Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving

 

All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad.

 

Although ideally, you should assume Ihram before crossing the Meeqaat, if you find it hard for you then you may postpone the intention of Umrah until you arrive in Jeddah and assume ihram from Jeddah.

 

You can do this if you have gone to Saudi Arabia on a visiting visa to do business or family visit, etc.

 

Although the standard view of scholars is that those arriving by air to Jeddah should assume ihram when they fly over Meeqaat, there are also a number of eminent scholars from various schools who are of the view that the standard Meeqaat does not apply to the air travellers; instead Jeddah can be considered as a Meeqaat for them.

 

Those who uphold this view include the late Mustafa al-Zarqa from Syria, Atiyya Saqar from Egypt, Mubarakphuri from India, Abd Allah b. Zayd Al Mahmood from Qatar, Shaikh Abd Allah Kanoon from Morocco, and many others.

 

The reason that the standard Meeqaat should not apply to air travelers as they are merely over them and not passing by it.

 

The purpose of Meeqaat was to halt and prepare themselves for assuming ihram – as the Prophet, peace be upon him, demonstrated in his farewell Hajj. He stopped at Dhul Hulayfa and spent the night there and then prepared in advance for assuming Ihram.

 

Today, the pilgrims passing by Dhul Hulayfah are halting there, recuperating and refreshing themselves there before assuming ihram. Nothing of these can apply to air travellers; so it is only reasonable and comforting to the spirit of Shari`ah to allow them to make Ihram from Jeddah rather than in the flight.

 

I consider this view as strong, and you may follow it if you find it hard to assume ihram earlier.

 

If you do not find it suitable, you can head first to Madinah and then assume ihram from Dhul Hulayfah – retracing the steps of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The last alternative is not at all controversial.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.