Wednesday, June 24, 2020
In order to perform Hajj which is one of the five obligations of Islam, 2.298,800 citizens of ours from our country have made pre-registration. 83.430 citizens of ours who would perform the fardh of Hajj were determined by drawing lots among those who had made pre-registration at the date of 9 January 2020.
As of 13 January 2020, the first installment of the fee for Hajj was taken and the final registrations were made. The Presidency of Religious Affairs postponed the 2nd and 3rd installments of the fee for Hajj, considering the possibility of Hajj worship not being able to be performed this year due to the outbreak of Covid-19 which has been affecting the global health.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs has closely followed the developments regarding the matter from the very beginning and consulted with the Islamic countries especially Saudi Arabia within this framework. Our Presidency has not made a hasty decision by taking into account the possibility of the conditions improving in a positive way.
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak is continuing at the present, by the statement made yesterday, Saudi Arabia announced that the Hajj worship of 2020 would be performed by only a limited number of Muslims who are living within the Saudi Arabia and with various nationalities by taking the social distancing rule and the measures for protection against the outbreak into consideration and they will not accept pilgrims from abroad.
Within this framework, pursuant to the procedures and principles determined by the Interministeries Hajj and Umrah Council;
The rights of drawing lots of the pilgrims who made the final registration to go to Hajj in 2020 will be transferred to 2021 without drawing lots and the fee they paid for the final registration will be returned to them.
Respectfully announced to the public.
Presidency of Religious Affairs
Office of Press and Public Relations Counsellor