A miqat is a boundary around Makkah that you must not cross without ihram if you are going for Umrah or Hajj. If you fly from the UK to Jeddah and go straight on to Makkah, your plane crosses this boundary before it lands. So you need to be ready in the air.
This guide explains what the boundary is, the five places the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions set, and which one your flight is likely to pass. It gives you a simple plan for changing on the plane. You will also find clear answers for Madinah-first trips, Jeddah and Masjid Aisha.
Quick answer
- You must not pass the boundary without ihram if you intend Umrah or Hajj.
- There are five points: Dhul Hulayfah, al-Juhfah, Qarn al-Manazil, Yalamlam and Dhat Irq.
- On a UK flight straight to Makkah, make your intention in the air. Many pilgrims do this 45 to 60 minutes before landing.
- If you go to Madinah first, you enter ihram at Dhul Hulayfah when you leave for Makkah.
What is a miqat?
It is a fixed boundary set by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and pilgrims heading to Makkah for Umrah or Hajj must be in ihram before they cross it. The Arabic word means an appointed place or time. Its plural is mawaqit.
Ihram is the sacred state you enter for Umrah or Hajj. The official Nusuk guide describes starting it with a sincere intention and the talbiyah, a short declaration shown later in this guide. Men also wear two plain white sheets, while women wear their ordinary modest clothes.
Ibn Abbas reported where the Prophet ﷺ set these boundaries:
“The Prophet (ﷺ) fixed Dhul-Hulaifa as the Miqat for the people of Medina, Al-Juhfa, for the people of Sham, Yalamlam for the people of Yemen, and Qarn for the people of Najd. And these Mawaqit are for those living at those very places, and besides them for those who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and Umra”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1529
The hadith goes on to say that people who live closer to Makkah enter ihram from their homes, and the people of Makkah from Makkah. The same report appears in Sahih al-Bukhari 1524.
So the rule applies to everyone who passes one of these points on the way to Umrah, not only to the people who live there. That includes you, flying in from London, Manchester or Birmingham. Some people spell the word “meekat”, but it means the same thing.
The five miqat points
There are five: Dhul Hulayfah, al-Juhfah, Qarn al-Manazil, Yalamlam and Dhat Irq. The Prophet ﷺ named the first four. The fifth, Dhat Irq, was fixed by Umar ibn al-Khattab for travellers from Iraq.
| Point | Also called | Travellers from | To the Kaaba |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhul Hulayfah | Abyar Ali, with Masjid ash-Shajarah | Madinah, including anyone going from Madinah to Makkah | About 334 km |
| Al-Juhfah | Near the town of Rabigh | The north-west, such as Egypt and the Levant | About 159 km |
| Qarn al-Manazil | As-Sayl al-Kabir, near Taif | Najd and the east, including Riyadh | About 66 km |
| Yalamlam | Wadi Yalamlam, in the Al Lith area | Yemen and the south | About 101 km |
| Dhat Irq | On the old Darb Zubaydah road | Iraq and the north-east | About 84 km |
Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali)
Dhul Hulayfah is the point for Madinah, just outside the city. Today the area is called Abyar Ali, and its large mosque, Masjid ash-Shajarah, is where pilgrims change and make their intention. It is the farthest point from Makkah, about 334 km away in a straight line.
The mosque is about 9 km from Masjid an-Nabawi in a straight line, so it is a short drive from most Madinah hotels. Many pilgrims simply call it the Dhul Hulayfah miqat mosque.
Al-Juhfah
Al-Juhfah is the point for travellers from the north-west, such as Egypt and the Levant. It lies near the town of Rabigh, about 159 km north of the Kaaba, and has its own mosque today. Flights from the north that follow the Red Sea coast pass in line with it shortly before Jeddah.
Qarn al-Manazil
Qarn al-Manazil is the point for people coming from Najd and the east. According to a fatwa quoted by IslamQA (answer 4635), it is known today as as-Sayl al-Kabir. The same answer names it as the point for a flight from Riyadh to Jeddah.
Its mosque, near Taif, is about 66 km from the Kaaba. That makes it the nearest of the five points to Makkah.
Yalamlam
Yalamlam is the point for travellers from Yemen and the south. Its mosque stands in Wadi Yalamlam, in the Al Lith area, about 101 km south of the Kaaba.
Dhat Irq
Dhat Irq lies about 84 km north-east of the Kaaba, on the old Darb Zubaydah pilgrim road from Iraq. When Basra and Kufa were conquered, their people told Umar that Qarn was out of their way. He told them to take a place “situated opposite to Qarn on your usual way”, and fixed Dhat Irq for them (Sahih al-Bukhari 1531).
