Mr. A. Lodi of Alkhobar wants to know if he and his wife had violated the rules of ihraam, or consecration when they traveled to Jeddah for pilgrimage. The point that arises in many situations is whether a person may cross the point of meeqat on his way to Makkah without entering into consecration.
The answer depends on the intention behind the action, or the purpose of the trip. The rule specifies that when a person enters the Hil area, which is formed by making an imaginary line linking the points of meeqat, in order to do the pilgrimage or the Umrah, then that person, man or woman, should enter into the state of consecration at the point of meeqat. It follows that if he enters this area for a purpose other than doing the pilgrimage or the Umrah, then he or she need not enter into the state of consecration.
Mr. Lodi and his wife traveled by car from Alkhobar to Jeddah, without entering Makkah, in order to leave their young children with their relatives. They stayed in Jeddah for a couple of days before traveling to Madinah where they stayed for one day and came back to Jeddah. They stayed there for about 36 hours and traveled on the night of Dhul-Hijjah 7 to Mina. They went to Makkah shortly after that for their tawaf and sa’ie. That is how they began their pilgrimage.
There is no question about the first leg of their trip. It is true they crossed the point of meeqat, but they had no intention at the time of going to Makkah or starting their Umrah.
Their intention, which was clear in their minds, was to go to their relatives and stay with them for a couple of days so that the children may get used to the relatives and accept staying with them during the absence of their parents. Moreover, they traveled on to Madinah, leaving the Hil area altogether. Hence, they violated no rule. This is an ordinary trip, not connected with their pilgrimage, although they have had the intention of doing the pilgrimage later on when they have completed their arrangements.
The second trip to Jeddah needs a more careful consideration, because it was the one preceding their pilgrimage. However, that trip must have been intended to look after their children and ensure that they have settled well with their relatives. It was not part of the trip to pilgrimage. They did not know at the time when exactly they may travel to Makkah because that depended on how the children were doing. Although Mr. Lodi has not said so, but I feel that had he found that the children were finding it difficult to settle, he and his wife would have stayed another day in Jeddah. Again, I would consider that this trip to Jeddah was not part of the journey to pilgrimage.
In the circumstances, Mr. Lodi and his wife started their pilgrimage when they felt that it was safe for them to leave their children.
They initiated their pilgrimage journey in Jeddah and that was their meeqat, like the residents of Jeddah themselves. Hence, they have violated no rules and their pilgrimage is valid. They have no compensation to offer.
People’s different colors
Since we are all children of Adam and Eve, how come that some of us are white like the Europeans, and others are black, like Africans, while others such as Asians are of various shades and complexion. That is the question put to me by Mr. Ibrahim Bodbode of Jeddah. I suppose the answer to this question is provided by looking at one’s own children. Everyone has totally different looks, features, complexion, and characteristics. Yet they are born to the same parents. If such wide differences are present in one’s own children, with no son looking exactly like his father and no girl like her mother, when they are the immediate next generation, then whatever variety occurs over thousands of generations is only to be expected.
What we say is that the differences between human beings are intended by God, just like our very existence is intended. Indeed, every one of us is unique in every respect. That shows the greatness of the Creator, to whom all praise and glory belong.
He has drawn our attentions to the fact that the same piece of land produces different types of plants and vegetation, with totally different taste, despite being watered by the same water. We need only to reflect on God’s creation in order to appreciate His greatness.
