Mahram is an Arabic term derived from ‘haraam’ which literally refers to something which is sacred or prohibited. In the terminology of Islamic Fiqh, a non-Mahram is a person with whom marriage is generally permissible. A Mahram is an unmarriageable person with whom marriage is totally unlawful at all times on the basis of kinship, whether he or she is of uterine relationship or not.
A person may be Mahram because of any of the three types of relationship; (1) blood ties (2) breastfeeding ties (3) and ties by marriage. Enumerating the types of Mahrams, the Quran says,
“Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives’ mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not consummated the marriage with them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful” (4:23)
