Issues related to Mīqāts

Issue 112: If one has no knowledge about the location of mīqāt or it’s parallel, it can be determined by shar‘ī evidence i.e. by the testimony of two just witnesses or public knowledge regarding that place which makes one confident about it. It is not obligatory to investigate to become sure. If one is not sure and there is no testimony of two just witnesses or public knowledge, one should act upon his guess (more than 50%) obtained by asking people with sound knowledge of that locality.

Issue 113: Wearing iḥrām before reaching mīqāt is invalid. However, if a person does nadhr of wearing iḥrām before the place of mīqāt, the rule is different. For example, if a person does nadhr that he will wear iḥrām from the Holy city of Medina or from his own city, he should wear iḥrām from this very place and his wearing iḥrām will be valid.

Issue 114: If a person passes the mīqāt without wearing iḥrām on purpose or due to ignorance or negligence, he should return to the place of mīqāt and wear iḥrām from there.

Issue 115: If a person passes the mīqāt without wearing iḥrām due to negligence, forgetfulness or ignorance of the ruling, and he cannot return to the place of mīqāt due to shortage of time or another excuse while he has not entered the Ḥaram, on the basis of obligatory caution, he should go back towards mīqāt as much as possible and wear iḥrām from there. If he has entered the Ḥaram, he should exit the Ḥaram. In case, he cannot exit Ḥaram due to shortage of time or the like, he should wear iḥrām inside the Ḥaram where the excused (negligence, forgetfulness or ignorance of the ruling) is removed.

Issue 116: In normal condition, it is not permissible to delay in wearing iḥrām whether there is another mīqāt in front of him or not.

Issue 117: If a person is prevented from wearing iḥrām in one of the mīqāts, he is allowed to wear iḥrām from another mīqāt.

Issue 118: If a person avoids wearing iḥrām intentionally and he is unable to return to mīqāt due to shortage of time or another excuse and there is no other mīqāt ahead of him, and as a consequence the time for performing ‘umrah is too short, he has missed ‘umrah and his hajj is invalid. If he is still mustaṭī‘ or hajj has become obligatory for him [even after losing istiṭā‘ah], he should perform hajj next year.

Issue 119: Jeddah is not considered as mīqāt nor parallel to any mīqāt. Therefore, wearing iḥrām for ‘umrah tamattu‘ from this place in normal conditions is invalid. Moreover, it is obligatory for every one to go to one of mīqāts to wear iḥrām. In case, he is unable to go to mīqāt points, on the basis of obligatory caution, he should wear iḥrām by nadhr from Jeddah.

Issue 120: If a person after wearing iḥrām and exit mīqāt, becomes aware that his/her iḥrām is incorrect, it is obligatory for him to go to a mīqāt and wear iḥrām, if possible. If he cannot do so except after entering Mecca, he must wear iḥrām from Adnal-Ḥill with the intention of ‘umrah mufradah and after performing rituals of ‘umrah mufradah, he must go back to one of the mīqāts and wear iḥrām for ‘umrah tamattu‘.

Issue 121: A person who has performed ‘umrah tamattu‘ is permitted to exit holy city of Mecca, provided that he is certain about his return to the holy city of Mecca.

However, on the basis of mustaḥabb caution, it is better not to do so except for dire need or emergency. On the basis of caution, firstly he should wear iḥrām for hajj and then he may exit the holy city of Mecca. If wearing iḥrām would cause hardship, he may exit the holy city of Mecca without iḥrām. Those people who want to observe this caution and are compelled to exit the holy city of Mecca once or more e.g. the workers of caravans, may perform ‘umrah mufradah first and perform ‘umrah of tamattu‘ just before becoming muḥrim for hajj. In this case, they should wear iḥrām for ‘umrah tamattu‘ from the mīqāt and after performing ‘umrah tamattu‘, they should wear iḥrām for hajj from the holy city of Mecca.

Issue 122: Criterion of exiting the holy city of Mecca between ‘umrah tamattu‘ and hajj is to depart from the current city of Mecca. Therefore, visiting a place which is now considered a part of the holy city of Mecca though was not considered a part of the holy city of Mecca in the past will not be considered exiting Mecca.

Issue 123: For a person who has performed ‘umrah tamattu‘ and exited Mecca without wearing iḥrām, if he returns to the Mecca during the same month in which he has performed ‘umrah, there is no need to wear iḥrām again for entering in the holy city of Mecca. If this person returns in the next month of performing, e.g. if he performs ‘umrah in the month of Dhul-Qa‘dah, departs from Mecca, and return to the holy city of Mecca during the month of Dhul-Ḥijjah, or if he performs ‘umrah in the month of Dhul-Qa‘dah, departs in the month of Dhul-Ḥijjah and returns again, it is obligatory for him to wear iḥrām for ‘umrah again in order to enter into the holy city of Mecca and his ‘umrah tamattu‘ which is connected with hajj will be his second ‘umrah tamattu‘. If he does not wear iḥrām again and perform second ‘umrah, his hajj tamattu‘ is not valid.

Issue 124: On the basis of obligatory caution, one should not perform ‘umrah mufradah after performing ‘umrah tamattu‘ and prior to hajj tamattu‘. But if he performs it, it does not make ‘umrah and hajj tamattu‘ invalid.