I did not know the place of entering ihram, so I entered ihram from Jeddah Airport even though I traveled from Damascus. Is my ihram valid? And do I owe an expiation?
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The questioner : I did not know the place of entering ihram, so I entered ihram from Jeddah Airport, knowing that I took off from Damascus Airport. Is the ihram permissible, or do I owe an expiation? Please inform us; may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The traveler on a plane to Mecca who wants to perform 'Umrah must enter ihram at the first miqat he passes over from above, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) designated the miqats and said:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 4:296.
When the people of Iraq asked the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), to designate a miqat for them, he said: "Look for the point opposite to it, meaning al-Qarn al-Manazil, on your route". This report from the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), indicates that passing opposite the miqat is like actually reaching the miqat.
Accordingly, if one passes opposite the miqat from above on a plane, it is obligatory for him to enter ihram from there, and it is not permissible for him to delay entering ihram until he reaches Jeddah. If he does so, and if he did it intentionally, he has sinned and owes the fidyah: a sheep to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor. If he did so out of ignorance, as this questioner's question indicates, he has not sinned because he is excused by his ignorance, but he owes the fidyah to make up for what was lacking in his ihram: a sheep to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor.
Accordingly, we tell the questioner: slaughter a fidyah in Mecca and distribute it to the poor, either by himself if he goes to Mecca, or by appointing someone else who is in Mecca or near it to slaughter it on his behalf and distribute it to the poor.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The listener also says...
The Shaykh : This.
The questioner : Yes, please go ahead.
The Shaykh : This is if he is able to do so.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Financially able. But if he is not able, he owes nothing, neither feeding nor fasting. This ruling applies to everyone who leaves an obligatory act of Hajj or 'Umrah; he owes the fidyah, as the scholars said, to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor. If he does not find the means, he owes nothing, neither feeding nor fasting. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. His second question.
The Shaykh : The traveler on a plane to Mecca who wants to perform 'Umrah must enter ihram at the first miqat he passes over from above, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) designated the miqats and said:
They are for them, and for those who come to them from among those who are not their relatives, from among those who intend Hajj or 'Umrah
هن لهن ولمن أتى عليهن من غير أهلهن ممن يريد الحج أو العمرةWhen the people of Iraq asked the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), to designate a miqat for them, he said: "Look for the point opposite to it, meaning al-Qarn al-Manazil, on your route". This report from the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), indicates that passing opposite the miqat is like actually reaching the miqat.
Accordingly, if one passes opposite the miqat from above on a plane, it is obligatory for him to enter ihram from there, and it is not permissible for him to delay entering ihram until he reaches Jeddah. If he does so, and if he did it intentionally, he has sinned and owes the fidyah: a sheep to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor. If he did so out of ignorance, as this questioner's question indicates, he has not sinned because he is excused by his ignorance, but he owes the fidyah to make up for what was lacking in his ihram: a sheep to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor.
Accordingly, we tell the questioner: slaughter a fidyah in Mecca and distribute it to the poor, either by himself if he goes to Mecca, or by appointing someone else who is in Mecca or near it to slaughter it on his behalf and distribute it to the poor.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The listener also says...
The Shaykh : This.
The questioner : Yes, please go ahead.
The Shaykh : This is if he is able to do so.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Financially able. But if he is not able, he owes nothing, neither feeding nor fasting. This ruling applies to everyone who leaves an obligatory act of Hajj or 'Umrah; he owes the fidyah, as the scholars said, to be slaughtered in Mecca and distributed to the poor. If he does not find the means, he owes nothing, neither feeding nor fasting. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. His second question.