Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia’s parliament and government have agreed to lower the minimum age requirement for performing the Hajj pilgrimage from 18 to 13 years.
The decision was reached on Saturday during a working committee meeting on the revision of the Hajj and Umrah Law at the national parliament complex in Jakarta.
Deputy Minister of State Secretariat Bambang Eko Suhariyanto said the debate on age requirements had been intense.
“After long discussions, the minimum age was changed from 18 to 13,” he told reporters after the meeting.
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Bambang explained that an earlier proposal suggested “13 years or already married.” However, that wording was rejected as it conflicted with Indonesia’s Child Protection Law, which prohibits underage marriage.
“If we included ‘or already married,’ it could allow marriage under 13, which is clearly against the Child Protection Law. Therefore, it was revised to only ‘13 years,’” he said.
In addition to the age change, lawmakers and the government also agreed to new regulations on Hajj officials. In regions where Muslims are a minority, non-Muslim officials may be assigned to assist at embarkation points.
Previously, Indonesia’s minimum Hajj age was set at 18 under the 2019 Hajj and Umrah Law. However, in practice, many pilgrims face decades-long waiting lists, with families often registering children at an early age to secure a spot.
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By contrast, Indonesia’s Child Protection Law (2014) sets the minimum marriage age at 19 for men and 16 for women, making the Hajj regulation distinct from marriage laws.
Lawmakers said the revision is intended to provide legal certainty and accommodate pilgrims who are physically and mentally ready to perform the pilgrimage at a younger age.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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