Singapore gets 100 more places for Hajj 2018

The KSA Ministry of Haj and Umrah has allocated 900 places for Singaporean pilgrims for Hajj 2018 (1439). This is 100 more than the previous Hajj season.

The announcement was made by the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim at the project launch of the new Madrasah Al-Arabiah Al-Islamiah campus.

Singapore was allocated 680 Hajj places annually between 2012 and 2016 due to development and upgrading projects taking place in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque in Makkah. One major project was the expansion of the Mataf (circumambulation) area.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has contacted all eligible Hajj registrants regarding the additional places.

Singapore Hajj quota now 800

The KSA Ministry of Haj and Umrah has increased Singapore’s official Hajj quota* from 680 to 800 places, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has reported.

Since 2012, the KSA authorities had reduced quotas for domestic and foreign pilgrims due to the major development and upgrading projects taking place in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque in Makkah, in particular the expansion of the Mataf (circumambulation) area. However, Singapore was not affected by the quota reduction.

Muis will contact eligible Hajj registrants on the waiting list regarding the additional vacancies.

Media reports from early this year have noted that various country quotas have been reinstated.

Interested?

Read about Muis' Hajj registration system

*Each country is allowed a specific number of Hajj pilgrims every year. The number is based on the formula decided by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1987, or 0.1% of the Muslim population in that country.

Quota for Chinese Hajj pilgrims is 14,500 for 2016

Source: Ministry of Haj, KSA. The Ministry of
Haj meets with the Chinese delegation regarding
Hajj 2016.

His Excellency the Haj Affairs Undersecretary of the KSA, Dr Hussein Bin Nasser Al-Sharif has met His Excellency the Chinese Islamic Association Deputy Chairman, Yang Ji Poh and his entourage.

The meeting, part of the Saudi Ministry of Haj efforts to coordinate with various Offices of Pilgrim Affairs, tackled arrangements and requirements of Chinese pilgrims coming to perform the Hajj rituals for 2016 (1437). The organisation of Chinese pilgrims, their housing and transportation, and the services provided to them by Arbab Al-Tawaif Establishments, the Unified Agents Office, and General Cars Syndicate were discussed.

Dr Al-Sharif highlighted the efforts and achievements of the Saudi government at the Two Holy Mosques and the holy sites, and stressed compliance with instructions prior to arrival, particularly safety instructions. The undersecretary also emphasised the need to use the electronic portal for pilgrims, compliance with transportation plans and schedules, and coordination with the ministry transportation units to maintain the pilgrims' safety.

Yang praised the achievements at the Two Holy Mosques and thanked the Ministry of Haj for its cooperation and coordination with, and the services it provides to their Haj office delegation.

There will be 14,500 pilgrims from China this year.

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about the Ministry of Haj's overview of Hajj 2016
Read the Suroor Asia blog post about Turkey's visit to the Ministry of Haj

2015 Hajj quota for Pakistan is 143,000

Source: Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

His Highness the Minister of Hajj, Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar has met the a delegation from the Pakistani Office of Hajj Affairs led by His Highness the Minister of Religious Affairs, Muhammad Yusuf Sardar, in Jeddah.

During the meeting, which was held within the framework of the Ministry’s plan for coordination with the offices of Hajj affairs concerning the arrangements and requirements of the pilgrims who will travel from Pakistan to perform the rituals of Hajj in 2015 (1436) issues relevant to the Pakistani pilgrims were discussed, including the housing, transportation, and services which will be offered to them by the National Tawafa Establishments, the United Agents Office, and the General Syndicate of Vehicles.

His Highness the Minister of Hajj outlined the projects which were accomplished by the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz, which were achieved at the Two Holy Mosques, the Tawaf area, the Jamaraat Bridge, various bridges and tunnels, Al-Masha`er Metro, the Two Holy Mosques Train, at the Sacred Sites, and in the airports located in Jeddah and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. 

Dr Bandar also met with His Highness the Chief of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the Republic of Turkey, Dr Muhammad Kurmaz for a similar discussion.

The Ministry of Hajj has set the Pakistani Hajj quota at 143,000 pilgrims for 2015, while the quota for Turkish pilgrims is 59,200.

Singapore asks Saudi Arabia for increase in Hajj quota

Source: Facebook page for Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim. The meeting between Dr Yaacob and the Hajj Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Dr Bandar Bin Mohamed Al-Hajjar.

Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, led a delegation to the annual Hajj Ministerial Meeting in Saudi Arabia from 4 to 6 February 2015.

Dr Yaacob noted on Facebook that he had met the Hajj Minister, His Excellency Dr Bandar Bin Mohamed Al-Hajjar to discuss arrangements for the upcoming Hajj in September. 

"We discussed many issues including the Hajj quota. I conveyed to the Hajj Minister that there are many Singaporeans who are currently on the waiting list to perform the Hajj and an increase in quota would help improve the situation. During the discussions, both of us agreed that the safety, welfare and security of the Hajj pilgrims must be given utmost priority," he said on his Facebook page. 

Source: Facebook page for Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, showing the construction work in Makkah. Dr Yaacob commented: "Massive construction and redevelopment work are still ongoing at the Holy Mosque, Masjidil Haram in Makkah. These are temporary inconveniences. Pilgrims will greatly benefit from the upcoming expanded mataf area as well as upgraded facilities and amenities when the works are completed."

Singapore has 680 places for Hajj every year as calculated on the formula of 0.1% of the total Muslim population. The proportion was set by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in 1987. Singapore requests more places every year, and the Saudi government was able to grant 1,500 additional places for Hajj each year from 2008 to 2011. 

In 2012, the Saudi Government began restricting global quotas because of construction work around Makkah (Mecca). In 2013, Dr Yaacob revealed that there are now approximately 800,000 resident Muslims in Singapore, 15% of Singapore’s total population of 5.31 million. That year, Singapore’s Hajj quota was cut to 544 by the Saudi government as part of a reduction of the global quota. On appeal, the Saudi authorities restored Singapore’s quota to 680.

The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) handles Hajj applications for Singapore. Due to high demand, those who want to go for Hajj multiple times can only register again after a 10-year lapse from their last Hajj. According to Muis, Hajj cost between S$4,650 and S$10,500 in 2010, the most recent year the figures are available. That year, 2,180 (680 plus 1,500) pilgrims went on Hajj. More than 5,000 pilgrims went on Hajj in 1992, the highest number in the records between 1983 and 2010.

Hashtag: #yaacobibrahim

India's Hajj quota for 2015: 136,020

Source: Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

India has signed its annual Hajj agreement for the 2015​ pilgrimage with Saudi Arabia.

A statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs noted that General (Dr) VK Singh (retired), Minister of State for External Affairs of India, signed the Annual Haj Agreement for Haj 2015 (1436) on 3 February. The Hajj quota for India for 2015 is 136,020, of which 100,020 pilgrims will come through the Haj Committee of India and the remaining 36,000 from private tour operators. 

His Highness shared that the previous year’s Hajj season was free from any epidemics or traffic accidents although the number of pilgrims who moved between the sites of Hajj reached three million.

The two Ministers discussed various other Hajj-related issues, including the need to make the cooling system more effective in Mina, better bus facilities for pilgrims to move between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, catering services for pilgrims and the standardisation of baggage.