Passing by Meeqaat without the intention of performing Hajj or 'Umrah

18/10/2009| IslamWeb

Question:

1) If I go to perform Hajj and reached Makkah, can I leave Makkah for seeing person or visiting places like Jeddah after performing my 'Umrah (I am doing Hajj Tamattu) and before go to Mina? Do I need to do 'Umrah or Ihraam when cross Meeqaat coming from Jeddah to Makkah, or is it better? 2) After finishing my Hajj, if I go to Madeenah and come back to Makkah to get my luggage and things, what to do when I cross Meeqaat? If I am well and healthy, what about performing Umrah? What's wrong if I don't do that? Can you please quote all Hadeeth regarding this matter?

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

The person who performs Tamattu' Hajj comes out of the state of Ihraam whenever he finishes his 'Umrah unless he immediately enters in the state of Ihraam for Hajj. So, he may go Jeddah or anywhere. During his return to Makkah if he passes by Meeqaat intending 'Umrah then he has to enter in the state of Ihraam otherwise it is not compulsory. The Prophet said: "And these Mawaaqeet (Plural of Meeqaat) are for the residents of those places, and for travelers who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and 'Umrah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The same ruling applies if one comes back to Makkah from Madeenah after Hajj; if he intends to perform 'Umrah, he has to enter in the state of Ihraam from the Meeqaat. If he does not intend 'Umrah but comes Makkah for any other purpose like collecting his luggage or the like, then entering in the state of Ihraam is not compulsory. Because, observing Ihraam is compulsory only to the one who intends to perform 'Umrah. However, it is preferable to enter in Makkah with Ihraam intending 'Umrah for the saying of the Prophet : "Keep on doing Hajj and 'Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron and gold and silver." [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

He also said: "(The performance of) 'Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the next 'Umrah, and an accepted Hajj has no less a reward than Paradise."

Know dear brother that Jeddah is not out of the boundaries of the Meeqaat, there is no Meeqaat between it and Makkah. So, going there is just as going to 'Arafah and the other places which are within the boundaries of the Meeqaat.

Allah Knows best.