“Allah Is Calling Us Home,” Say Women Going on Haj – Without Men

Muslim women from Lucknow have left for the Haj pilgrimage without a male guardian for the first time.

Muslim women on leaving for Haj pilgrimage alone 

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam

Indian Muslim women have left for the Haj pilgrimage without a male guardian. In a historic move that comes three years after Saudi Arabia relaxed the rule, the Indian government has approved Muslim women to go on the Haj pilgrimage on their own.

As per the new law, only women over the age of 45 years are allowed to visit the Haj without a male guardian. Twenty women have left from Lucknow to go on Haj, becoming the first women from the city to do so.

Lucknow resident Shamim Bano says her dream has come true.

I told my paternal cousin that I am going on Haj. He asked me who was going to accompany me. I said, ‘four women’. He told me that I cannot go on Haj without being accompanied by a mahram. I was very upset when I heard that. My brother told me that I have filled the form in Allah’s name so I must go. I mustered up the courage and changed my mind and now I am very happy that I am going on Haj.   

Shamin Bano, Lucknow Resident 

The women going on Haj are extremely happy.

It gives me immense pleasure that I am going to Allah’s abode. We are going there to please Allah. We can only please Allah if we can please his children. Now that we are going on Haj, we must go with a chastened heart. We must proceed without any ill-feeling against anyone.

Baby Khatun, Lucknow Resident 

This story was originally published on The Quint Hindi.