March 11, 2026 | 05:04 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has prepared several scenarios for the implementation of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage amid the war between Iran and the U.S.-Israel. The departure of the Hajj pilgrims this year is scheduled to begin on April 22.
The first scenario involves sending the Hajj pilgrims to the Holy Land despite the high risks. Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, stated that this could be done if Saudi Arabia continues to halt the Hajj pilgrimage.
"With this scenario, we need to mitigate the air route to Saudi Arabia," he said during a meeting with the Commission VIII of the House of Representatives at the DPR complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
He revealed that the mitigation of the air route could be done by diverting flight routes away from conflict zones, such as Iraq, Syria, Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
Irfan stated that flight routes could also be diverted by using the southern route via the Indian Ocean. "Or by entering through the airspace of East Africa, or other safe routes," he said.
However, he mentioned that changing flight routes as a mitigation measure could potentially lead to longer travel times. "This will certainly result in additional expenses," Irfan said.
The second scenario is that Indonesia cancels the departure of its Hajj pilgrims, even if the Saudi authorities continue to open the pilgrimage this year. Irfan said this scenario could be considered by taking the security risks to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims into account.
"With this scenario, diplomatic efforts need to be made by conducting high-level negotiations with the Saudi government," he said.
Irfan stated that this diplomacy is necessary to ensure that funds already deposited for accommodations, meals, and transportation for the Hajj pilgrimage are not lost, even if departure is canceled. "Instead, it can be used for the implementation of the 2027 Hajj pilgrimage without penalties," he said.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has prepared anticipatory measures in case prospective Hajj pilgrims cancel their departure. One of them concerns the management of the mass psychology of the Hajj pilgrims.
"In this case, we at the Indonesian Ulema Council issue a fatwa or a Sharia explanation regarding the security aspects," he said.
The fatwa states that canceling the pilgrimage to save lives is a religious obligation. "This action has the potential to create negative narratives among the Hajj pilgrims and the public, who may view sending off the Hajj pilgrims as more important than their own safety," said the Gerindra Party politician.
The last scenario involves the Saudi government closing the Hajj pilgrimage in 2026, and Indonesia cancelling the departure of the Hajj pilgrims. According to him, this could happen if the situation due to the Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict becomes uncontrollable.
"With this scenario, we need to safeguard the funds for the services that have already been paid," Irfan said.
Furthermore, if this option is implemented, the government will cease all processes related to providing accommodation, food, transportation, pilgrimage guidance, and visas for pilgrims.
"Then, prioritize the departure of next year for the Hajj pilgrims who have fully paid the BPIH (Hajj Cost) that has been included in the departure allocation," he said. Considering that postponing this year's Hajj pilgrimage could potentially extend the waiting time, Irfan stated that this could be done.
Read: Indonesia May Delay 2026 Hajj if Middle East War Threatens Pilgrim Safety
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