Q. My wife, now in Riaydh, wants to visit Makkah, although she does not intend to perform the Umrah, but she will be alone because no one can travel with her. Can she make this travel without a mahram?
Arif
A. The whole point of the need for a mahram to travel with a woman is to take care of the woman and ensure that she comes to no harm. A mahram is a husband or a close relative who is forbidden for her to marry, such as her father, brother, nephew, son, etc. Therefore, when a woman is able to travel with safe companionship, there is no harm in her traveling without the company of such a close relative. The company should include some women so as to ensure that she comes to no harm. Thus, your wife can travel with such company if it is available. She should not hesitate to do the Umrah on her travel because of the lack of mahram. In fact, it is much better for her to do the Umrah since she is coming from a place beyond the Hil area.
Straightening the Lines in Prayer
Q. Could you please explain how the lines should be aligned in a congregational prayer? Should the point of alignment be the front or the back of the feet, and how close should one bring his foot to his neighbors’ foot? Some people seem to be very careful that worshippers should stand with their feet touching their neighbours’ feet, and even their ankles. Please comment.
A.K. Para
A. Although this is an important point, it is often taken to extreme, with some people trying hard throughout the prayer to ensure that the line is straight. In their enthusiasm they go to extreme, often causing their neighbors discomfort. Thus they do more harm than good.
The Prophet has taught us that the imam should ensure that the lines of the worshippers in a congregational prayer are straight. He also made clear that the point of alignment is the middle of each line, just behind the imam. There must be no gaps left between worshippers. Therefore, they must stand, as the Prophet taught, shoulder-to-shoulder. When shoulders are touching, we are certain that the line is straight. Thus, the gap between their feet is small, but without the discomfort that results from touching feet. When feet and shoulders touch, each worshipper will be standing with his legs wide apart, which is both uncomfortable and unsightly. Hence, the Prophet’s Hadith: “Stand shoulder to shoulder.” If we take the feet as the aligning factor, our lines may not be straight because people’s feet differ in size.