Umar’s ruling matters for air travel. Scholars use it to show that passing in line with one of these points counts the same as passing through it, by land, sea or air (IslamQA, answers 4635 and 132269).
Which miqat do flights from the UK cross?
Direct flights from the UK approach Jeddah from the north, so they pass in line with Dhul Hulayfah or al-Juhfah before landing. Flights that connect in the Gulf or Riyadh approach from the east and pass Qarn al-Manazil. Either way, you reach the boundary while you are still in the air.
A plane rarely flies over the exact spot. Instead, it passes in line with one of the points, which scholars treat as passing the point itself. That is why you must already be in ihram when you land in Jeddah, if Makkah is your first stop.
On our map measurements, Jeddah airport is about 75 km from the Kaaba. The al-Juhfah mosque is about 114 km from the airport, Qarn al-Manazil about 131 km and Dhul Hulayfah about 306 km. A plane covers 100 km in roughly 7 to 12 minutes, so we estimate the boundary can come only 15 to 40 minutes before landing.
Routes change with weather and air traffic, so nobody can give you the exact minute in advance. The safe approach is to be fully ready early. If you are booking flights, see our guide to Umrah flights from the UK and what to expect when flying to Saudi Arabia.
When to put on ihram on a flight from the UK
Change into your ihram clothes at the UK airport or on the plane, but make the intention and start the talbiyah in the air, before the boundary. Many pilgrims do this 45 to 60 minutes before landing. Scholars allow you to do it a little early on a plane, because it moves so fast (IslamQA, answer 4635).
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before you leave home | Trim your nails, remove unwanted hair and have a bath (ghusl) if you can. Pack your ihram in your hand luggage. |
| At the UK airport | Men can change into the two ihram sheets in a prayer room or toilet. Do not make the intention yet. |
| After take-off | Ask the cabin crew to tell you before the boundary. Set a phone alarm for about 90 minutes before landing. |
| 90 minutes before landing | If you have not changed yet, change now. Queues for the toilets build up quickly. |
| 45 to 60 minutes before landing, or at the crew’s call | Make the intention for Umrah and begin the talbiyah. The rules of ihram now apply. |
| After landing | Keep saying the talbiyah often on the way to Makkah, until you begin Tawaf. |
Making the intention
The intention is in your heart: you decide to begin your Umrah. Many pilgrims also say “Labbayk Allahumma ‘umrah”, meaning “Here I am, O Allah, for Umrah”. Then you begin the talbiyah.
The talbiyah
Abdullah ibn Umar reported the words the Prophet ﷺ used:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ.
Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni’mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak.
“I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner, I respond to Your call All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You have no partners with you.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1549, translation from Sunnah.com
Men say the talbiyah aloud, and women say it quietly. Repeat it often on the way to Makkah. For Umrah, most scholars say you stop when you begin Tawaf.
Changing on the plane
Aircraft toilets are small, and many pilgrims want to change at the same time. If you can, change at the UK airport and simply make your intention later, in the air. Wearing the sheets does not put you into ihram; the intention and talbiyah do.
Many scholars allow men to put perfume on the body before the intention, but not on the ihram sheets. Aisha described seeing the shine of perfume in the Prophet’s hair while he was in ihram (Sahih al-Bukhari 1537).
Does your airline announce the miqat?
Some airlines announce when the plane is approaching the boundary, and others do not. We cannot promise that any airline will, so ask the cabin crew after take-off and set your own reminder. Your group leader may also call it out.
Practice varies between airlines, and even between flights on the same route. Crews are busy before landing, and an announcement is easy to miss if you are asleep or wearing headphones.
So do not rely on an announcement alone. Set an alarm for about 90 minutes before the scheduled landing time. If your seat has a flight map, you can also watch the plane’s position as it heads south towards Jeddah.
Flying to Madinah first? Your miqat is Dhul Hulayfah
If you fly into Madinah first, you do not need ihram on the plane. You enter ihram at Dhul Hulayfah, at Masjid ash-Shajarah, when you leave Madinah for Makkah. Coaches usually stop there, so pilgrims can change and make their intention.
If you land in Jeddah and go to Madinah first, scholars look at where you are heading. Many say you do not need ihram on the plane, because your journey is to Madinah, and you will pass Dhul Hulayfah later on the way to Makkah.
In a Hanafi answer from SeekersGuidance, crossing the boundary with Umrah planned still calls for ihram. However, entering ihram later at a point such as Dhul Hulayfah makes up for it. Ask a qualified scholar which view to follow for your trip.
Men can put on the ihram sheets at the hotel in Madinah, then make the intention at the mosque. If you travel by train, ask your group leader where to make the intention, because you cannot stop at the mosque.
Many of our packages include time in both cities. Compare our affordable Umrah packages, and tell us if you would like to start in Madinah.
Is Jeddah a miqat?
For pilgrims who fly from the UK with Umrah in mind, most scholars say no. You pass the boundary in the air before you land, so you should already be in ihram. Jeddah is the place of ihram only for people who live there, or who come to Jeddah for another reason and then decide to do Umrah.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is clear about the airport. Its Umrah page says pilgrims arriving by air “must not bypass the Miqat (or the point parallel to it) without entering the state of Ihram”. It adds that “King Abdulaziz International Airport is neither a Miqat nor a place for entering Ihram” (Ministry of Hajj and Umrah).
Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Committee for Fatwa stated that Jeddah is not a miqat for Hajj or Umrah. The exceptions are its own people and residents, and people who come to it for another reason (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah 11/130, quoted by IslamQA). Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin listed waiting until Jeddah as a common mistake of air travellers (IslamQA, answer 33738).
Hanafi scholars reach a similar answer through your intention. Darul Ifta Birmingham says that if you fly to Jeddah to stay with relatives, and not to go straight on for Umrah, you do not need ihram in the air. When you later set off for Makkah, you enter ihram in Jeddah.
A short stop does not change this. Mufti Online, a Hanafi fatwa service, advises that if Makkah is your destination and you are only staying one night in Jeddah, you should put on ihram on the plane before the boundary.
People who live in Jeddah enter ihram from the city itself, as Shaykh Ibn Baz explained (IslamQA, answer 37734). If your plans are unusual, such as work or family visits in Jeddah before your Umrah, ask a qualified scholar before you fly.
Extra Umrah from Makkah: Masjid Aisha and al-Hil
If you are already in Makkah and want another Umrah, you do not go back to your original boundary point. You go just outside the Haram, into the area called al-Hil, and enter ihram there. For most pilgrims, the nearest place is at-Tan’im, where Masjid Aisha stands.
This follows what the Prophet ﷺ told Aisha’s brother after Hajj:
“`Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr told me that the Prophet (ﷺ) had ordered him to let `Aisha ride behind him and to make her perform `Umra from at-Tan`im.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1784
Masjid Aisha is about 6 km from the Kaaba in a straight line, on the road towards Madinah. Most pilgrims take a taxi or bus there, enter ihram, then return to the Haram for Tawaf and Sa’i. Scholars differ on how often to repeat Umrah in one trip, so ask a scholar if you plan several.
Masjid Aisha is for people already inside the boundary. It is not the place for your first Umrah if you fly in from the UK, because that ihram must begin before you land (IslamQA, answer 69934).
What if you pass the miqat without ihram?
If you pass the boundary without ihram, go back to one of the points if you can and enter ihram there. Most scholars say there is then no penalty. If you enter ihram from where you are instead, the majority say you owe a sacrifice, called a dam.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin gave the example of a pilgrim who landed in Jeddah without ihram. He could go back to the proper point and enter ihram there, or enter ihram in Jeddah and offer a sacrifice (IslamQA, answer 111780).
A dam is a sheep slaughtered in Makkah, with the meat given to the poor of the Haram (IslamQA, answer 69934). The Hanafi school gives the same two options: SeekersGuidance explains that the sacrifice falls away if you return to any of the points, enter ihram and say the talbiyah.
If this happens to you, tell your group leader and ask a qualified scholar as soon as you can. The answer depends on your situation, so do not guess.
Ihram rules to remember after the miqat
Once you have made your intention, the rules of ihram apply until you finish your Umrah. Avoid perfume, cutting your hair or nails, and the other restrictions below. For more detail, read our guide to the importance of ihram.
- No perfume. This includes scented soap, wipes and lotions.
- No cutting hair or nails. Do these before you make your intention.
- Men’s clothing. No shirt, trousers or head covering while in ihram (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838).
- Women’s clothing. Ordinary modest clothes, but no face veil or gloves (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838).
- No intimacy or marriage contracts. These wait until your Umrah is complete.
- No hunting. Pilgrims in ihram must not hunt land animals.
- Keep calm. Avoid arguments and bad language, especially in busy airports and queues.
What to pack for changing on the plane
Keep your ihram, a belt or pouch, unscented toiletries and a small bag for your clothes in your hand luggage. Your suitcase stays in the hold until you land, so everything you need to change must be with you on the plane.
- Ihram sheets. Men need two, and a spare set in the hold is useful.
