Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that those who departed to Mecca today for the Hajj pilgrimage fall under additional Hajj quotas that the Maldives received.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that those who departed to Mecca today for the Hajj pilgrimage fall under additional Hajj quotas that the Maldives received.
The government previously announced that Maldives had received 1000 quotas for Hajj this year.
Speaking to media at the airport today prior to leaving on pilgrimage, Shaheem said that the pilgrims under the initial quota of 1000 have already left for Mecca. Those leaving today, he said, are under the additional quota received.
"Those leaving today are 150 persons under the additional quota received later. Besides these pilgrims, more will still travel. They are not under our care or supervision. Under separate arrangements. That is not at all related to us," the Minister said.
The first batch of pilgrims this year consisted of 298 persons. They left on May 31. The second group left on June 2, consisting of 353 persons. The last group, of 339 persons, left last Friday.