The places for Ihram
There are specific places in which Ihram must be done, and these places are called Miqaat.
There are nine of them, and they are:
1. Dhil-Hulaifah: This place is next to Medina, and is nowadays called Abyar ‘Ali. It is about 428 kilometres, and it is the Miqaat for the people of Medina or those who want to go to Hajj through Medina. It is of precaution to do the Ihram in the mosque known there as Masjid al-Shajarah.
Rule: It is prohibited to delay the Ihram from Dhil- Hulaifah till al-Juhfah unless for necessary circumstances, like a sickness, weakness, or any other excuse.
2. Wady al-‘Aqiq: This is the Miqaat place for the people of Iraq and Najd, and everyone who goes through these two places. This place has three parts: Al-Maslakh, which is the name of beginning of the place, al-Ghumrah is the name of the middle part, and Dhat-‘irq is the name of the end. This place is also called al-Dharibah, being around one hundred kilometres away from Mecca, and it is abandoned in this time.
3. al-Juhfah: This is a village about fifteen kilometres to the Red sea. This place is now deserted and Ihram is done in the place called Rabigh (. رابغ ), which is about 186 kilometres away from Mecca. However, because it is before the Miqaat, as close as it may be, it is impermissible unless to fulfil a vow. This place is the Miqaat for the people of Syria (Shaam), Egypt, Morocco, and everyone who passes through this place, even for those who passed Dhil-Hulaifah and did not do their Ihram for any reason.
4. Yalmlam: It is a valley o the path to Yemen about 120 kilometres from Mecca. This place is the Miqaat for the people of Yemen, and everyone who passes through it. Yalmlam is the name of a mountain.
5. Qarn al-Manazil: This place is now called al-Sail al-Kabir, which is about 75 kilometres away from Mecca, and it is the Miqaat for the people of al-Ta`if and everyone who passes from it.
6. Close to any of the mentioned Miqaats: This means that if a pilgrim was to pass through a path that does not go through any of the mentioned Miqaats, they can do their Ihram from any place in the vicinity of one of these Miqaats. Close meaning that if one was to face the qiblah, and a Miqaat is on his left or right, then he can do Ihram there.
7. The holy city of Mecca: This is the Miqaat for Hajjul-Tamattu’.
8. The house in which the pilgrim lives in: This is the Miqat for someone whose house is in Mecca, so it is permissible for him to do Ihram from his house.
9. Adna al-Hil: Like al-Hudaibiya, al-Ja’raniya, and al-Tan’im. This is the Miqaat of al-‘Umrah al-Mufradah for whoever wants to do a singular ‘Umrah after finishing Hajj al-Qiran or al-Ifrad.
