Masjid Aisha and the Correct Way to Wear Ihram for Umrah: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the Role of Masjid Aisha in Ihram for Umrah and the Surrounding Controversies

Masjid Aisha is a well-known mosque in Makkah, from where people living in the Haram Makkah area don the Ihram for Umrah. There is considerable confusion among the public regarding the Ihram being worn from this mosque, and even many scholars have different opinions on this matter. In this article, we will clarify this issue.

Haram Makkah Boundaries:

The boundaries surrounding the Haram Mosque are known as the Hudood Haram, and praying anywhere within these boundaries yields the same reward as praying inside the Haram Mosque itself. The Prophet ﷺ said:
صلاةٌ في المسجدِ الحرامِ أفضلُ من مائةِ ألفِ صلاةٍ فيما سواهُ (صحيح ابن ماجه:1163)
Translation: Praying in the Masjid al-Haram is better than one hundred thousand prayers in other mosques.

It is important to know that nowadays, the boundaries of the Haram Mosque are clearly marked in all four directions. At the points where the Haram boundaries end, pillars have been installed. On the pillars, you will find written in Arabic “نهاية حد الحرم” (End of Haram Boundary) and in English “END OF HARAM BOUNDARY” on the inside, and “بداية حد الحرم” (Beginning of Haram Boundary) and in English “BEGINNING OF HARAM BOUNDARY” on the outside to help people distinguish the boundary limits.

The boundary of the Haram was first established by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) under Allah’s command through Jibril (peace be upon him). Later, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered Tamim ibn Asad Khuzai to mark the boundaries again during the conquest of Makkah. After that, the boundaries were renewed by Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, and today, these boundaries remain clear. (See: Sharh al-Muhadhab 7/463)

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has defined the geographical boundaries of the Haram as follows:

1. North of Makkah: 5 kilometers from Makkah towards the direction of Aisha Mosque. (This mosque is on the Makkah-Madina road.)
2. South of Makkah: 20 kilometers towards Muzdalifah and Arafat. (This is on the Makkah-Taif road.)
3. West of Makkah: 18 kilometers towards the direction of Jeddah at the location of Hudaybiyyah. (Today, Hudaybiyyah is known as Shumaysi.)
4. East of Makkah: 14.5 kilometers towards the location of Jirana. (There is a mosque at Jirana, which is on the Taif road.)
   There is some difference among people regarding the exact kilometers, but I have provided the information from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The area within these four boundaries is part of the Haram, while areas outside this boundary are considered Halal and are not part of the Haram.

Places to Wear Ihram:

After understanding the boundaries of the Haram, let us now learn about the places where one can wear Ihram for Umrah. There are three main places or conditions for wearing Ihram for Umrah:

1. First Place: Those who are outside the Miqat (such as Qarn al-Manazil, Juhfa, Yalamlam, Dhul-Hulaifah) will wear Ihram from their designated Miqat and then come to Makkah to perform Umrah. For example, people coming from the Indian subcontinent via plane will wear Ihram from the Miqat of Taif (Qarn al-Manazil).
2. Second Place: Those who live within the Miqat boundaries will wear Ihram from the place where they reside, such as people in Jeddah, Shara’i, Thuwal, Bahrah, etc. These people will wear Ihram from their place of residence for Umrah.

3. Third Place: As explained above regarding the boundaries of the Haram, those who reside within this boundary must go outside the Haram limits to wear the Ihram from any permissible location, such as Aisha Mosque, Jirana, Arafat, or Hudaybiyah, etc.

Aisha Mosque and the Ihram for Umrah:

Aisha Mosque, also known as Masjid Tan’īm and Masjid Umrah, is located 5 kilometers north of the Haram on the Makkah-Madina road in the area of Hayy al-Tan’īm. This grand mosque spans an area of 6,000 square meters and can accommodate approximately 15,000 worshippers. It is the closest mosque to the Haram and offers excellent facilities for both Ihram wearing and transportation, which is why people living within the Haram boundaries commonly wear their Ihram for Umrah from Aisha Mosque.

