He is studying in Jeddah but lives in Riyadh, and he intends to perform ‘Umrah after the exams; from where should he enter ihraam?

The one who passes the meeqaat with the intention of performing Hajj or ‘Umrah has to enter ihraam from there. See question no. 33798 and 36646. 

You can delay entering ihraam for ‘Umrah until your stay in Jeddah is over, then go back to the meeqaat and enter ihraam from there. It is not permissible for you to enter ihraam from Jeddah. 

The Standing Committee was asked about a student who is studying in the city of Jeddah, but he lives in al-Qanfadhah which is 350 km away. On Thursdays and Fridays he goes to al-Qanfadhah then he comes back to Jeddah. If he wants to do ‘Umrah, from where should he enter ihraam? 

They replied: 

If you set out for ‘Umrah from Jeddah then you should enter ihraam from Jeddah, and if you form the intention whilst you are in al-Qanfadhah then you should enter ihraam from the meeqaat of the people of Yemen. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 11/136 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about a man who traveled from his country to Jeddah, then he wanted to do ‘Umrah. Should he enter ihraam from Jeddah? 

The answer: 

One of two scenarios must apply in this case: 

1 – This person traveled to Jeddah without any intention of performing ‘Umrah, then the idea of ‘Umrah occurred to him whilst he was in Jeddah. So he should enter ihraam from Jeddah and there is nothing wrong with that, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) which mentions the meeqaats. He said: “… and whoever is within these boundaries can enter Ihram from the place he sets out from, and the people of Makkah can start from Makkah.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1524; Muslim, 1181. 

2 – If he came from his country with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and firmly resolved to do so. In this case he has to enter ihraam from the meeqaat that he passes through, and it is not permissible for him to enter ihraam from Jeddah, because that is closer to Makkah than the meeqaat, and it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when he defined the meeqaats:  “And these meeqaats are for the people at those very places, and besides them for those who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah.” 

If he enters ihraam from Jeddah and goes to Makkah in that state, then according to the scholars he has to offer a compensatory sacrifice, which should be slaughtered in Makkah and its meat given in charity to the poor; and his ‘Umrah is valid. 

If he did not enter ihraam from Jeddah after arriving there, and he formed the intention to perform ‘Umrah before he reached Jeddah, then he should go back to the meeqaat and enter ihraam from there, and he does not have to do anything (offer a sacrifice). And Allaah knows best. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 21/291. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was also asked about a group of pilgrims who resolved to perform Hajj. They are people from Riyadh who had been sent to do some work at the airport at Jeddah. Some of them resolved to perform Hajj ifraad, some to perform tamattu’ and some to perform qiraan, but they passed the meeqaat and did not enter ihraam because there was a long time to go, nearly a month, from the time they started their work until the Hajj season began. Do they all have to offer a sacrifice or only some of them, depending on what their intention was? 

The reply: 

With regard to those who intended to perform tamattu’, their failing to enter ihraam from the meeqaat is a mistake which goes against the wisdom of sharee’ah. It would have been better for them to enter ihraam from the meeqaat and perform ‘Umrah, then exit ihraam and go to Jeddah. As for those who intended to perform qiraan and ifraad, it is true that it would be difficult for them to spend a whole month in ihraam; when the time for Hajj came they should have gone out to the meeqaat that they had passed and entered ihraam from there. If that was difficult for them and they could not go to the meeqaat, then they could enter ihraam from Jeddah, but according to the scholars they have to offer a sacrifice in Makkah and distribute the meat to the poor. The same applies to those doing tamattu’ so long as they have not yet entered ihraam. If they want to enter ihraam for ‘Umrah then they have to go out to al-Sayl (the meeqaat for the people of Riyaadh) and enter ihraam from there, then perform tawaaf and saa’i, cut their hair and exit ihraam. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 21/291. 

And Allaah knows best.