We reply: This apparent meaning is contradicted by the hadith of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) “instructed her brother to take her out to al-Tan'im so that she could enter ihram there” (1).

If someone says: Aishah was not one of the people of Makkah, so she was instructed to go out beyond the Sacred Precinct in order to enter ihram there?

We reply: What prevents a non-Makkan from entering ihram for Umrah from Makkah is not the fact that he is not one of its people. The evidence is that a non-Makkan enters ihram for Hajj from Makkah. Thus, if Makkah were a miqat for entering ihram for Umrah, it would be a miqat both for the people of Makkah and for non-Makkans who are not among its residents. This is clear.

Furthermore, Umrah is a visit, and a visitor must come to the one being visited. If someone is with you in the house and happens to be there with you, it is not said that he visited you. This is supported by the linguistic meaning.

We also say: Every ritual must combine being outside and inside the Sacred Precinct. The evidence is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed Aishah to enter ihram from outside the Sacred Precinct, so that her rite would combine both outside and inside the Sacred Precinct.

If someone says: This is contradicted by entering ihram for Hajj from Makkah?

We reply: It is not contradicted, because one who enters ihram for Hajj cannot circumambulate the House until he comes to it from outside the Sacred Precinct—that is, from Arafah—for he will stand at Arafah, and he cannot perform the circumambulation of departure from Arafah until after standing at Arafah. Thus it becomes clear that the view that the people of Makkah enter ihram for Umrah from Makkah is weak—not in terms of the evidence, nor of language, nor of meaning.