Mahram rule may be dropped for women haj pilgrims over 45 years

Mahram rule in haj means women haj pilgrims must travel with male guardian, it may be any close male relative such as Father, son, Husband. India may soon allow women Haj pilgrims aged over 45 years to travel without a mahram.

Nearly half of an estimated 170,000 pilgrims who went for the annual religious celebration in Saudi Arabia from India this year were women, officials said

If the reforms come in force then women aged over 45 and travelling in group of four will be allowed to go for the Islamic haj pilgrimage without a male guardian next year.

“The mahram rule was there from the very beginning for women - in case they face any difficulty while travelling, it can be taken care of,” said Maqsood Ahmed Khan of the Haj Committee of India, a government body which organises the pilgrimages.“This (dropping of male kin) is an important recommendation,” the chief executive