This mosque became famous due to an incident during the Farewell Pilgrimage, when the Prophet ﷺ ordered his wife, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), to wear Ihram for Umrah from this location with her brother, Abdul Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him). A mosque was later built here, which became known as Aisha Mosque. Let’s look at the Hadith that mentions Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) being commanded to wear Ihram for Umrah from here. For brevity, I will provide only the translation of the Hadith:

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “We set out for the Hajj with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the state of Ihram for Hajj, and Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was in the state of Ihram for Umrah. When we reached Sarf, she began menstruating. By the time we arrived in Makkah, we had performed the Tawaf of the Kaaba and the Sa’i of Safa and Marwah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then commanded those who did not have an animal for sacrifice to remove their Ihram. We asked, ‘What does it mean to be free from Ihram?’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Complete release from Ihram.’ So, we went to our wives, applied perfume, and put on our clothes. Four days before the Day of Arafah, we wore the Ihram again on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the Day of Tarwiyah). When the Prophet ﷺ went to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), he found her crying and asked her, ‘What happened to you?’ She replied, ‘I am menstruating, the others have removed their Ihram, and I have not, nor have I performed Tawaf of the Kaaba, and now the people are going for Hajj.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘This is something Allah has created in the daughters of Adam. Perform a bath and wear the Ihram for Hajj.’ She did so, and then she remained at all the stations for Hajj. When she became pure, she performed the Tawaf and Sa’i of Safa and Marwah. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘You are now free from Ihram for both Hajj and Umrah.’ She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I feel uneasy in my heart because I was unable to perform Tawaf of the Kaaba before Hajj (though I had worn Ihram for Umrah).’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘O Abdul Rahman! Take her to Tan’īm and have her perform Umrah.’ This incident occurred on the night of Mahsāb.” (Sahih Muslim: 1213, translation by Maulana Abdul Aziz Alawi)

Scholarly Note: 

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had worn Ihram for Umrah, but before reaching Makkah, she menstruated, and by the time she reached Makkah, she had not yet become pure. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ instructed her to remove her Ihram and wear the Hajj Ihram on the Day of Tarwiyah, essentially combining her Umrah with her Hajj, which is known as Hajj Qiran. This shows that if a woman intending for Hajj Tamattu’ becomes menstruated before performing Umrah and does not purify before the Day of Tarwiyah, she should switch to Hajj Qiran by wearing the Hajj Ihram on the Day of Tarwiyah. When she purifies and performs the Tawaf and Sa’i, both her Hajj and Umrah will be completed. This is known as Hajj Qiran.

Coming from Outside Makkah and Wearing Ihram from Aisha Mosque:

Those who work or reside within the Haram boundaries will wear Ihram from Aisha Mosque, and there is no disagreement about this. However, there is some disagreement regarding those who wear Ihram from their designated Miqat (e.g., Qarn al-Manazil, Juhfa, etc.), perform their first Umrah, and then want to perform a second Umrah. Can they wear Ihram for the second Umrah from Aisha Mosque, or do they have to go back to their Miqat?

Before addressing the main question, let’s clarify that performing one Umrah during a single trip is the most recommended and preferable action, as this is what the Hadith suggests. However, if one stays in Makkah for an extended period, performing a second Umrah after a few days is permissible. Performing multiple Umrahs in a single day is against the Sunnah. Similarly, if someone has a short stay in Makkah and cannot return again, they may perform an Umrah on behalf of a deceased parent, and some scholars allow this.

Now, to address the main question: if someone has already performed one Umrah after wearing Ihram from their Miqat and is staying in Makkah, can they wear the Ihram for a second Umrah from Aisha Mosque, or do they need to go back to their Miqat?

The answer is that if a person is staying in Makkah (i.e., inside the Haram boundaries) and has already performed one Umrah, they do not need to return to their Miqat for the second Umrah. They can wear Ihram for the second Umrah from anywhere outside the Haram, such as Jirana or Aisha Mosque. Those who argue that such people cannot wear Ihram from Aisha Mosque claim that this ruling applies only to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) because she had menstruated. However, the place of wearing Ihram is the same for both men and women, and there is no difference due to menstruation. I have previously outlined three scenarios for wearing Ihram, and these guidelines apply equally to all.

Here are a few evidences and explanations:

1. The Hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), in which the Prophet ﷺ ordered her to wear Ihram from Tan’īm, does not specify that this location is exclusive to her.
   
