Miqat Guide: The Five Miqats and Where to Enter Ihram

The miqat is the boundary at which a pilgrim heading for Umrah or Hajj must be in ihram. This guide explains the five miqats set by the Prophet ﷺ, which one applies to your route, how to enter ihram on a plane, what to do if you live in or travel through Jeddah, and what happens if you pass the boundary without ihram.

The word miqat means an appointed place or time. For Umrah there are only places; for Hajj there is also an appointed time, the months of Hajj. Entering ihram at your miqat is an obligation, not a recommendation, so it is worth checking before you travel.

The hadith of the miqats

Each miqat was set by the Prophet ﷺ himself. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet ﷺ appointed Dhul Hulayfah for the people of Madinah, al-Juhfah for the people of Sham, Qarn al-Manazil for the people of Najd and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen. He said they are for those people and for anyone who passes through them from elsewhere intending Hajj or Umrah, and that whoever lives closer than them enters ihram from where he sets out, even the people of Makkah from Makkah. The hadith is in al-Bukhari and Muslim and can be read on sunnah.com.

Dhat ‘Irq, for the people of Iraq, is reported in Sahih Muslim from Jabir, and al-Bukhari reports that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab fixed it by its alignment with Qarn al-Manazil. That principle of alignment is the basis for entering ihram when your route, or your flight, passes level with a boundary rather than through it.

The five miqats for Umrah and Hajj

Each of the five miqats lies on one of the ancient routes into Makkah. Today they are marked by mosques with washing and changing facilities, and road traffic passes close to all of them except Dhat ‘Irq.

Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar ‘Ali)

The furthest miqat from Makkah, where the Prophet ﷺ himself entered ihram for his Farewell Pilgrimage. If you visit Madinah first, you will enter ihram here on the road to Makkah, usually at the large mosque known as Masjid Dhul Hulayfah or Masjid ash-Shajarah.

Al-Juhfah (Rabigh)

The original site of al-Juhfah fell into disuse, so pilgrims long used Rabigh, a little before it. Most flights from the UK, Europe and North America pass this boundary on the way to Jeddah.

Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sayl al-Kabir)

The boundary on the route from Riyadh and Ta’if. Pilgrims driving from the UAE or the Gulf usually stop here; Wadi Muhrim on the Ta’if mountain road is on the same line.

Yalamlam and Dhat ‘Irq

Yalamlam lies south of Makkah and is the boundary most flights from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and South-East Asia cross. Dhat ‘Irq lies north-east and is rarely passed by road today.

Preparing before you reach the miqat

Whatever your route, do the preparation before the miqat so that the moment itself is calm. Take a ghusl, trim your nails and remove unwanted hair, and men may put perfume on the body (not the clothing). Change into ihram clothing, pray two rak‘ahs if it is not a disliked time, or enter ihram after an obligatory prayer, and keep the intention and Talbiyah ready.

If you are travelling by road, the driver or group leader will usually stop at the mosque there. Coaches from the Gulf often arrive late at night, so have your ihram clothing in an easy-to-reach bag rather than in the hold. Allow time for crowds at the washrooms in busy seasons such as Ramadan.

Find your miqat

Choose how you are travelling to see which boundary applies and a tip for when to be ready. You can also open the standalone miqat finder.

Flying over the miqat

Most international pilgrims cross the boundary in the air, so the ihram has to be entered on the plane. The majority of scholars, including the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, hold that someone flying to Jeddah to perform Umrah must enter ihram when the plane is level with the miqat, not after landing.

In practice, take a ghusl at home or at the airport, trim your nails and hair, and change into ihram before boarding or in the airport lounge. Many airlines announce it about 20–30 minutes in advance. When it is announced, make your intention and begin the Talbiyah. If no announcement is made, enter ihram a little early to be safe: entering before the boundary is valid.

If you are flying to Madinah first and not going straight to Makkah, you do not enter ihram on the flight. You will enter it later at Dhul Hulayfah on your way to Makkah. Our Madinah ziyarat guide covers that part of the trip.

Jeddah residents and those inside the miqats

Jeddah lies inside the five boundaries. People who live in Jeddah, or anywhere between the miqats and the Haram, enter ihram for Umrah from where they are, according to the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas.

A visitor who flies into Jeddah intending Umrah is different: the intention existed when he passed the boundary, so he must be in ihram from there. A small number of contemporary scholars have allowed air travellers to enter ihram in Jeddah, but the majority view, and the safer course, is to enter it on the plane. If you travelled to Jeddah for work or family with no firm plan for Umrah and decide there, enter ihram from Jeddah.

People already in Makkah, including residents, enter ihram for Umrah from outside the Haram boundary, usually at Masjid ‘A’ishah in at-Tan‘im, as the Prophet ﷺ instructed ‘A’ishah (al-Bukhari and Muslim). For Hajj, they enter ihram from Makkah itself.

What if you pass the miqat without ihram?

Entering ihram from the miqat is wajib. If you pass it intending Umrah or Hajj without ihram, go back to it and enter ihram there, and nothing further is due. If you enter ihram after passing it, the majority of scholars say a sacrifice in the Haram is due. If in doubt, ask a scholar. Read the full ihram rules to understand what applies once you are in ihram, and our how to perform Umrah guide for the rites that follow.

For permits and official pilgrim information, see the Nusuk platform.

Miqat FAQ