Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar talks about shortening the stay of Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, stating that the Indonesian congregation has enough free time before practicing worship during the peak of Hajj pilgrimage.
“But this matter also concerns Saudi Arabia, so we cannot make a decision unilaterally. It falls under the authority of Saudi Arabia,” Nasaruddin said after a coordination meeting with the Minister of State Secretary at the Presidential Palace on Friday, December 27.
President Prabowo, the minister said, has asked for an improved, more efficient, and more orderly organization of the Hajj going forward.
In 2024, Indonesia was given a quota of 241,000 pilgrims to perform Hajj in the Holy Land with a maximum length of stay of 42 days. The departure to Saudi Arabia was carried out in two stages.
The first wave departed from Indonesia to Medina’s Amir Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport (AMAA) from May 12 to 23, 2024.
Meanwhile, the second batch of pilgrims departed for King Abdul Azis International Airport (KAAIA) in Jeddah City from May 21 to June 1, 2024.
On June 14, 2024, pilgrims headed to Arafat as part of the Hajj procession scheduled for June 15.
The pilgrims then returned to Indonesia in another two batches starting June 22, 2024, with the first wave returning from Jeddah City from June 22 to July 3.
The second batch of Hajj pilgrims left for Medina from June 26 to July 13 and continued their trip home from July 4 to 21, 2024.