2. After the conquest of Makkah in the 8th year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ and some of his companions wore Ihram from Jirana for Umrah. This narration is found in Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Nasa’i, Musnad Ahmad, and Abu Ya’la among others. I present the narration from Sunan Abi Dawood as an example:
   Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
   “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions wore Ihram from Jirana, performed three rounds of Tawaf with Raml (walking briskly) and four rounds normally.” (Sahih Abi Dawood: 1890)
   

From this Hadith, it is clear that once inside the Haram boundaries, if someone wishes to perform Umrah, they will go outside the boundary (to the Halal area) to wear Ihram. For instance, someone who arrives in Makkah without intending to perform Umrah but then decides to do so, will go outside the Haram boundary (such as Jirana or Aisha Mosque) to wear their Ihram. Similarly, a person who goes to Jeddah from another city in Saudi Arabia and decides to perform Umrah can wear their Ihram from their place of residence.

Thus, the three scenarios I mentioned earlier regarding where to wear Ihram are applicable in these situations.

Those who reside within the boundaries of the Miqat or have entered there will wear the Ihram for Umrah from their place of residence, just like the people of Jeddah. This is supported by the hadith narrated from Ibn Abbas (RA), in which the Prophet (PBUH) said:
وَمَن كانَ دونَ ذلك فَمِنْ حَيثُ أنشَأَ حَتّى أهْلُ مَكَّةَ مِن مَكَّةَ (صحيح البخاري:1524)
Translation: “Those whose place of residence is between the Miqat and Makkah will wear the Ihram from where they begin their journey, even the people of Makkah will wear the Ihram from Makkah itself.”
This hadith indicates that those within the Miqat will wear the Ihram from the place where they begin their travel, and it also says that the people of Makkah will wear the Ihram from Makkah itself. This means that when the people of Makkah intend to perform Hajj as a solo pilgrim (Ifrad) or combined (Qiran), they will wear the Ihram from their place of residence. However, those residing in the boundaries of the Haram will leave the Haram and go to a place outside it (Hil) to wear the Ihram for Umrah, such as from the Masjid Aisha. This is agreed upon by the scholars. Ibn Abd al-Barr has stated that Imam Malik’s opinion, “The resident of Makkah will not wear the Ihram from Makkah until he goes to the Hil area and wears it from there,” is the consensus of the scholars, and there is no difference of opinion in this matter (Al-Istidhkar: 4/79).
This is why Aisha (RA) was ordered to go to the Hil area to wear the Ihram for Umrah. In fact, this ruling applies to all those who live in Makkah, whether they are residents or visitors. It is not exclusive to Aisha (RA), as some may think. If there were a specific ease for Aisha (RA) in wearing the Ihram for Umrah, the Prophet (PBUH) would have told her to wear it from wherever she was in Makkah. This would have been easier for her. However, the Prophet (PBUH) instructed her to go to the Hil area, and it was night time. He told both Aisha and Abdul Rahman to meet him at a specific place after performing Umrah. This shows that it was a matter of hardship. Therefore, how could there have been ease and special treatment for Aisha (RA)?
It is clear from this that the ruling for all those living within the Haram’s boundaries is that when they wish to perform Umrah, they must go outside the Haram to a Hil area, wear the Ihram, and then return. This applies even if someone enters the Haram for some purpose and later decides to perform Umrah. Even if someone comes from another country or city to Makkah for the purpose of Umrah and stays in the Haram, they must go to a Hil area, like Masjid Aisha, to wear the Ihram for a subsequent Umrah.

Dispelling a Misconception:

There is a misconception among the public that if someone comes to Makkah or Jeddah for some other purpose and then decides to perform Umrah, they must stay for a few days, for example, three days or ten or fifteen days, before they can perform Umrah. This is a wrong understanding. The correct view is that if someone enters the boundaries of the Haram for any purpose and later decides to perform Umrah, they can wear the Ihram immediately after deciding, without waiting. Similarly, if someone comes to Jeddah for some other purpose and then decides to perform Umrah, they can wear the Ihram from their place of residence and perform Umrah as soon as they wish. The idea that they must stay for several days is incorrect.
A separate issue to consider is that if someone lives outside the Miqat and comes to Makkah or Jeddah for Umrah, they must wear the Ihram from their Miqat, not from their place of residence. Many people, upon arriving in Jeddah, rest and then wear the Ihram from there, which is incorrect. If someone does this, they must offer a penalty (Dam). Similarly, the people of Jeddah must wear the Ihram from their place of residence and not go to Masjid Aisha or somewhere else outside the Haram to wear it. In such cases, Dam will also be obligatory. Therefore, the people of Jeddah must wear the Ihram from their residence.

