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Government warns Indonesian pilgrims to stick to Saudi haj rules
The Religious Affairs Ministry has warned Indonesians to not attempt the haj without holding the correct visa, as Saudi authorities turn away thousands of unregistered pilgrims from across the globe ahead of the haj, which begins next week.
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Indonesian pilgrims arrive at Al-Wahdah Tower Al Mutamayiz Hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on May 20, 2024. More than 56,000 Indonesian pilgrims had arrived in the Middle Eastern country as of May 20 to go on a month-long pilgrimage. (Antara/ Sigid Kurniawan)
The Religious Affairs Ministry has warned Indonesians to not attempt the haj without holding the correct visa, as Saudi authorities turn away thousands of unregistered pilgrims from across the globe ahead of the haj, which begins next week.
The haj, a religious obligation for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, is set to take place on June 14, with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world, including Indonesia, arriving in droves over the past few weeks.
Indonesia ranks among the top recipients of Saudi Arabia’s highly sought-after pilgrim quota. This year, Indonesia received a quota of 241,000 pilgrims, the largest in the country’s history and some 20,000 more than the quota last year.
The Religious Affairs Ministry’s Haj and Umrah (minor haj) Director General Hilman Latief said only Indonesians who held haj visas were allowed to perform the religious rite.
“For those who [flew into Saudi Arabia] without a haj visa, please follow the existing regulations," Hilman said in a press release issued by the ministry on Thursday.
"There are rules that must be obeyed. We need to maintain these [rules] together, so that the Saudi kingdom's trust in the Indonesian people is also maintained," he added.
His warnings came after a group of 37 hopeful pilgrims from Makassar, South Sulawesi, were detained by Saudi authorities after they were found to hold fake haj visas.
