Let no man stay the night in the place of a previously married woman unless he is her husband or her Mahram

Let no man stay the night in the place of a previously married woman unless he is her husband or her Mahram

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let no man stay the night in the place of a previously married woman unless he is her husband or her Mahram."

[Sahih/Authentic.] [Muslim]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids staying the night at the place of a woman whom one is not married to, especially that of a woman who has been previously married, for she is often accessible. Virgins, however, avoid men. If men are forbidden access to non-virgins, who are usually accessible, then they are even more so forbidden access to virgins. The exception here applies to one's wife and one's blood relatives, such as his mother; daughter; sister; relatives through fostering, such the suckling mother; and relatives through marriage, such as one's mother-in-law. "Staying the night" does not mean that a man is allowed to stay in seclusion with a non-Mahram woman during the daytime. According to Sahīh Al-Bukhāri, the interdiction is general and not restricted to the night time. If a Mahram, however, is not trustworthy, a non-Mahram woman must be accompanied by other women.

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Rulings of Women