband, husband’s father, grandfather, etc.)
According to Islamic law, it is not permissible for a woman to travel for Hajj without being accompanied by a mahram.
Saudia Airlines‘ website detailing the Hajj and Umrah Visa guidelines also notes that women are required to travel for Hajj or Umrah with a Mahram. However, any woman over the age of 45 may travel without a Mahram with an organized group, provided she submits a letter of no objection from her Mahram authorizing her to travel for Hajj with the named group.
However, this year Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj announced that women can now register for the Hajj without a male guardian. “Those wishing to perform Hajj will have to register individually. Women can register without a mahram (male guardian) along with other women,” the ministry explained in an infograph.
Requirements and procedure of registration for #Hajj2021 via the electronic portal for domestic pilgrims. https://t.co/gdLeLpzKf8 pic.twitter.com/U3r11sKwct— Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (@MoHU_En) June 13, 2021
However, it is still unclear if this year’s rule was an exception or would be a norm.
Not the first time
Incidentally, this is not the first time PM Modi has claimed that his government has removed the Islamic ruling of having a ‘Mahram’ for women to go on the Hajj.
In 2017, in his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki baat’, Modi made the same false claim.
