Appointing a non-Mahram as a Guardian

By Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Posted: 15 Rajab 1423, 22 September 2002


Q.) I have a question regarding guardianship. My friend wants to put me in his will as a guardian for his daughter if anything should happen to him. He currently has relatives but they all live in the far east while he is living in the U.S. My question is: What is the Islamic perspective with regards to non-mahram being guardians even though relatives are an option? Please advise me.

A.) It is permissible for an individual to appoint a non-mahram or in any other words whoever the individual feels befitting as a guardian but it should be remembered that if the guardian is a non-mahram then the laws of hijab will definitely apply to him when he has to interact with the other party. And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best