STREAMLINING THE HAJJ EXPERIENCE: ADRESSING THE INCONVENIENCE OF WEARING IHRAM CLOTHES IN AIRPORTS

In just a few weeks, the Hajj pilgrimage will take place – an annual devotional retreat and convention that is the largest and oldest of its kind in human history. Many pilgrims will be wearing their iḥrâm from home, arriving by air in Jeddah from all over the world. While some may find this convenient, many others may see it as inconvenient.

There are those who conflate Muslim practices with Islam and feel the need to defend all things Muslim, and while their passion is commendable, for those who appreciate the difference between Islam and Muslim practices, it should be known that this phenomenon is unnecessary and may even be a sign of ineptitude within our ummah.

There are two potential solutions to this issue. One is to consider Jeddah as a meeqât (iḥrâm site) and change the route of inbound airplanes to avoid crossing other meeqâts. The other is to build an airport outside of the meeqâts, with a railway connecting it to the holy cities.

It is not my place to take a stance on either solution, but let me share part of the discussion on Jeddah being a meeqât. Here is what Imam Ibn Qudâmah (rA) says in al-‘Umdah about iḥrâm sites:
“وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ طَرِيْقُهُ عَلَى مِيْقَاتٍ، فَمِيْقَاتُهُ حَذْوَ أَقْرَبِهَا إِلَيْهِ.”
“As for someone whose way does not pass by a meeqât, his meeqât would be parallel to the closest meeqât to him.”

This means that a pilgrim’s meeqât should be at the same distance from Makkah as the closest of the original mawâqeet to them. This is based on what ‘Umar (RA) did when he assigned Dhât ‘Irq for the people of ‘Iraq. He said, “See what is parallel to Qarn from your side.” Dhât ‘Irq was chosen because it was the same distance from the Kaaba as Qarn, and it was from their side.

In the Ḥanbali madh-hab, it was allowed for the people of the Sudanese island of Sawâkin and those coming through it, who arrive in Jeddah by sea, to make iḥrâm from Jeddah because they do not cross any other meeqât. Al-Ruḥaybâni says in the Maṭâlib Uli al-Nuha:
(فَإِنْ لَمْ يُحَاذِ مِيقَاتًا) كَاَلَّذِي يَجِيءُ مِنْ ‌سَوَاكِنَ إلَى ‌جُدَّةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِرَابِغَ وَلَا يَلَمْلَمُ، لِأَنَّهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ أَمَامَهُ، فَيَصِلُ ‌جُدَّةَ قَبْلَ مُحَاذَاتِهِمَا، (أَحْرَمَ عَنْ مَكَّةَ ب) قَدْرِ (مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ) فَيُحْرِمُ فِي الْمِثَالِ مِنْ ‌جُدَّةَ لِأَنَّهَا عَلَى مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ.
“If one does not pass by a meeqât, such as someone who comes from Sawâkin to Jeddah without passing by Râbigh or Yalamlam, because they are in front of them, then Jeddah is reached before passing by them, so they should make iḥrâm when they are at a distance of two marḥalah (about 44 miles) from Makkah, such as Jeddah.”

Some contemporary scholars also allow pilgrims who fly into Jeddah to enter into the state of iḥrâm from Jeddah because the airport is about the same distance from Makkah (44 miles) as Yalamlam (43 miles), which is the closest meeqât to Jeddah. However, it seems that most contemporary scholars do not agree with this viewpoint. Moreover, the major fiqh assemblies tend to take the stance of not allowing it. As an alternative, an airport should be constructed outside of the meeqâts and prepared to cater to the needs of arriving pilgrims. This airport could be linked to the holy cities by train.

وصلى الله على محمد والحمد لله رب العالمينStreamlining the Hajj Experience: Addressing the Inconvenience of Wearing Iḥrâm Clothes in Airports

In just a few weeks, the Hajj pilgrimage will take place – an annual devotional retreat and convention that is the largest and oldest of its kind in human history. Many pilgrims will be wearing their iḥrâm from home, arriving by air in Jeddah from all over the world. While some may find this convenient, many others may see it as inconvenient.

There are those who conflate Muslim practices with Islam and feel the need to defend all things Muslim, and while their passion is commendable, for those who appreciate the difference between Islam and Muslim practices, it should be known that this phenomenon is unnecessary and may even be a sign of ineptitude within our ummah.

There are two potential solutions to this issue. One is to consider Jeddah as a meeqât (iḥrâm site) and change the route of inbound airplanes to avoid crossing other meeqâts. The other is to build an airport outside of the meeqâts, with a railway connecting it to the holy cities.

It is not my place to take a stance on either solution, but let me share part of the discussion on Jeddah being a meeqât. Here is what Imam Ibn Qudâmah (rA) says in al-‘Umdah about iḥrâm sites:
“وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ طَرِيْقُهُ عَلَى مِيْقَاتٍ، فَمِيْقَاتُهُ حَذْوَ أَقْرَبِهَا إِلَيْهِ.”
“As for someone whose way does not pass by a meeqât, his meeqât would be parallel to the closest meeqât to him.”

