Q 4: A- I intend to travel to Jeddah and hope to perform `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). I keep thinking of the 'Umrah while I am still in Riyadh and say: If I have enough time when I reach Jeddah, I will perform `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). But now, If I arrived in Jeddah and did not make intention beforehand to perform 'Umrah, and my brother suggests that we perform 'Umrah, I need to know if prior intention for performing `Umrah is a prerequisite or not. Is it permissible to enter into the state of Ihram in Jeddah if I have intended to perform `Umrah? Or, must I enter into the state of Ihram from the Miqat (site for entering the ceremonial state for Hajj or `Umrah)? B- I am resident of Riyadh. I traveled to Abha where I continued my journey until I reached Jeddah. Two days after arriving in Jeddah, I went to the Miqat of Al-Sayl Al-Kabir where I entered into the state of Ihram and performed `Umrah. Is this correct? My brother is a resident of Jeddah, and he entered into the state of Ihram with me and we performed `Umrah together. Is his `Umrah valid? Please note that he permanently lives in Jeddah and passed by Makkah.

A: If you intended to perform `Umrah while you were in Riyadh and then went to Jeddah for some personal affairs without entering into the state of Ihram, you must enter into the state of Ihram in Al-Sayl Al-Kabir if you wish to perform `Umrah. It is impermissible for you to enter into the state of Ihram in Jeddah in this case, because Al-Sayl Al-Kabir is the Miqat for people in your case. However, if you were not sure about performing `Umrah when being in Riyadh and did not know whether it would be possible or not and did not resolve your intention to perform `Umrah until you arrived in Jeddah, then you should enter into the state of Ihram in Jeddah. But, If you had traveled from Riyadh to Abha and continued your journey to Jeddah with the intention to perform `Umrah, in this case if (Part No. 10; Page No. 87) you came from the coastal road, your Miqat is that of Yemenites, i.e., Yalamlam. If you passed it without entering into the state of Ihram, you must offer Fidyah (ransom) that meets the same specifications for Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) to be slaughtered and its meat to be distributed among the poor of Al-Haram. If you came via the road of Al-Ta'if, you should enter into the state of Ihram in Al-Sayl Al-Kabir or in Muharram Valley. If this is the case you did, then your entering into the state of Ihram in Al-Sayl Al-Kabir meets the obligatory act for people in your circumstance. It is authentically reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated about the regional Miqats: These Miqats are for the residents of these very places and also for non-indigenous people who pass through these places. With regard to your brother, who resides in Jeddah, the ruling that applies to the people of Jeddah applies to him. It is permissible for him to enter into the state of Ihram in Jeddah. As he has gone with you to Al-Sayl Al-Kabir and entered into the state of Ihram there, such Ihram is valid and there is nothing upon him because of the general meaning of the above Hadith.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his Companions.