The miqats: where to enter ihram
The miqat is the boundary that a pilgrim heading to Makkah for Umrah or Hajj does not cross without being in ihram. There are five of them, set by the Prophet ﷺ around the sacred territory; here is where they are and what to do depending on your route.
The miqats set by the Prophet ﷺ
Ibn ʿAbbas reported: “The Prophet ﷺ set Dhul-Hulayfah for the people of Madinah, al-Juhfah for the people of the Levant, Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. They are for them and for those who come to them from elsewhere, among those intending Hajj or Umrah. Whoever is nearer than that enters ihram from where he sets out, so that even the people of Makkah do so from Makkah.” Dhat ʿIrq, for the people of Iraq, was set by ʿUmar, who chose it because it lies level with Qarn al-Manazil.
| Miqat | Location today | For whom | From Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhul-Hulayfah | Abyar ʿAli, at the southern exit of Madinah | The people of Madinah and those passing through Madinah | 334 km |
| Al-Juhfah | Near Rabigh, on the coastal road | The people of the Levant, Egypt, the Maghreb and Europe, by land or by air from the north-west | 163 km |
| Qarn al-Manazil | Al-Sayl al-Kabir (and Wadi Mahram on the Taif road) | The people of Najd, Riyadh, the Gulf and the east | 65 km |
| Yalamlam | Al-Saʿdiyyah, south of Makkah | The people of Yemen, South Asia and East Asia, by sea or by air from the south | 101 km |
| Dhat ʿIrq | Al-Dariba, to the north-east (little used today) | The people of Iraq and those arriving from the north-east | 84 km |
The distances given are straight-line distances from the Sacred Mosque; by road they are longer (about 420 km from Dhul-Hulayfah to Makkah on the Madinah motorway). The miqat concerns only those heading to Makkah with the intention of performing Umrah or Hajj: you may cross it without ihram for another purpose, for example to go to Madinah first.
References al-Bukhari 1524, Muslim 1181 (Ibn ʿAbbas); al-Bukhari 1531 (ʿUmar sets Dhat ʿIrq); Quran 2:197
Ihram on a plane
On a plane, you enter ihram when the aircraft passes level with the miqat, just as ʿUmar set Dhat ʿIrq level with Qarn al-Manazil. For those flying from Europe, the Maghreb or Egypt to Jeddah, the plane usually passes level with al-Juhfah (Rabigh); most airlines announce it about twenty minutes beforehand.
Before the flight
Take the full bath, trim your nails and moustache, and apply perfume to the body (not to the sheets) at home or at the airport. Men may already put on the two ihram sheets, without making the intention.
During the flight
When the miqat is announced, or a little before as a precaution, make the intention for Umrah (or Hajj) and begin the talbiyah. Anyone who fears falling asleep may enter ihram at take-off.
If in doubt
It is better to enter ihram a little before the miqat than to pass it: entering ihram before it is valid, whereas passing it without ihram means going back or offering a dam.
References al-Bukhari 1539, Muslim 1189 (ʿA’ishah perfumes the Prophet ﷺ before ihram); al-Bukhari 1531 (ʿUmar and the line of the miqat)
Your route, your miqat
| Your route | Where to enter ihram |
|---|---|
| Flight from Europe, the Maghreb or Egypt to Jeddah, going straight on to Makkah | On the plane, when the miqat is announced (usually level with al-Juhfah, near Rabigh) |
| Flight to Madinah, staying in Madinah first | No ihram on the plane; ihram at Dhul-Hulayfah when leaving Madinah for Makkah |
| Train or coach from Madinah to Makkah | Dhul-Hulayfah: get ready before leaving and make the intention at the latest when the train or coach departs |
| Flight from South Asia, South-East Asia or East Africa to Jeddah | On the plane, level with Yalamlam or Qarn al-Manazil depending on the route |
| Car or plane from Riyadh, the Gulf or the east | Qarn al-Manazil (al-Sayl al-Kabir) or Wadi Mahram on the Taif road |
| Resident of Jeddah or of a town between the miqat and Makkah | From home |
| Pilgrim already in Makkah, for an Umrah | Leave the sacred territory: al-Tanʿim (ʿA’ishah Mosque) or al-Jiʿranah |
| Pilgrim already in Makkah, for Hajj | From Makkah, on 8 Dhul-Hijjah, where you are staying |
Those leaving Madinah by train or coach get ready before departure (the miqat mosque at Abyar ʿAli is equipped for this) and make the intention at the latest on departure, dressed in ihram: the route passes the miqat, or its line, shortly after leaving the city.
References al-Bukhari 1784, Muslim 1212 (ʿA’ishah and al-Tanʿim)
If you have passed the miqat without ihram
Anyone who intended Umrah or Hajj and passed the miqat without ihram goes back to the miqat to enter ihram there if he can, before starting his rites: he then has nothing to make up. If he does not go back, he enters ihram where he is and offers a dam, a sheep sacrificed in Makkah and distributed to the poor, according to the majority of scholars.
References Malik, al-Muwatta’ 946 (statement of Ibn ʿAbbas on the dam)
These rulings are given with their references to help you understand; for a particular case, ask a scholar you trust.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you enter ihram when flying in from Europe or North Africa?
On the plane, when it passes level with the miqat (usually al-Juhfah, near Rabigh), usually announced by the crew. You can put on the ihram sheets before departure and make the intention a little before the miqat as a precaution.
Can you enter ihram in Jeddah?
Not if you are flying in from Europe, North Africa or Asia: the airport is after the miqat, according to the vast majority of scholars. Only the residents of Jeddah, and those who decide on their Umrah there without having planned it beforehand, enter ihram in Jeddah.
Do you need to enter ihram if you go to Madinah first?
No. You enter ihram at Dhul-Hulayfah (Abyar ʿAli) when leaving Madinah for Makkah, before the train or coach departs.
What is the miqat of Madinah?
Dhul-Hulayfah, now called Abyar ʿAli, about 9 km south-west of the Prophet’s Mosque; a large mosque there welcomes pilgrims to get ready.
Where do you enter ihram for a second Umrah when you are in Makkah?
You must leave the sacred territory to enter ihram: the nearest point is al-Tanʿim, at ʿA’ishah Mosque, from where ʿA’ishah performed her Umrah on the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ.
What if you have passed the miqat without ihram?
Go back to the miqat and enter ihram there if this is possible before starting the rites. Otherwise, enter ihram where you are and offer a dam, according to the majority of scholars.