Answered by Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Mangera
We live in a city close to Medina Munawwara. I wanted to inquire if we are allowed to travel to Makkah without Ihraam. If for instance, we want to go to Makkah to meet relatives who’ve come for Hajj or Umrah, can we go there without Ihraam with the intention of only doing tawaaf? Some people are of the view that its strictly forbidden to travel to Makkah without Ihraam (under Hanafi Madhab). Kindly guide us the Shariah ruling in this regard. We would be extremly grateful.
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah the Inspirer of truth.
According to the scholars of Islam, the area of the haram is a sanctified area and anyone who ventures therein is required to observe certain procedures of pilgrim sanctity or ihram, and fulfill certain rites like umra to the house of Allah.
Hence, the Hanafi position on this is that it is not permitted to enter into the haram area (and pass the miqat) except with a valid ihram (Radd al-muhtar).
You may want speak to some local Hanafi scholars in Madina Munawwara or Makka Mukarrama if any special concessions can be made based on the Shafi’i school, for instance, for taxi drivers who face this issue all the time. However, for someone visiting the haram area occasionally like yourself, there should not be any need to look for concessions and instead benefit from the blessedness of the area.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf