The Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, announced that mahram (blood relative), usually a male guardian, is no longer required to accompany a woman pilgrim to perform Hajj or Umrah (lesser Hajj).
Saudi law stipulates that a woman needs a Mahram (guardian) which could be her father, husband, blood brother and her biological son when performing Hajj.
The minister stated this on Monday in Egypt during a meeting with his counterpart, the Egyptian Interior Minister, Mahmoud Tawfik, discussing the 2023 Hajj preparations, Hajj Reporters, a Nigerian newspaper that reports Hajj activities, reported.
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The announcement brought to an end the controversy caused by a policy introduced by the kingdom in 2019.
Since then, the country has only allowed women above 40 years to travel to the country in the last lesser Hajj season without a guardian.
With the new announcement on Monday, all eligible women can now travel to the Holy Land with or without male guardians for Hajj and lesser Hajj.
