What is the ruling on one who arrives in Jeddah and says, “If my sponsor permits me, I will perform ‘Umrah, otherwise I will not,” and likewise one who comes to Jeddah for work and says, “If it is facilitated for me, I will perform ‘Umrah, otherwise I will not”? Does he enter the state of ihram from Jeddah?

The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, there is a man who came from Egypt to this country and intended to perform ‘Umrah, but he says that his sponsor will be at the airport and he knows that this sponsor is strict. He says, “I was afraid he would not permit me, so I did not intend to perform ‘Umrah.” I said, “Unless you intend to do so if he permits you.” When he arrived at the airport, the sponsor permitted him. He had intended to perform ‘Umrah, but he did not enter the state of ihram from the airport. Similar to this are some people, such as one who goes to Jeddah for work and says, “If it is facilitated for me…”

The Shaykh : Be patient, be patient, let us stick to the first one.

The questioner : No, it is not similar to that.

The Shaykh : Very well.

The questioner : That is, he says he will go to Jeddah for work, and if time remains, I will perform ‘Umrah, otherwise I will return. So if time remains, he performs ‘Umrah. That is, he intended from Jeddah. What is the ruling on this issue?

The Shaykh : The ruling on these two issues is the same:
As for the worker who arrived and said, “If my sponsor permits me, I will perform ‘Umrah, otherwise I will not,” we say: if he arrives in Jeddah and his sponsor permits him, let him enter the state of ihram from Jeddah, and he owes nothing. Likewise, as for the other one who came to Jeddah for work and said, “If it is facilitated for me, I will perform ‘Umrah, otherwise I will not,” we say: if it is facilitated for him, let him enter the state of ihram from Jeddah, and he owes nothing.
Due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith:
meaning, those who are before the miqat. Yes.