Maldivian Pilgrims to Spend Less Time in Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Hajj-bound travellers gather at the airport for boarding | Photo: The President’s Office
Maldivians travelling to Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage this year will spend 10 fewer days in the Kingdom than in previous years, according to confirmation from the Maldives Hajj Corporation.
Traditionally, pilgrims from the Maldives have stayed in Saudi Arabia for 30 days. However, several individuals preparing to undertake the pilgrimage in 2025 have stated that they were informed by the Hajj Corporation that this year’s trip will be limited to 20 days. Despite the shorter duration, pilgrims were assured that they would still be able to complete all the essential rites of hajj.
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The change has sparked concern among some of those who have paid the MVR 69,965 fee charged by the Hajj Corporation for the pilgrimage. The Corporation has not publicly explained the reason for the reduced length of stay. Repeated attempts by local media to obtain a response from the Corporation’s managing director, Mohamed Shakeel, and its spokesperson were unsuccessful, with neither responding to phone calls or text messages over several days.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the shorter hajj trip is a one-time arrangement or part of a longer-term adjustment.
The Maldives typically receives an annual quota of 1,000 hajj slots from Saudi Arabia. In the past, a portion of this allocation was distributed to private tour operators. However, the government changed this policy in 2023, assigning the entire quota to the Hajj Corporation.
The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, has said that the government is engaged in discussions with Saudi authorities to increase the country’s hajj quota. The limited number of slots and the high cost of the pilgrimage have long been a source of frustration for many Maldivians, who often wait years and save extensively to undertake the religious journey.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has pledged that everyone currently in line to perform the pilgrimage this year will be able to go.
