Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

QUESTION:

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Can you tell me the ruling concerning which step siblings are considered your mahram and which of them should we observe the hijab with.  Let’s say for instance, I was an only child for My mother and father, then they got divorced.  My mother then got married to another man and had 2 kids (a boy and girl) for him. They got divorced and my mother got married to someone else. The person had his sons with him from his ex wife and now all of us live in the same house including my mom children. My step father and mother had 2 more kids (a girl and a boy) later on. My sister from my mother’s second husband and I both wear the hijab infront of my step father’s sons(from his ex). Can you please tell me between the three of us (sisters), who is considered mahram from all of the brothers and step brothers. Jazak Allah khaira.

ANSWER:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

When your mother got married to the first person and she had a boy and a girl for him, the boy from that marriage is your half-brother, and not your step brother. He is your mahram because both of you share the same mother.

When your mother got married to the second person who had sons with him from his ex-wife, these (sons) will be your step brothers and they are not your mahram, hence, you will need to observe hijab in front of them.

The two kids (a girl and a boy) your step father and mother had are not step siblings. The girl is your half-sister and the boy is your half-brother, because you all share the same mother. Hence, the boy will be your mahram and you don’t have to observe hijab in front of him.

And Allah Knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

18/04/2018