Is My Wife’s Maternal Aunt A Mahram To Me After Marriage?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

My wife’s maternal aunt is childless, recently widowed, and in her ‘idda. She is like a mother to us, and we are staying with her to support her. Am I required to maintain gender separation from her during this period?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I hope you are in good health and faith.

The wife’s sister, maternal aunt, paternal aunt, grandmother’s sister, or grandfather’s sister does not become unlawful merely because of marriage and consummation.

Therefore, the wife’s maternal aunt is considered a non-mahram (stranger), and observing hijab and maintaining modest interaction with her is obligatory.

Through marriage and consummation, only the following women become permanently unlawful for a man:

The wife’s mother, grandmother, great-grandmother (maternal or paternal). The wife’s daughter, granddaughter (son’s daughter), granddaughter (daughter’s daughter), and so on (only if marriage is consummated). [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction insha’Allah.

Related: Who is Mahram—SeekersGuidance

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Currently, he resides in the UK with his wife and is interested in reading and gardening.