Q.1. Pilgrims from South Africa start coming to Makkah at the beginning of Ramadan. While some go to Madinah first, those who travel to Makkah put on their ihraam garments at Jeddah airport. Since Yalamlam is their point of meeqat, should they not travel either to Yalamlam or to Rabigh in order to begin their consecration?
Q.2. In my country, after Friday prayer is finished, a section of the congregation offer Dhuhr prayer in congregation. Please explain.
Yusuf Ibrahim, Jeddah
A.1. It is not certain whether pilgrims coming from southern African areas pass by any point of meeqat on their way before landing in Jeddah. If the flight is over the sea and it approaches Jeddah from the sea, then they certainly do not pass by any point of meeqat before landing. This will mean that the first point in the Hil area they pass is Jeddah. The Prophet did not define any point of ihraam for those who travel by sea, which means that their ihraam should be on dry land wherever they land within the Hil area. There is a strong case to apply this to pilgrims traveling by air.
A small but increasing number of scholars consider Jeddah the point of meeqat for all travelers by air or sea. The most notable of these is the late Sheikh Mustafa Al-Zarqa, one of the most authoritative scholars of the twentieth century.
His fatwa is based on very solid evidence, and it certainly makes things much easier for pilgrims from distant areas. If it is taken up by the fatwa counsels in Muslim countries, it will benefit most pilgrims.
A.2. According the Shafie School of Fiqh, when you have several mosques in the same town, all offering Friday prayers, then you should offer Dhuhr prayer afterward. This is because a condition added by Imam Al-Shafie for Friday prayer is that it should be one congregation in each village, town or city. In this case, Dhuhr prayer is not required. The evidence in support of this view is not particularly strong.