Q: I have a wife and nine children. Of these children only one boy and one girl have attained puberty. The rest range in age between nine to twelve years of age or younger, meaning, between seven years and eight months. I like to take all my children to the honored city of Makkah to perform `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) in Ramadan In sha’a-Allah (if Allah wills) but I would like only myself and my wife to perform Hajj. Bearing in mind that all my children will perform `Umrah, is it obligatory on me that (Part No. 11; Page No. 134) they should all perform Hajj? My financial capability is limited and I can not take all my children to Hajj. Also, please tell me about the Miqat (sites for entering the ritual state for Hajj and `Umrah) for the people of the south coming via the coastal road. Since I will take the costal road, is it permissible for me to start Ihram (ritual state for Hajj and `Umrah) from Jeddah? May Allah guide us all to goodness and righteousness.

A: First, it is not obligatory that you take your children - of the mentioned ages in the question - to perform Hajj even if they formerly enter Makkah to perform `Umrah. Only those of your children who have attained puberty should enter the state of Ihram for Hajj wherever you do so. Second, the Miqat of the people of Yemen who come via the coastal road is Yalamlam which is called nowadays Al-Sa`diyyah. No one who intends Hajj or `Umrah is permitted to pass by or parallel to Yalamlam without entering Ihram. Jeddah is not the Miqat for the people coming from Yemen. It is a Miqat for the people of Jeddah, for anyone who wants to perform Hajj or `Umrah while they reside there, or for its visitors who did not initially intend to perform Hajj or `Umrah but then they did so.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.