Q 1: What is the ruling on the following? A man went from Al-Dammam to Jeddah to receive his wife, children, and father-in-law. While staying in Jeddah, the father of his wife wanted to perform `Umrah (lesser pilgrimage. He intended to perform `Umrah when he set out from Egypt, but he did not enter into the state of Ihram (ceremonial state for Hajj or `Umrah) at the assigned Miqat (site for entering the ritual state for Hajj or `Umrah) thinking that he must first settle in Jeddah for one, two, or three days and then he would commence with the rites of `Umrah. This is in fact what he did. He and his wife started the rites of `Umrah and all of them went out to Makkah and entered into the state of Ihram at Masjid Al-Tan`im in Makkah. The father-in-law and the wife of this man completed the rites of `Umrah.However, after entering into the state of Ihram, something prevented this man from completing the `Umrah or performing any of its rites except Ihram at the above-mentioned Miqat. (Part No. 10; Page No. 89) Are the rites of these people valid, especially entering into the state of Ihram at the abovementioned Miqat? Is it permissible for one to take off the garment of Ihram before commencing the rites of `Umrah due to a particular impediment to completing `Umrah?Please advise us on this matter in detail. May Allah keeps you safe.

A: Those who come to Jeddah intending to perform `Umrah should enter into the state of Ihram at the respective Miqat through which they pass. Those who come from Al-Zhahran should enter into the state of Ihram at the Miqat of the people of Najd, which is Al-Sayl Al-Kabir or the Muharram Valley. Those who come from Egypt should enter into the state of Ihram at Al-Juhfah or in parallel regions to the abovementioned two Miqats, either by air, by land or by sea. If they intend to stay in Jeddah, they must offer Fidyah (expiation) for abandoning an obligatory act, which is entering into the state of Ihram in the specified Miqat. Fidyah is to slaughter a sheep which meets the same specifications for Ud-hiyah (sacrificial animal offered by non-pilgrims) in Makkah and distribute its meat among the poor of Al-Haram. The one who offers it must not eat anything thereof. One-seventh of a Badanah (a camel or a cow or an ox driven by pilgrims to be offered as sacrifice within the sacred precincts of Makkah) suffices as a Fidyah instead of a sheep. Those who can not afford offering Fidyah must observe Sawm (Fast) ten days.Those who, for some reason, were prevented from completing the rites of `Umrah and took off their Ihram garment, there is nothing on them if they made a condition upon entering into the state of Ihram that their Ihram should be ended wherever Allah causes them to stop it. If they did not stipulate this condition, they must wear the Ihram garment again and complete the `Umrah because it has become obligatory upon one once he has entered into the state of Ihram. Ihram is binding for him until the completion of this `Umrah. If he was engaged in sexual intercourse with his wife during this period (Part No. 10; Page No. 90) for which the Ihram garment was taken off, then `Umrah must be resumed and completed as normal. However, he must enter into the state of Ihram once again for performing another `Umrah from the same Miqat through which he had first passed by in his way to Jeddah. This second `Umrah should be completed as compensation for the `Umrah invalidated by him for having sexual intercourse while being in the state of Ihram. Fidyah (expiation) by slaughtering a sheep in Makkah must also be offered and its meat be distributed among the poor of Al-Haram. If the person can not afford offering a Fidyah, he must observe Sawm (Fast) ten days as expiation for deliberately invalidating the `Umrah by sexual intercourse.