Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving

 

 All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad.

 

It is wrong to say that Islam restricts a woman’s movement before or after marriage. Women have the right to do so as long as they abide by the moral guidelines. However, Islam wants to protect women from predatory men; it applies where there is a genuine reason to fear for her safety.

 

We cannot extend these rules to rule that a woman cannot go out for her ordinary business or work or activities such as going for a walk, and so on without her husband’s permission. Such rules have no basis in the revealed texts; The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not place any restrictions on women’s movements; nay, they fully participated in public life. Women were active in public life as documented in the sources.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.