Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām - Abd Allah al-Bassam - (4/48)

Tawḍīḥ al-AḥkāmAbd Allah al-Bassam

Indeed, al-Muḥibb al-Ṭabarī stated, “I do not know of anyone who ever regarded Mecca itself as the miqāt for ʿumrah.”

I respond: al-Ṣanʿānī considered that position his own and attempted to defend it, yet the evidence he cites is insufficient. The implied meaning he draws from this ḥadīth cannot stand against the Prophet’s explicit command to ʿĀʾishah that she leave the city for her ʿumrah and assume iḥrām at al-Tanʿīm, despite the very limited time available. Strong supporting reports back this ruling, and the practice of the Muslims, past and present, is unanimously in accordance with it.

The phrase “whoever intends ḥajj or ʿumrah” indicates that a person entering Mecca for some other purpose—trade, for instance—is not obliged to enter iḥrām. There is, however, a scholarly dispute on the matter that will be discussed later, if Allah wills.
Allotting a distinct miqāt along each direction leading to Mecca is a manifestation of Allah’s mercy and a facilitation in His law; had there been only one, it would have caused hardship for those who seek to perform the rites.
The Prophet’s ﷺ designation of these boundaries is among the miracles of his prophethood. He fixed them before the people of those lands had embraced Islam, signaling that they would later accept the faith, make pilgrimage, and assume iḥrām from those very points—and so it occurred, praise and gratitude belong to Allah.
This arrangement exalts and honors the Sacred House by establishing a protected zone that no pilgrim or performer of ʿumrah may cross until he adopts the prescribed state—approaching humbly before Allah, magnifying His symbols and His sanctities.
Dhāt ʿIrq is the miqāt for the people of the east and for anyone who travels with them. Imām al-Shāfiʿī said in Al-Umm, “The people are unanimously agreed on this.”
This shows the deep understanding of ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, for he designated Dhāt ʿIrq even though the explicit text concerning it had not reached him; later revelation confirmed the correctness of his judgment. Such divinely-guided decisions from him are well known.
ʿUmar chose Dhāt ʿIrq for the people of the east because, after Basra and Kufa were founded, their route lay to the north-east, whereas Qarn al-Manāzil is in the south-east. Assuming iḥrām from Qarn therefore proved difficult for them. They came to ʿUmar and said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fixed Qarn for the people of Najd, yet it lies far off our path.” He replied:

بل قال المحب الطبري: "ما أعلم أحدًا ما جعل مكة ميقاتًا للعمرة". قلت: إِلا أنَّ الصنعاني جعله قولًا له، ونصره بما لا ينهض فيه دليل؛ فإنَّ مفهوم هذا الحديث لا يقاوم صريح أمره عائشة بالخروج لعمرتها إلى التنعيم في ذلك الوقت الضيق، وكذلك عضده آثار قوية، وعمل المسلمين جميعًا في القديم، والحديث على هذا. ٥ - مفهوم قوله "ممن أراد الحج أو العمرة" إنَّ من أراد دخول مكة لغير حج أو عمرة، بل لتجارة أو غيرها، فلا يجب عليه الإحرام، وفي المسألة خلاف يأتي إن شاء الله. ٦ - جَعْل كل أهل جهة لهم ميقات في طريقهم إلى مكة من رحمة الله بخلقه، وتسهيل شرعه لهم، فلو كان الميقات واحدًا، لشقَّ على مريدي النسك. ٧ - تحديد النبي ﷺ هذه المواقيت من معجزات نبوته، فإنَّه حددها قبل إسلام أهلها، إشعارًا منه بأنهم سيسلمون. ويحجون، ويحرمون منها، وقد كان ولله الحمد والمنة. ٨ - تعظيم هذا البيت وتشريفه بجعل هذا الحمى، الذي لا يتجاوزه حاج، أو معتمر حتى يأتي بهذه الهيئة، خاشعًا لله تعالى، معظِّمًا لشعائره ومحارمه. ٩ - أنَّ ذات عِرق مَهل أهل المشرق، ومن جاء معه، قال الإمام الشافعي في "الأم": "أجمع عليه الناس". ١٠ - فقه عمر ﵁، فإنَّه وقَّت ذات عرق، والنص فيها لم يبلغه، فجاء على وفق توقيته، وليس غريبًا عليه، فله موافقات كثيرة معروفة. ١١ - سبب توقيت عمر ذات عِرق لأهل الشرق، أنه لمَّا تأسست البصرة والكوفة، وكان قرن المنازل في الشرق الجنوبي، وطريق أهل البصرة والكوفة في الشرق الشمالي، شقَّ عليهم الإحرام منه، فجاءوا، فقالوا لعمر: "إنَّ رسول الله ﷺ حدَّ لأهل نجد قرنًا، وإنه جَور عن طريقنا، قال: