Q 1: Did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) assume Ihram (ritual state for Hajj and ‘Umrah) and perform Ghusl (ritual bath) in Madinah?

A: The Prophet (peace be upon him) assumed Ihram from Dhul-Hulayfah, that is, he assumed Ihram for the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah and started to recite the Talbiyah (devotional expressions chanted at certain times during Hajj and ‘Umrah) from there, not from Al-Madinah, because he (peace be upon him) appointed specific Miqats (sites for entering the ritual state for Hajj and ‘Umrah) and assigned Dhul-Hulayfah as the Miqat for the people of Al-Madinah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would never lay down a rule and then contradict it. It was authentically reported from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) assigned Dhul-Hulayfah as the Miqat for the people of Al-Madinah; Al-Juhfah for the people of the Levant (the region covering Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine); Qarn Al-Manazil for the people of Najd; and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. These Miqats are for the people of these very places and also for non-indigenous people who come through these places with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah. Anyone within these boundaries (their Miqat) is from where they start (Ihram), even the people of Makkah from Makkah. (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) It was also authentically reported from Salim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard his father saying, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never assumed Ihram except from the Masjid (mosque)” – meaning the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah. (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) He (peace be upon him) also performed Ghusl at Dhul-Hulayfah. It was narrated from Kharijah ibn Zayd ibn Thabit from his father that He saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) changing his clothes and performing Ghusl for Ihram. (Part No. 11; Page No. 125)  (Related by Al-Tirmidhy, who ranked it as Hasan [good])May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.