Fatwas from Arab Scholars Regarding Wearing the Ihram from Masjid Aisha:

There is no difference of opinion that those residing in Makkah must go to the Hil area to wear the Ihram for Umrah. However, some have disagreed regarding whether those who come to Makkah for Umrah and later wish to perform another Umrah should go to Masjid Aisha or the Miqat. I have already clarified that for subsequent Umrah, they must go to a Hil area such as Masjid Aisha and wear the Ihram from there. Here are some fatwas from Arab scholars that support this position:

1. Question to Sheikh Ibn Baz:
   A person came from Riyadh intending to perform one Umrah in Makkah, but after completing it, they decided to perform another Umrah. The question was: where should they wear the Ihram from?
   Sheikh Ibn Baz (RA) responded that there is no harm in performing another Umrah for oneself or on behalf of someone else. To do so, they should go to Tan’im, Ja’ranah, or any other Hil area outside the Haram and wear the Ihram for the second Umrah, just as Aisha (RA) did from Tan’im under the Prophet’s (PBUH) instruction. (Bin Baz, Fatwa, website)
2. Question to Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan:
   If a woman has already completed her Umrah and then wishes to perform it on behalf of her father or uncle, should she return to the Miqat to wear the Ihram, or can she go to a Hil area like Tan’im?
   Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan responded that it is permissible to perform another Umrah for a close relative and that she should go to a Hil area like Tan’im, Ja’ranah, or any place outside the Haram to wear the Ihram. Returning to the Miqat is not necessary. The second Umrah should be done in this manner, and each Umrah requires a separate Ihram. (Islamweb.net, Fatwa)
3. Fatwa from the Permanent Committee:
   A question was asked about three women who performed Umrah after Hajj from Kadi. The response from the Permanent Committee was that since Kadi is inside the Haram, they should have gone to Tan’im or Ja’ranah, as Aisha (RA) did, to wear the Ihram. However, their Umrah was valid, though they must offer Dam because they wore the Ihram from inside the Haram. (Lajna Daa’imah, Fatwa No. 5830)
4. Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid:
   The majority of scholars have allowed a person who has already performed Umrah to perform another Umrah, particularly if they have traveled from afar and cannot easily return to Makkah. In such a case, they should go to the nearest Hil area and wear the Ihram for the second Umrah from there. (Islamqa.info, Fatwa No. 180123)

Performing Multiple Umrahs from Masjid Aisha:

It is important to mention here that some scholars believe that only one Umrah is allowed per trip, based on what has been narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions, such as Shaykh Al-Albani and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (RA). However, other scholars hold the view that if someone stays in Makkah for an extended period, they may perform another Umrah after a few days’ interval. Similarly, if someone wishes to perform Umrah on behalf of a close relative, especially when it is unlikely they will return to Makkah, this is also permissible.

The Prophet (PBUH) said:
الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا (صحيح البخاري:1773)
Translation: “One Umrah to the next is an expiation for what occurs between them.”
This hadith supports the idea of performing multiple Umrahs, as it shows that one Umrah serves as a means of expiation for sins between two Umrahs. Similarly, when Aisha (RA) completed her Hajj Qiran, the Prophet (PBUH) gave her the good news that both Hajj and Umrah were complete for her. He said:
قَدْ حَلَلْتِ مِنْ حَجِّكِ وَعُمْرَتِكِ جَمِيعًا (صحیح مسلم:1213)
Translation: “You have been freed from both your Hajj and Umrah.”
Despite this, the Prophet (PBUH) allowed her to perform another separate and independent Umrah and instructed her brother, Abdul Rahman, saying:
فَاذْهَبْ بِهَا يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ فَأَعْمِرْهَا مِنَ التَّنْعِيمِ (Muslim)
Translation: “O Abdul Rahman! Take her and let her perform Umrah from Tan’im.”

However, it should be noted that performing multiple Umrahs in a single day, or performing Umrah daily or repeatedly, is undoubtedly incorrect. The best and most preferable practice is to perform only one Umrah per trip.