Bismihi Ta`ala
*We should know that the most precious land on the earth crust is the land of Makkah Mukarramah. The climax of Makkah is Ka`bah.
As such the condition of Salaah when in Masjidul Haraam is that you should absolutely face the Ka`bah.
When outside the Masjidul Haraam, then you should absolutely face the Masjidul Haraam. And far outside Makkah, then face approximately the direction of Makkah plus or minus 45 degrees.
The earth crust is as such divided into 3 segments. Outside Hill, Inside Hill and inside Haram. Hill is the boundary that touches the limit of Madinah(Zul Huleifah), Juhfah from direction of Egypt, Zate Iraq from Iraq side and Yalamlam from Yemen side.
عن القاسم عن عائشة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقت لاهل المدينة ذا الحليفة ولاهل الشام ومصر جحفة ولاهل العراق ذات عرق ولاهل اليمن يلملم ميقات أهل اليمن
Nassai.
For for those coming to perform Umrah or Hajj from outside the Hill area, then they should absolutely wear their Ihraam before they cross those delimitations. A radius of about 400 kms. See the geographical delimitations on http://islam-qna.org/Articles.asp?QID=29&LN=.
Note that Jeddah is inside the Hill area and hence mu`tamirs and Hajis should have ihraam before this point. The limit of miqaat that is closest to the traveller will be applicable at a given geographical point.(Mu`alimul Hujjaaj)
A contravention towards the Miqaat is liable to a dam or a sheep to be slaughtered in the Haram area. The Haram area is delimited by Tan`eem, Ji`ranah and near Arafah. A radius of about 6 kilometers from the Ka`bah.
If someone goes objectively to a place in Hill, then he do not need to put Ihraam. If someone in Hill want to perform Umrah or Hajj, then he puts ihraam wherever he is in Hill. And whoever in Makkah want to perform Umrah, then he goes to the limit boundary of Haram:
Tan`eem(Masjid Aisha) or Ji`rana. But best from Tan`eem, Masjid Aisha. Finally note that a person in Hill can come to Makkah without Ihraam for his necessity. So hajj and umrah agents, etc that should come in and out Makkah may stop for a while in a city of Hill and then proceed to Makkah for his necessity.
But all Hajis and Mu`tamirs living outside Hill should be in Ihraam before entering the first Miqaat of Yalamlam, Juhfah, Zul Huleifah and Zate Iraq.
*As such it is a fake concept to say that there is GREATER UMRAH by going from Makkah to Madinah to wear Ihraam. Once you are in Makkah after your Umrah, your Miqaat is now from the limit of Haram, Tan`eem. The beloved prophet SAW was a musafir during the Victory of Makkah and he performed a Umrah from Ji`ranah, not far from Tan`eem(Bukhari):*
عَنْ قَتَادَةَ أَنَّ أَنَسًا أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ اعْتَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ الْجِعْرَانَةِ حَيْثُ قَسَمَ غَنَائِمَ حُنَيْنٍ
صحيح البخاري
Imaam Malik r.a. mentioned the same opinion in Muatta Imaam Malik. Ibn Sireen, imaam Ahmad et Ibn Qudamah also have the same opinion. And know that Hazrat Ibn Abbaas r.a. prescribed those people in Makkah that their point for Ihraam of a Umrah is from Tan`eem (Mustadrak Hakim) :
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما ، قال : « الحج والعمرة فريضتان على الناس كلهم إلا أهل مكة فإن عمرتهم طوافهم فليخرجوا إلى التنعيم ، ثم ليدخلوها ، فوالله ما دخلها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا حاجا أو معتمرا » « هذا حديث صحيح على شرط مسلم ، ولم يخرجاه ، وقد أسند عن محمد بن كثير بإسناد آخر
مستدرك للحاكم
Eminent sahabah like Annas bin Malik r.a. when he was in Makkah and when his hair grew slightly after shaving them, then he would go to Ji`ranah(not far from Tan`eem) and wear Ihraam there to redo a Umrah. (Akhbaar Makkah):
– حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ قَالَ: ثنا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ، عَنْ بَعْضِ وَلَدِ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: ” إِنَّ أَنَسًا رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كَانَ يَكُونُ بِمَكَّةَ، فَإِذَا حَمَّمَ رَأْسُهُ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْجِعْرَانَةِ فَاعْتَمَرَ “
اخبار مكة
It is reported that when Ibn Zubeir r.a. finished the historic reshaping of Ka`bah, he then ordered his companions to accompany him to perform a Umrah from Tan`eem. (Akhbar Makkah, Subulul Huda and Hashiyatul Jamal)
حدثني جدي ، عن مسلم بن خالد الزنجي ، عن يسار بن عبد الرحمن ، قال : « شهدت ابن الزبير حين فرغ من بناء البيت ، كساه القباطي ، وقال : من كانت لي عليه طاعة فليخرج فليعتمر من التنعيم . قال : فما رأيت يوما كان أكثر عتيقا ، ولا أكثر بدنة مذبوحة من يومئذ
اخبار مكة
Tawaaf is the best ibaadah during your stay in Haram, but since Umrah takes more time and rites, it is better to do Umrah than tawaaf(Fatawa Zakarya).* So when physically ready, it is recommended to redo a umrah from Tan`eem. You would be imitating eminent sahabahs like Ibn Zubeir and Annas bin Malik r.a. So definitely, the point of formulating intention for another Umrah is Tan`eem(Masjid Aisha r.a.) when you would be in Makkah. But when travelling to Makkah from your respective country, then you should do intention of your Umrah as from before Miqaat.Finally, know that we are not called to the miqaat for Umrah and Hajj to impoverish us. Rather performing Hajj and Umrah one after the other annihilate poverty and sins.(Tirmizi) It is ‘’*A MIQAAT THAT PAYS.