Ruling on bringing a servant without a mahram

Praise be to Allah.

Bringing a servant without a mahram is an act of disobedience towards the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because it was narrated in a saheeh report that he said: “No woman should travel without a mahram.” And because bringing her without a mahram may be a cause of her being a source of fitnah (temptation) and exposing her to fitnah herself. That which may cause fitnah is forbidden, because that which may lead to something haraam is also haraam. 

With regard to the fact that some people take this matter lightly, this is a calamity, and their saying that this is necessary does not count as proof, because even if we assume that it is necessary to bring servants, it is not necessary to bring them without mahrams. Similarly the opinion of some of them that the sin of her travelling without a mahram is on her shoulders or those of the company that brings servants into the country does not count as proof either, because the one who makes it easy for another to do something haraam is a partner in the sin and in helping him to commit it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

Allaah and His Messenger have commanded us to enjoin that which good and forbid that which is evil. Bringing a female servant without a mahram is approving evil, not forbidding or denouncing it.

 Fatwa of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, from the book Majmoo’at Rasaa’il wa Fataawa Naseehat al-Muslimeen bi Sha’n al-Khadam wa’l-Saa’iqeen (A collection of Essays and Fatwas Advising the Muslims with regard to the Matter of Servants and Drivers).

 With regard to the ruling on staying in kaafir lands, please see questions no. 12866 and 10175.