Mistakes Made by Some Pilgrims
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
Allah Almighty says: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for whoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.} [Al-Ahzāb: 21] He also says: {...So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.} [Al-A‘rāf: 158] He also says: {Say: “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”} [Āl-‘Imrān: 31] Allah Almighty also says: {So rely upon Allah; indeed, you are upon the clear truth.} [Al-Naml: 79] He also says: {...And what is beyond the truth except the misguidance? So how are you averted?} [Yūnus: 32]
Anything that contradicts the Prophet’s guidance and his way is false and error, and it rebounds on its doer. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever does something that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (i.e. Islam) is rejected.” That is, it will not be accepted from its doer and will rebound on him.
Some Muslims do things in many acts of worship that have no basis in the Qur’an or the Sunnah, especially in Hajj, about which many give Fatwas without knowledge. They hasten in doing so to the extent that some people treat Fatwas much like business that brings them fame and prominence. This has led to error and misguidance. A Muslim should only give Fatwas based on knowledge, lest he should displease his Lord. In giving a Fatwa, one is actually speaking on behalf of Allah Almighty and conveying from Him. So, let him remember those verses which Allah Almighty says regarding His Prophet: {And if he had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand; Then We would have cut from him the aorta. And there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.} [Al-Hāqqah: 44-47] He Almighty also says: {Say: “My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed – and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.”} [Al-A‘rāf: 33]
The mistakes made by pilgrims mostly stem from this - I mean giving Fatwas without knowledge - and from ordinary people imitating one another without evidence.
We will clarify the Sunnah with regard to some acts where mistakes are commonly made and will point out those mistakes. We implore Allah Almighty to grant us success and to make this beneficial for our fellow Muslims; indeed, He is the Most Generous, the Most Bountiful.
Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others narrated that Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) made Dhul-Hulayfah the Miqāt (the place where pilgrims assume Ihrām) for the people of Madinah, Al-Juhfah for the people of the Levant, Qarn al-Manāzil for the people of Najd, and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen.
And he said: “They are for them and for those who pass by them, who are not of their people, intending to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) made Dhāt ‘Irq the Miqāt for the people of Iraq. [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Nasā’i]
Al-Bukhāri and Muslim narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Let the people of Madinah assume Ihrām from Dhul-Hulayfah, the people of the Levant from Al-Juhfah, and the people of Najd from Qarn.”
These Miqāts, which were determined by the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), are Shariah-determined boundaries taken as they are from the legislator. No one can ever change them, transgress them, or pass them without assuming Ihrām, for those intending Hajj or ‘Umrah. This would be transgression against the limits set by Allah Almighty,
Who says: {...And whoever transgresses the limits of Allah - it is those who are the wrongdoers.} [Al-Baqarah: 229]
And in the Hadīth reported by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Let the people of Madinah assume Ihrām... the people of the Levant assume Ihrām... and the people of Najd assume Ihrām.”
This is a Prophetic command. One assumes Ihrām and then proclaims the Talbiyah saying: “Labbayk Allahumma labayak” (Here I am, O Allah, at Your service) in a loud voice.
So, it is incumbent upon everyone intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah to assume Ihrām from these Miqāts if he or she passes by or in parallel to any of them, whether by land, sea, or air.
If he travels by land, he should stop at the Miqāt if he passes by it, or, if he does not pass by it, he should stop at the place in parallel to it, and he should then do what should be done concerning Ihrām: taking a bath, applying perfume, and wearing the clothing of Ihrām. Then, he should assume Ihrām before leaving.
In case he travels by sea, if the ship stops in parallel to the Miqāt, he should take a bath, apply perfume, and wear the clothing of Ihrām when the ship stands still and assume Ihrām before it moves on.
If, however, the ship does not stop in parallel to the Miqāt, he should take a bath, apply perfume, and wear the clothing of Ihrām before it comes in parallel to the Miqāt and then assume Ihrām when it does.
In case he travels by air, he should take a bath upon going aboard the plane, apply perfume, and wear the clothing of Ihrām before it comes in parallel to the Miqāt and then assume Ihrām shortly before it. He should not wait until the plane actually comes in parallel to the Miqāt,
for it moves so fast that he will not have enough time to do it. If he assumes Ihrām before that as a precaution, there is nothing wrong with that, and no harm done.
Some people make the following mistake: They pass over the Miqāt or a place in parallel to it and then delay the Ihrām until they get off in Jeddah Airport.
This runs counter to the Prophet’s command and constitutes transgression against the limits set by Allah Almighty.
Al-Bukhāri narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “When these two towns (Basra and Kufa) were conquered, the people went to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: ‘O Commander of the Believers, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) fixed Qarn as the Miqāt for the people of Najd; yet it is beyond our way and it is difficult for us to pass through it.’