This means that a pilgrim’s meeqât should be at the same distance from Makkah as the closest of the original mawâqeet to them. This is based on what ‘Umar (RA) did when he assigned Dhât ‘Irq for the people of ‘Iraq. He said, “See what is parallel to Qarn from your side.” Dhât ‘Irq was chosen because it was the same distance from the Kaaba as Qarn, and it was from their side.

In the Ḥanbali madh-hab, it was allowed for the people of the Sudanese island of Sawâkin and those coming through it, who arrive in Jeddah by sea, to make iḥrâm from Jeddah because they do not cross any other meeqât. Al-Ruḥaybâni says in the Maṭâlib Uli al-Nuha:
(فَإِنْ لَمْ يُحَاذِ مِيقَاتًا) كَاَلَّذِي يَجِيءُ مِنْ ‌سَوَاكِنَ إلَى ‌جُدَّةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِرَابِغَ وَلَا يَلَمْلَمُ، لِأَنَّهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ أَمَامَهُ، فَيَصِلُ ‌جُدَّةَ قَبْلَ مُحَاذَاتِهِمَا، (أَحْرَمَ عَنْ مَكَّةَ ب) قَدْرِ (مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ) فَيُحْرِمُ فِي الْمِثَالِ مِنْ ‌جُدَّةَ لِأَنَّهَا عَلَى مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ.
“If one does not pass by a meeqât, such as someone who comes from Sawâkin to Jeddah without passing by Râbigh or Yalamlam, because they are in front of them, then Jeddah is reached before passing by them, so they should make iḥrâm when they are at a distance of two marḥalah (about 44 miles) from Makkah, such as Streamlining the Hajj Experience: Addressing the Inconvenience of Wearing Iḥrâm Clothes in Airports

In just a few weeks, the Hajj pilgrimage will take place – an annual devotional retreat and convention that is the largest and oldest of its kind in human history. Many pilgrims will be wearing their iḥrâm from home, arriving by air in Jeddah from all over the world. While some may find this convenient, many others may see it as inconvenient.

There are those who conflate Muslim practices with Islam and feel the need to defend all things Muslim, and while their passion is commendable, for those who appreciate the difference between Islam and Muslim practices, it should be known that this phenomenon is unnecessary and may even be a sign of ineptitude within our ummah.

There are two potential solutions to this issue. One is to consider Jeddah as a meeqât (iḥrâm site) and change the route of inbound airplanes to avoid crossing other meeqâts. The other is to build an airport outside of the meeqâts, with a railway connecting it to the holy cities.

It is not my place to take a stance on either solution, but let me share part of the discussion on Jeddah being a meeqât. Here is what Imam Ibn Qudâmah (rA) says in al-‘Umdah about iḥrâm sites:
“وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ طَرِيْقُهُ عَلَى مِيْقَاتٍ، فَمِيْقَاتُهُ حَذْوَ أَقْرَبِهَا إِلَيْهِ.”
“As for someone whose way does not pass by a meeqât, his meeqât would be parallel to the closest meeqât to him.”

This means that a pilgrim’s meeqât should be at the same distance from Makkah as the closest of the original mawâqeet to them. This is based on what ‘Umar (RA) did when he assigned Dhât ‘Irq for the people of ‘Iraq. He said, “See what is parallel to Qarn from your side.” Dhât ‘Irq was chosen because it was the same distance from the Kaaba as Qarn, and it was from their side.

In the Ḥanbali madh-hab, it was allowed for the people of the Sudanese island of Sawâkin and those coming through it, who arrive in Jeddah by sea, to make iḥrâm from Jeddah because they do not cross any other meeqât. Al-Ruḥaybâni says in the Maṭâlib Uli al-Nuha:
(فَإِنْ لَمْ يُحَاذِ مِيقَاتًا) كَاَلَّذِي يَجِيءُ مِنْ ‌سَوَاكِنَ إلَى ‌جُدَّةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِرَابِغَ وَلَا يَلَمْلَمُ، لِأَنَّهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ أَمَامَهُ، فَيَصِلُ ‌جُدَّةَ قَبْلَ مُحَاذَاتِهِمَا، (أَحْرَمَ عَنْ مَكَّةَ ب) قَدْرِ (مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ) فَيُحْرِمُ فِي الْمِثَالِ مِنْ ‌جُدَّةَ لِأَنَّهَا عَلَى مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ.
“If one does not pass by a meeqât, such as someone who comes from Sawâkin to Jeddah without passing by Râbigh or Yalamlam, because they are in front of them, then Jeddah is reached before passing by them, so they should make iḥrâm when they are at a distance of two marḥalah (about 44 miles) from Makkah, such as Jeddah.”

