İsmailağa community now interferes with women's travel

The remarks of a person named Hasan Alkan from the Uluçınar Association, which operates as the Bursa representative of the İsmailağa community, have caused a backlash on social media.

90-kilometer limit

Stating that "a woman cannot travel more than 90 kilometers alone," Alkan said the following:

"A woman cannot travel more than 90 kilometers alone. 'Sister, where are you going?', 'Son, I'm going to Erzurum', 'And who are you going with?', 'By myself'... 'Sister, this is not right, you cannot go, it is not permissible (caiz)', 'What are you saying? What is this? I can even go to Germany'... Well, you can go, you have the money, you get on a plane and go, but... Look, our scholars on the fatwa board at İsmailağa say that 'A woman cannot travel more than 90 kilometers without a mahram, meaning without her uncle, maternal uncle, son, or nephew.' They say, 'But teacher, I am going on Umrah,' well, don't go. God is testing you. 'But I don't have a mahram,' if God hasn't given you a mahram, then don't go on Umrah. Perhaps you will gain more if you don't go."

Those words caused a major backlash on social media, especially from women.