- A belt or pouch. An ihram belt keeps your passport and phone safe.
- Sandals. Simple sandals that leave the ankles uncovered (Sahih al-Bukhari 1542).
- Unscented toiletries. Soap, deodorant and wipes without perfume.
- A small bag. For the clothes you take off on the plane.
- Something warm. Planes get cold, and an extra ihram sheet or blanket helps.
- The talbiyah. A printed copy or a note on your phone.
Liquids in hand luggage must follow the rules at your airport. GOV.UK says these rules have changed at some UK airports, so check with your airport before you travel (GOV.UK hand luggage restrictions).
Frequently asked questions about the miqat
Can I put on ihram at home in the UK?
Yes, men can wear the ihram sheets from home or the airport, and many find this easier. Wearing them does not start your ihram.
Make the intention and say the talbiyah in the air, before the boundary. Scholars say it is not Sunnah to enter ihram long before the point, though a little early on a plane is fine (IslamQA, answer 4635).
Is Jeddah airport a miqat?
Not for most pilgrims flying from the UK. Your plane passes the boundary before it lands, and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says the airport is not a place for entering ihram.
Jeddah is the place of ihram for its residents, and for people who come there for another reason and then decide to do Umrah. Ask a scholar if your plans are unusual.
Does my airline announce the miqat?
Some airlines announce it and others do not, and it can vary between flights. Ask the cabin crew after take-off and watch the flight map if there is one.
Set a phone alarm for about 90 minutes before landing. Many pilgrims make their intention 45 to 60 minutes before landing, to be safe.
What if I fall asleep and miss the miqat?
Tell your group leader and ask a qualified scholar as soon as you can. Most scholars say that going back to one of the points and entering ihram there means no penalty.
If you enter ihram after the boundary instead, the majority say a sacrifice (dam) is due. A phone alarm is the easiest way to avoid the problem.
Where is the miqat when travelling from Madinah to Makkah?
It is Dhul Hulayfah, now called Abyar Ali, just outside Madinah. Pilgrims usually stop at Masjid ash-Shajarah, the large mosque there, to change and make their intention.
The Prophet ﷺ named it as the point for the people of Madinah (Sahih al-Bukhari 1529).
Is Masjid Aisha a miqat for my first Umrah?
No. If you fly in from the UK, you must enter ihram before you pass the boundary in the air.
Masjid Aisha, at at-Tan’im, is where people already in Makkah go to enter ihram for another Umrah, because it is just outside the Haram. The Prophet ﷺ sent Aisha there for her Umrah (Sahih al-Bukhari 1784).
Do women wear a special ihram?
No. Women enter ihram in their ordinary modest clothes, in any colour. They do not wear a face veil or gloves while in ihram, as the Prophet ﷺ said (Sahih al-Bukhari 1838).
Women make the same intention as men and say the talbiyah quietly.
Final thoughts: getting the miqat right
Once you know your route, the rule is simple. If you fly from the UK straight to Makkah, make your intention in the air before landing in Jeddah. If you start in Madinah, enter ihram at Dhul Hulayfah on the way, then head to the Haram for your first rite, explained in our guide to how to perform Tawaf.
When you are ready to book, our packages start from £555 per person as of September 2026, with the visa included. We arrange flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham and other UK airports. Use the free quote form below, message us on WhatsApp or call +44 20 3287 2118, and the Travel to Umrah team will help you plan the right route.
Sources
We checked these sources in September 2026. The distances in this guide were measured by Travel to Umrah on OpenStreetMap data.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1524 and 1529: the points set by the Prophet ﷺ, Sunnah.com
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1531: Umar fixes Dhat Irq, Sunnah.com
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1549: the talbiyah, Sunnah.com
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1784: Aisha’s Umrah from at-Tan’im, Sunnah.com
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1537, 1542 and 1838: perfume and clothing in ihram, Sunnah.com
- Nusuk: the Umrah journey, the official Saudi guide to the rites
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: Umrah, including the note on Jeddah airport
- GOV.UK: Saudi Arabia travel advice, pilgrimage and hand luggage restrictions
- IslamQA answers 4635, 132269, 33738, 69934, 111780 and 37734, quoting the Permanent Committee for Fatwa, Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin
- Hanafi answers from SeekersGuidance (Shaykh Yusuf Weltch and Mawlana Ilyas Patel), Darul Ifta Birmingham (fatwa 07448) and Mufti Online (Mufti Zakaria Makada)
- OpenStreetMap: Masjid ash-Shajarah, al-Juhfah, Qarn al-Manazil, Yalamlam, Dhat Irq, Masjid Aisha and Jeddah airport, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
