Indonesian Muslims Have to Wait 40 Years to Perform the Hajj Pilgrimage

Indonesian Muslims are facing an extended wait time of up to 40 years to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, despite Indonesia having the largest annual quota of pilgrims in the world.

This issue was highlighted by Yahya Cholil Staquf, chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country’s largest Islamic organization, during the 49th Hajj symposium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Although Indonesia is allocated 220,000 slots for Hajj pilgrims every year, the demand far exceeds supply.

Currently, over 5.5 million Indonesians are registered to undertake the pilgrimage, creating a backlog that has pushed waiting periods between 20 and 40 years.

Staquf emphasized the need for a strengthened once-in-a-lifetime Hajj policy to ensure a fairer distribution of available quotas among applicants.

Saudi Arabia’s policy for the 2025 Hajj season allows nearly 2 million pilgrims worldwide to perform the pilgrimage.

The allocation of pilgrimage slots is based on a 1987 resolution by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which grants one pilgrim per 1,000 Muslims in each country.

Indonesia, as the most populous Muslim nation, holds the largest quota but continues to struggle with overwhelming demand.

The latest regulations prioritize first-time pilgrims in an effort to widen access. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and a religious duty for all financially and physically able Muslims to complete at least once in their lifetime.

However, for millions in Indonesia, fulfilling this obligation remains a distant goal due to the lengthy waiting period.

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