The Government has announced that all applicants aged 70 and above who have remained in the Hajj queue for three years will receive places for the 1448 Hajj pilgrimage, under a decision aimed at prioritising elderly applicants.
The decision reflects the Government's efforts to accommodate the large number of elderly applicants awaiting Hajj while making effective use of the Maldives' allocated pilgrimage quota.
Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed outlined the decision during a meeting held to explain the new arrangements. He confirmed that authorities would determine eligibility objectively, based on applicants' ages and the dates on which they secured their places in the Hajj queue.
Minister Dr Shaheem emphasised that the authorities would apply the same criteria to all applicants, ensuring fairness and equal treatment without discrimination.
Maldives Hajj Corporation Limited expects the arrangement to maximise the use of the country's Hajj quota and enable elderly applicants to undertake the pilgrimage sooner. The corporation also anticipates a reduction in the number of older people awaiting Hajj, potentially increasing the proportion of younger applicants in the queue in the years ahead.
Minister Dr Shaheem explained that the Government had reached the decision following consultations, allowing all eligible applicants aged 70 and above who had paid for Hajj and remained in the queue for three years to undertake the pilgrimage in the upcoming season.
He described the decision as a significant source of happiness for elderly applicants and confirmed that approximately 410 people, including accompanying assistants, would have the opportunity to perform Hajj under the arrangement.
Providing further details, Maldives Hajj Corporation Limited Managing Director Mohamed Firzul Abdulla Khaleel clarified that applicants would qualify under the three-year waiting requirement if they had paid for Hajj by 31 December 2023.
The Managing Director further explained that the corporation would assess age eligibility based on whether applicants had reached the age of 70 by 31 December 2026.
Under these criteria, 324 applicants aged 70 and above will receive the opportunity to perform Hajj in the Islamic year 1448, including 86 applicants aged over 75.
The corporation will also prioritise applicants aged over 65 in the Hajj queue for the same season. The Managing Director confirmed that this arrangement would not delay the anticipated pilgrimage dates of applicants aged between 65 and 69 who were already expected to perform Hajj in 1448.
The corporation will also give priority to eligible family members who had paid to travel together and were expected to perform Hajj in the same year. This provision aims to ensure that a family member already in the queue does not lose the opportunity to accompany their relatives.
All applicants benefiting from these arrangements must be undertaking Hajj for the first time to fulfil their obligatory pilgrimage.
Although the decision may delay Hajj opportunities for some applicants under 65 by approximately one year, it offers renewed hope to elderly Maldivians who have waited many years to undertake the pilgrimage.
The arrangement also represents an important step towards fairer and more effective use of the Maldives' Hajj quota while strengthening the management of the waiting list.
In the longer term, the changes are expected to help make Hajj opportunities available sooner to applicants across different age groups, with the benefits eventually extending to everyone awaiting their turn.