Saudi Arabia has changed its decadeslong rule that mandated single women be accompanied by a male relative when performing an Islamic pilgrimage, facilitating the participation of thousands of single Muslim women in the Hajj in 2023. The new rules don’t apply just during the Hajj. Women can also perform the Umrah, known as the “lesser pilgrimage,” or other routine pilgrimages such as ziyarat that can be undertaken any time of the year to Islamic holy sites, without a “mahram,” or male guardian.