Ihram at the Dhul Hulayfah miqat (Abyar Ali)

Educational guide. If in doubt, ask your guide or a scholar.

Dhul Hulayfah, about ten kilometres south-west of Madinah, is the miqat for the people of Madinah and those coming through it; it is the farthest from Makkah (about 450 km). The bus stops there: ablution if needed, prayer (if it is time for an obligatory prayer, pray it; otherwise two units are recommended by many), then on the bus or at the mosque: intention “Labbayka ʿumratan” and talbiya. Do not pass the mosque towards Makkah without having formed the intention.

Schools differPraying two units specifically for ihram: recommended by most schools, not retained by some scholars; forming the intention after an obligatory prayer is agreed upon. Forming the intention seated in the departing bus, or standing at the mosque: both are accepted.

Supplications

لَبَّيْكَ عُمْرَةً

Labbayka ʿumratan

Here I am for an Umrah.

Muslim 1218, hadith of Jabir (the Prophet’s ﷺ pilgrimage)

اللَّهُمَّ مَحِلِّي حَيْثُ حَبَسْتَنِي

Allāhumma maḥillī ḥaythu ḥabastanī

O Allah, my place of release is wherever You prevent me.

Conditional intention, recommended if you fear being prevented (illness, unforeseen event).

Bukhari 5089, Muslim 1207 (conditional intention)

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

Labbayka Llāhumma labbayk, labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk, inna l-ḥamda wa-n-niʿmata laka wa-l-mulk, lā sharīka lak

Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Praise, grace and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.

Bukhari 1549, Muslim 1184 (talbiya)

Common mistakes

Staying on the bus and forgetting the intention at departure.
Forming the intention at the Madinah hotel then using perfume or covering the head on the way.
Mistaking the miqat for a simple stop: it is the start of ihram.

What if…

The bus did not stop?

Form the intention immediately on the bus, before passing the miqat area; tell the guide.

I formed the intention at the hotel?

That is valid (one may enter ihram before the miqat); the prohibitions apply from that moment.

Checklist

☐ Ablution
☐ Prayer (obligatory or two units)
☐ Intention “Labbayka ʿumratan”
☐ Talbiya started
☐ No perfume, head uncovered (men)

Open the interactive 3D guide

Sources

Bukhari 1524-1526, Muslim 1181 (the miqats)
Bukhari 1541 (ihram at Dhul Hulayfah)
Muslim 1218, hadith of Jabir (the Prophet’s ﷺ pilgrimage)

Supplications

Common mistakes

What if…

Checklist

All steps