Over Half of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Have Returned: Ministry

Mecca, MINA – The Director of Hajj Services Abroad at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, stated in Mecca that over 50 percent of Hajj pilgrims and staff have returned to the homeland. A total of 379 pilgrims and staff from the Surabaya embarkation group (SUB 50) and 360 pilgrims from the Solo embarkation group (SOC) departed for Jeddah to continue their journey back home.

He explained that the departure of the SUB 50 and SOC 49 groups marked the end of the first wave of the Hajj return operation.

“This afternoon, accompanied by the Hajj Consul in Jeddah and the Head of the Makkah Working Area, I saw off the departure of the final two groups SOC 49 in Sector 4 and SUB 50 in Sector 8 as they departed for Jeddah to continue their journey home. These two groups are the last from the first wave returning to the homeland,” said Muchlis.

“With this, more than 50 percent of our Hajj pilgrims and staff have now returned to the homeland. The pilgrims from groups SUB 50 and SOC 49 will depart tonight from King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah,” he added.

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“We still have a number of Hajj groups and staff from the second wave to send to Madinah,” said him.

He expressed his gratitude that all the Hajj pilgrims had completed their entire series of rituals.

“We pray that they return to their homeland safely, carrying a Hajj that is mabrur,” he said.

Muchlis hoped that during the roughly 40-day journey in the Holy Land, the pilgrims not only strengthened their spiritual devotion for their personal benefit, but that their piety would also have a positive impact on their communities.

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“We hope they will not only be pious as individuals, but also as a force for social good upon returning to their homeland with a mabrur Hajj. They will be able to give even greater benefits to society  that is our hope,” he concluded. [Nia]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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