Can a Non-mahram Live on Rent in Our House?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Can a non-mahram live on rent in our house?

Answer

Thank you for your question.

I assume you are talking about a family living in a house, and a non-mahram man would rent the basement or a bedroom.

It is permissible for a non-mahram to rent a room in your house or the basement as long as there is no khalwa between him and a woman. It can be very difficult if there is no separate entrance, and the women will have to cover and take precautions around the house. It would not be a desirable situation, but doable if both parties understand what is right and wrong.

Please see these links for more details:
Living with Non-Mahram Male Relatives
Hadith About Seclusion (khalwa) and Unmarriageable Kin (mahram)
Is It Permissible for Me to Stay in a Flat With My Brother’s Wife If a Child Is With Us?
What Is the Meaning of Khalwa (Seclusion) with the Opposite Gender?

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.