The Meeqaats
8. The meeqaats (places for assuming iHraam) are five: Dhul Hulaifah, Al-Juhfah, Qarn-ul manaazil, Yalamlam and Dhaatu `Irq. They are for those who live there and those who pass by them intending Hajj or ‘Umrah. And he whose house is nearer than them to Makkah then he makes iHraam from his house, the people of Makkah making iHraam from Makkah.
DHUL HULAIFAH is the place for the people of Madinah and is a village six or seven miles away – and it is the furthest meeqaat from Makkah – being ten riding stations away – or less depending on the route, there being many routes from there to Makkah as Ibn Taimiyyah points out. And it is called ((waadi ul `Aqeeq,)) and its masjid is called ((Masjid-ush-shajarah)) (mosque of the Tree), and there is spring there called `the spring of `Ali’ by the ignorant masses – believing that `Ali : killed a jinn there – and that is a lie.
And AL-JUHFAH is a village between Madinah and Makkah – about three travel stages away. It is the meeqat for the people of Madinah if they come by this route. Ibn Taimiyyah said: “It is the meeqaat for those who make Hajj from the direction of the west, like the people of Shaam (Greater Syria) and Egypt and the rest of the West. And it is today ruined and deserted, therefore the people now go into iHraam before it in the place called “Raabigh”.
And Qarn UL MANAAZIL – which is also called “Qarn-uth-Tha’aalib” is near Makkah – being a day and night’s journey away – and is the meeqaat for the people of Najd.
And YALAMLAM is a place two nights distant from Makkah, thirty miles away and is the meeqaat for the people of Yemen.
And DHAATU TRQ is a place out in the desert, marking the border between Najd and Tihaamah, being forty-two miles from Makkah. It is the meeqaat for the people of Iraq. Imanway.com.
