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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar stated that his ministry is still working on lobbying the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the restriction for elderly Hajj pilgrims aged 90 years and above. Nasaruddin asked Saudi Arabia to consider the pilgrims' health factor instead of their age.
In a working meeting with the VIII Commission of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), he shared about his meeting with the Saudi Minister of Health, Fahad Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel. The two met directly at the Saudi Ambassador's Residence in Jakarta on Monday, February 24, 2025.
"I am trying to convince the Minister of Health that, if possible, here in Indonesia we do not use age limits, (but) istitha'ah," said Nasaruddin during the meeting at the parliament building in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Meanwhile, istitha'ah refers to the physical and spiritual ability of prospective Hajj pilgrims to perform the Hajj rituals. Quoting the Ministry of Religious Affairs, among the istitha'ah factors that must be met is their health. Therefore, health checks need to be tightened before prospective pilgrims pay the Hajj fees.
Nasaruddin stated that he asked Fahad Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, the Minister of Health, to make health the determining factor for a pilgrim to depart for Hajj. "So it is not the age factor that determines, but the istitha'ah factor from the health analysis side," he said.
Since the initial emergence of the idea of limiting Hajj pilgrims aged 90 years and above until now, he hinted that his lobbying to the Saudi government has finally yielded results. He said there is good understanding between the two countries, but did not further explain whether the restriction will be lifted.
"As of today, thank God there is a very good understanding between the two ministers, the Hajj minister and the health minister," he said.
Previously, the Ministry of Religious Affairs revealed a plan from the Saudi government to limit the age of pilgrims departing for the holy land. The Director-General of Hajj and Umrah Organizers (PHU) at the Ministry, Hilman Latief, said there is a plan to prevent elderly pilgrims above 90 years old from performing the Hajj.
"There is a new policy that we heard from yesterday regarding age restrictions. But I want to get the official letter, and they said they are in the process of sending it to us, especially (about) pilgrims aged above 90 years," said Hilman during a Hearing with the VIII Commission of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Friday, January 3, 2025.
At that time, Nasaruddin stated that his ministry is still waiting for the official letter from the Saudi government regarding the age restriction. "For that, we cannot do anything until we have official information from the Saudi Arabian government," he said.
In response to this, members of the VIII Commission from various factions immediately urged the government to lobby Saudi Arabia to cancel the age restriction.
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