Is it true that Muslim women can't be alone with another man they are not married to?

Question

I heard that Muslim women can't be in the same room/house with a man they aren't married too? Is that true and if it is why is that? thanks a lot.

Answer 1

There are some Prophetic traditions (Hadiths) that prohibit that a man and a woman, who are alien to each other, be in a closed place without a third person.

This rule addresses men and women equally and it's not because women are considered bad! It's there for many reasons:
1) Avoid any possible falling in adultery or fornication. I know many people would say this is ridiculous but let's be frank: This is how many cases of fornication start, right?

2) Protect the reputation of both (man and woman.) Many people would find it easy to spread lies about them when it is known that they have stayed in a closed place without a third person.

It must be clarified that the Islamic law specifies that it is allowed for more than one man to be with a woman, if these men are trusted people and wouldn't hurt her. Also close relatives are allowed to stay with each other in a closed place without any problem: for example: father, brother, uncle, grandfather, nephew. A cousin is considered alien because in Islam it is permitted that cousins get married.

Hope this made things clear.

Salaam/peace.

Answer 2

you make that sound like a bad thing...
i worked with loss prevention at a department store and whenever they caught a woman stealing, I had to stay in the security office with her because all the security are men...and this is American law!!
it is for both the man and the womens safety. The man could take advantage of the woman...the woman could falsely accuse the man of doing something to her... the list goes on..

Answer 3

It is a religious rule and not a cultural one that applies to both major sects of Islam. Some scholars tie to the rule the clause about the seclusion leading to sin, meaning that it is sinful is the seclusion leads to any act that is outright prohibited in Islam. I am not certain of a prohibition to seclusion in a house.

Prophet Muhammad was married to his first wife, Khadijah, for a quarter of a century. Both loved each other very much, as is testified by the sayings of both of them; and she bore him his only surviving child, their daughter Fatimah. Khadijah's death ended the marriage. This was a monogamy. Prophet Muhammad's next wife was an elderly widow. In fact, only Khadijah and two other of Prophet Muhammad's wives were younger than 36 years of age. (many historians even state that Khadijah was older than Prophet Muhammad, though I do not share this opinion.) He then married Ayesha, but did not consummate the marriage for a couple of years. Ayesha's later sayings indicated that she was very much in love with her husband and jealous of his other wives. Even so, none of his other wives bore him children except his final wife, Maryam al Koptiyah. Their son died in childhood. Prophet Muhammad did not have any problems with chastity; and it has nothing to do with Islamic laws about gender segregation.

Answer 4

Some, yes. It's the same as American women hanging out on lonely streets in the middle of the night....it's for their protection. Arabic culture is very much different from U. S. culture.

Answer 5

Traditionally, Muslim women are not even allowed to show their hair to a man throughout her whole life, only when she finds a husband can she show it TO HER HUSBAND ONLY.

and thats pretty harsh, so can you imagine what would happen to a woman if she was caught with another man alone?

so to answer your question, yes its true what u ask.

Answer 6

Assuming you are a man: Would you be comfortable to let your wife be alone with another man?

Answer 7

It's true, and the same goes for us men too.

Answer 8

iTS THE SAME FOR A MAN. tHATS BECAUSE SECLUSION CAN LEAD TO SINS VERY SLOWLY. aDULETRY IS A MAJOR SIN IN ISLAM. tHUS, ISLAM BELIEVS IN CUTTING OFF THE VERY ROOT OF THE SIN.

Answer 9

very true, and its because they are afraid the men wont behave.

Answer 10

it depends on what country/culture they are from, this is not a religious restricition, it's a cultural one.