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Fatwa CenterA Muslim girl living in a non-Muslim country without a Mahram
Question
I am a student in University and I live in a small dormitory with about 13 other girls. We have good security and the security guard makes regular rounds. I live far away from home and don't have a Mahram man anywhere near by. My question is: should I be here without a Mahram male? I just think about widows and divorced women, they don't have Mahrams living with them. Also I traveled with my brother. I know women cannot travel alone but is this considered traveling since I have settled down in one place? I would just like to know what exactly is meant by "Traveling". Does it mean physically moving or does it mean residing in a country away from home for several months. Please let me know. Please note; there are no Universities at all in my home country and education is necessary today because I would need a university degree to get a good job to feed my children just in case something happens to my future husband. Both my home country and this country are non-Muslim countries.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
What is meant by travelling, according to the Muslim scholars, is to go or move from a place of residence to another place covering a distance equal to 83 Km or more. This is the travel considered in many rules regarding shortening the prayers, breaking the fast and similar issues. However, the Sharee’ah rules that apply to a traveler are terminated by the traveler’s return to his home or his intention to staying more than four days in a given place. This is the opinion of the majority of the Muslim scholars.
So, any travelling person who intends to remain somewhere for more than four days he is no longer considered a traveler. So, all rulings related to travelling do no longer apply to him. Since your brother accompanied you during your trip and as long as the place where you dwell is secure and the people with whom you live are peaceful, then if these conditions are met, your brother does not have to stay with you because you are no longer travelling and it is the travel that requires a Mahram.
Moreover, the lawfulness of studying abroad is restricted to being able to study in a safe environment where the woman does not uncover herself or get mixed with non-Mahram men as this might lead to bad consequences.
Allah knows best.
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