The Islamic ruling on missing the stay in Mina during Hajj. And the difference between the Day of Tarwiyah and the Days of Tashreeq, and when Fidyah is due.
Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his companions.
To understand the consequences of missing the stay in Mina, we must differentiate between the two separate times a pilgrim is required to be there. The scholars of the Salaf clearly distinguish between what is a Sunnah (recommended) and what is a Wajib (obligatory).
Going to Mina on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah to pray the five daily prayers and spend the night before proceeding to 'Arafah is a highly confirmed Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The Consequence: If a pilgrim misses this stay—whether they went directly to 'Arafah, or their Hajj group's schedule did not accommodate the stay in Mina on the 8th—their Hajj is completely valid. They have missed out on a great reward for following the exact footsteps of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but there is no sin upon them, and no expiation (Fidyah) is required.
After returning from Muzdalifah and stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah on the Day of Eid, the pilgrim must return to Mina to spend the nights of Tashreeq. According to the majority of scholars, including Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (رَحِمَهُمَا ٱللَّٰهُ), spending most of the night in Mina during these days is an obligation (Wajib).
Missing it Without a Valid Excuse: If a pilgrim deliberately chooses to sleep in a hotel in Makkah or anywhere outside the boundaries of Mina during these nights without a valid excuse, they have committed a sin by abandoning an obligatory rite of Hajj. Their Hajj remains valid, but they must offer a Fidyah. This requires slaughtering a sheep in Makkah and distributing its meat entirely to the poor of the sanctuary; they cannot eat from it themselves.
Missing it With a Valid Excuse: The Shari'ah is built upon ease. If a pilgrim has a valid excuse, the obligation is waived, and no Fidyah is required. Authentic narrations prove that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave a concession to his uncle Al-'Abbas (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to stay in Makkah to provide drinking water for the pilgrims, and he excused the camel herders from staying in Mina so they could tend to their flocks.
Modern Valid Excuses Include:
Inability to find space: Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ) issued a clear fatwa regarding modern overcrowding. If a pilgrim searches for a place in Mina but it is completely full, and their official tent is located in Muzdalifah or Al-Aziziyah, they must stay wherever their tent is. They are legally "incapable" of staying in Mina, and Allah says:
They incur no sin and owe no Fidyah.
Medical and Security Personnel: Doctors, nurses, and security forces who must work night shifts outside Mina to serve the pilgrims.
Severe Illness: A pilgrim who is hospitalized or too sick to remain in the tent city.
And Allah the Exalted knows best.