Some contemporary scholars also allow pilgrims who fly into Jeddah to enter into the state of iḥrâm from Jeddah because the airport is about the same distance from Makkah (44 miles) as Yalamlam (43 miles), which is the closest meeqât to Jeddah. However, it seems that most contemporary scholars do not agree with this viewpoint. Moreover, the major fiqh assemblies tend to take the stance of not allowing it. As an alternative, an airport should be constructed outside of the meeqâts and prepared to cater to the needs of arriving pilgrims. This airport could be linked to the holy cities by train.

وصلى الله على محمد والحمد لله رب العالمينStreamlining the Hajj Experience: Addressing the Inconvenience of Wearing Iḥrâm Clothes in Airports

In just a few weeks, the Hajj pilgrimage will take place – an annual devotional retreat and convention that is the largest and oldest of its kind in human history. Many pilgrims will be wearing their iḥrâm from home, arriving by air in Jeddah from all over the world. While some may find this convenient, many others may see it as inconvenient.

There are those who conflate Muslim practices with Islam and feel the need to defend all things Muslim, and while their passion is commendable, for those who appreciate the difference between Islam and Muslim practices, it should be known that this phenomenon is unnecessary and may even be a sign of ineptitude within our ummah.

There are two potential solutions to this issue. One is to consider Jeddah as a meeqât (iḥrâm site) and change the route of inbound airplanes to avoid crossing other meeqâts. The other is to build an airport outside of the meeqâts, with a railway connecting it to the holy cities.

It is not my place to take a stance on either solution, but let me share part of the discussion on Jeddah being a meeqât. Here is what Imam Ibn Qudâmah (rA) says in al-‘Umdah about iḥrâm sites:
“وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ طَرِيْقُهُ عَلَى مِيْقَاتٍ، فَمِيْقَاتُهُ حَذْوَ أَقْرَبِهَا إِلَيْهِ.”
“As for someone whose way does not pass by a meeqât, his meeqât would be parallel to the closest meeqât to him.”

This means that a pilgrim’s meeqât should be at the same distance from Makkah as the closest of the original mawâqeet to them. This is based on what ‘Umar (RA) did when he assigned Dhât ‘Irq for the people of ‘Iraq. He said, “See what is parallel to Qarn from your side.” Dhât ‘Irq was chosen because it was the same distance from the Kaaba as Qarn, and it was from their side.

In the Ḥanbali madh-hab, it was allowed for the people of the Sudanese island of Sawâkin and those coming through it, who arrive in Jeddah by sea, to make iḥrâm from Jeddah because they do not cross any other meeqât. Al-Ruḥaybâni says in the Maṭâlib Uli al-Nuha:
(فَإِنْ لَمْ يُحَاذِ مِيقَاتًا) كَاَلَّذِي يَجِيءُ مِنْ ‌سَوَاكِنَ إلَى ‌جُدَّةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِرَابِغَ وَلَا يَلَمْلَمُ، لِأَنَّهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ أَمَامَهُ، فَيَصِلُ ‌جُدَّةَ قَبْلَ مُحَاذَاتِهِمَا، (أَحْرَمَ عَنْ مَكَّةَ ب) قَدْرِ (مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ) فَيُحْرِمُ فِي الْمِثَالِ مِنْ ‌جُدَّةَ لِأَنَّهَا عَلَى مَرْحَلَتَيْنِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ.
“If one does not pass by a meeqât, such as someone who comes from Sawâkin to Jeddah without passing by Râbigh or Yalamlam, because they are in front of them, then Jeddah is reached before passing by them, so they should make iḥrâm when they are at a distance of two marḥalah (about 44 miles) from Makkah, such as Jeddah.”

Some contemporary scholars also allow pilgrims who fly into Jeddah to enter into the state of iḥrâm from Jeddah because the airport is about the same distance from Makkah (44 miles) as Yalamlam (43 miles), which is the closest meeqât to Jeddah. However, it seems that most contemporary scholars do not agree with this viewpoint. Moreover, the major fiqh assemblies tend to take the stance of not allowing it. As an alternative, an airport should be constructed outside of the meeqâts and prepared to cater to the needs of arriving pilgrims. This airport could be linked to the holy cities by train.

وصلى الله على محمد والحمد لله رب العالمين.”

Some contemporary scholars also allow pilgrims who fly into Jeddah to enter into the state of iḥrâm from Jeddah because the airport is about the same distance from Makkah (44 miles) as Yalamlam (43 miles), which is the closest meeqât to Jeddah. However, it seems that most contemporary scholars do not agree with this viewpoint. Moreover, the major fiqh assemblies tend to take the stance of not allowing it. As an alternative, an airport should be constructed outside of the meeqâts and prepared to cater to the needs of arriving pilgrims. This airport could be linked to the holy cities by train.

وصلى الله على محمد والحمد لله رب العالمين