Question to Shaikh Ibn Bāz: I reside in Riyadh. Is it permissible for me to visit a relative in Jeddah and then enter into ihrām from Jeddah as its residents do, with the intention of performing ʿUmrah? Bearing in mind that the reason for my travel was to perform ʿUmrah and to visit this relative at the same time—I travelled by plane directly to Jeddah.
Answer: So long as you intended both ʿUmrah and the visit from your own city, then it is obligatory upon you to enter into ihrām from the meeqāt.
However, if you did not intend except the visit [to your relative], and thereafter it occurred to you to perform ʿUmrah, then you may enter into ihrām from Jeddah — there is no harm in that.
However, as long as you had resolved upon performing ʿUmrah along with the visit from your own city, then it is binding upon you to enter into ihrām from the meeqāt. This is due to the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ), when he appointed the meeqāts: “They (the meeqāts) are for their people and for those who pass by them from other than their people* for whoever intends Hajj or ʿUmrah.”
And this is a matter of ijmāʿ (scholarly consensus) among the people of knowledge — there is no differing in it, and all praise is due to Allāh.
End of the speech of Imām Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh).
Further note: This ruling applies to anyone visiting relatives and friends or coming for trade, or medical treatment (etc.) within the boundaries of the meeqāts (such as Jeddah, Makkah and so on) and then decides to perform ʿUmrah. If a person intended ʿUmrah from the outset, then they must return to the meeqāt that they initially passed, and enter into ihrām, and then proceed to perform ʿUmrah. However, if a person did not intend except the visit or to do trade, and thereafter it occurred to them to perform ʿUmrah, then they may enter into ihrām from Jeddah or Makkah (or other places past the meeqāt boundary) — there is no harm in that.
Abu Khadeejah.
Audio of Shaikh Ibn Bāz: