The ruling on one who passes a miqat without entering ihram and heads to al-Madinah, from where he enters ihram?

Question : A man came from Abu Dhabi to Jeddah by plane, then headed from Jeddah to al-Madinah, then entered ihram for 'Umrah from Abi 'Araq. What is the ruling on this man?

Answer : We tell this man: Did you come from your country intending to go to al-Madinah and then return from there to Makkah? If so, your action is valid. That is, if a person comes from his country intending to go to al-Madinah and then intends to return to Makkah to perform 'Umrah, he is not required to enter ihram from the miqat he passed before al-Madinah; he is not required to do so. Rather, we say: Go to al-Madinah and enter ihram from the miqat of the people of al-Madinah, especially since the miqat of the people of al-Madinah is the farthest of the miqats from Makkah. However, if a person came to Makkah intending to perform 'Umrah and did not intend to go to al-Madinah, but then something occurred and he went, in that case we say: He must return and enter ihram from the miqat he first passed.