No Hajj This Year: Who Suffer the Most?

The Religious Affairs Minister, Fachrul Razi, officially canceled the 2020 Hajj due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government wanted to ensure the safety of prospective pilgrims and feared that forced departures would result in the spiking COVID-19 positive cases. The pilgrims would be at risk of contracting the virus during the process and complicate the government’s efforts in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government canceled the Hajj through Religious Affairs Ministerial Decree No. 494/2020, applied to all Indonesian pilgrims using either regular Hajj quota or special visa. “The government has decided not to depart any Hajj pilgrim in 2020 CE or 1441 Hijri,” Fachrul stated at a press conference on Tuesday (6/2). Previously, the government appeared to be waiting for Saudi Arabia’s decision on the matter, but finally decided to issue the decree even though, up until now, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had not yet released any policy.