Saudi Arabia cuts down Hajj quota, uncertainty grapples 42,000 Indian Muslims

Saudi Arabia has drastically reduced India’s Hajj quota from 52,000 to just 10,000, resulting in 42,000 Indian Muslims being unable to perform the pilgrimage this year.

Additionally, a circular from the Hajj Committee of India has stated that applications for children under 12 years of age have been cancelled, which means, 292 children from across the country, including 90 from Gujarat, will not be able to go for Hajj.

Muslim community leaders expressed concern that due to the negligence of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, thousands of Muslims will be deprived of the Hajj pilgrimage this year. Tour operators had initially been allocated 52,000 seats for Hajj 2025. However, with Saudi Arabia abruptly cancelling 42,000 seats and allocating only 10,000, a wave of concern has spread among Indian Muslims, as 42,000 of them will now be unable to go on the pilgrimage.

Previously, there were no age restrictions in the Hajj pilgrimage, however, for the first time, the Saudi government has imposed a ban on children below the age of 12. 

As a result, 292 children across the country, including 90 from Gujarat and one from Panchmahal, will not be able to participate in the pilgrimage this year.

Notably, many pilgrims had already completed the entire application process for Hajj. With these new rules being introduced all of a sudden, there is a sense of disappointment and confusion.

The Hajj pilgrimage is set to begin in early May 2025, and thousands of Muslims across the country had already been preparing for it.