Hadith Text & Context

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No man should stay with a lady in seclusion except in the presence of a Dhu-Muhram." A man stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My wife has gone out intending to perform the Hajj and I have been enrolled (in the army) for such-and-such campaign." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Return and perform the Hajj with your wife."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5233 | Book: Wedlock, Marriage (Nikaah)

Prohibition of Seclusion (Khalwah)

The primary ruling establishes the prohibition of a man and woman being alone together (khalwah) unless she is accompanied by a mahram - a male relative whom she cannot marry permanently (father, brother, son, etc.). This prevents potential temptation and preserves moral boundaries.

Scholars explain that seclusion refers to any situation where a man and non-mahram woman are alone in a place where others cannot unexpectedly enter, creating opportunity for sin.

The Companion's Dilemma

A companion faced conflict between military duty and religious obligation when his wife traveled for Hajj without mahram accompaniment. His concern demonstrates the companions' meticulous adherence to Prophetic guidance.

The situation highlights that even for obligatory acts like jihad, one must first fulfill more immediate religious duties - in this case, protecting his wife's religious integrity during pilgrimage.

Priority of Religious Obligations

The Prophet's command to accompany his wife demonstrates the hierarchy of Islamic duties. While jihad is highly meritorious, preventing potential religious violation takes precedence.

This establishes that fulfilling obligations which prevent harm or sin takes priority over voluntary acts of worship, even those as significant as military jihad.

Scholarly Conclusions

Classical scholars derived from this hadith that a woman cannot travel without a mahram, regardless of distance or purpose, except in extreme necessity.

The ruling applies to all journeys, not just Hajj, based on the general wording of the prohibition and the specific application in this incident.

This hadith forms the foundation for Islamic guidelines regarding gender interaction and travel restrictions in classical jurisprudence.