Government pledges Hajj for 376 individuals on poverty registry

The Islamic Ministry announced on Friday that the current government plans to facilitate Hajj for 376 individuals currently on the poverty list who have not yet performed the pilgrimage. This initiative aims to fulfill a presidential pledge made within the next five years.

According to the ministry, 100 impoverished individuals who had not previously performed Hajj were sent for the pilgrimage by the interim government over the past two years. The ministry in an X post expressed its commitment to ensuring all eligible individuals on the poverty list undertake the obligatory Hajj within the next five years.

President Mohamed Muizzu had previously pledged to send 1,000 people for Hajj at government expense during his five-year term.

The Saudi government allocates a quota of 1,000 Hajj pilgrims to the Maldives annually. This quota typically includes 850 individuals on a queue-based system, 100 assistants (including those for patients and cooks), and 50 individuals from the poverty list, whose expenses are covered by the government.

Concerns have periodically been raised regarding government influence over Hajj opportunities for pilgrims. In response to such allegations, Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed stated that on August 12, the President instructed the government to reduce the portion of the 1,000-person Hajj quota reserved for the government.

At that time, the minister also outlined measures to be implemented during this year's Hajj season, including prioritizing first-time pilgrims, restricting repeat Hajj visits to every five years, and reserving a portion of the Hajj quotas for individuals over 65 years of age.