Is The Husband Of Her Husband's
Daughter A Mahram For Her? Your Father's Wife's Mother
Is Not A Mahram For You
Islamic Rulings -
Living Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
Is it permissible for me not to observe hijab
before the husband of my husband's daughter or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The husband of your husband's daughter is not a mahram
for you, because there is no reason to suggest that he
is a mahram. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers,
your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters,
your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your
sister's daughters, your foster mothers who gave you
suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives'
mothers, your stepdaughters under your guardianship,
born of your wives to whom you have gone in — but
there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them
(to marry their daughters), — the wives of your sons
who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in
wedlock at the same time, except for what has already
passed; verily, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
Also (forbidden are) women already married, except
those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Thus has
Allaah ordained for you. All others are lawful"
[al-Nisa' 4:23, 24]
Based on that, you have to observe hijab before him,
and it is not permissible to you to uncover in front
of him or to be alone with him, because he is a
stranger or non-mahram like all other non-mahrams.
As for the husband of your daughter, he is a mahram
for you, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): "your wives' mothers".
And Allaah knows best.
Your father's wife's mother is not a mahram for you
My father took a second wife and it is known that she
has become a mahram for me, but my question is: Has
her mother also become a mahram for me?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The mahrams through marriage fall into four
categories:
1. The ascendants of the husband [his father and
grandfathers] become mahrams to the wife.
2. The descendents of the husband [his sons and
grandsons] become mahrams to the wife.
3. The ascendants of the wife [her mother and
grandmothers] become mahrams to the husband.
These three categories become mahrams as soon as the
marriage contract is done.
4. The descendants of the wife [her daughters and
granddaughters] become mahrams to the husband. In this
case there must be consummation. Once consummation
takes place, then her daughters from a previous or
subsequent husband become mahrams to him forever.
End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti' (12/128).
Thus it is clear that the mother of the father's wife
does not become a mahram for his sons.
It is permissible for a man to marry a woman, and for
his son to marry her mother, or her daughter, because
that is included in the words of Allaah, after
mentioning the women who are mahrams (interpretation
of the meaning):
"All others are lawful"
[al-Nisa' 4:24]
And Allaah knows best.
The wife's grandmother is a mahram to the husband
Is my wife's paternal grandmother a mahram, i.e., can
she uncover her face in front of me?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The wife's grandmother – either paternal or maternal –
becomes a mahram to the husband once the marriage
contract is done, because she is included in the verse
in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"your wives' mothers"
[al-Nisa' 4:23].
Thus the mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers
of the wife, no matter how far the line of ascent
reaches, are mahrams to the husband.
It says in Zaad al-Mustaqni‘: His wife's mother and
her grandmothers become mahrams once the marriage
contract is done.
See al-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 12/118
It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah,
15/121:
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that it is haraam
to marry grandmothers in all cases, whether they are
through the mother or through the father, no matter
how far the line of ascent reaches, and that is
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers"
[al-Nisa' 4:23]. Mothers are all those to whom one is
attributed through birth, whether they are called
mothers in the real sense or metaphorically – i.e.,
the one who gave birth to you or the one who gave
birth to the one who gave birth to you – no matter how
far the line of ascent reaches, and whether they are
heirs or not. End quote.
Based on that: she may uncover her face in front of
you.
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