INDONESIAN PILGRIMS GRATEFUL FOR SMOOTH 2016 HAJJ IMPLEMENTATION by Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 2, 2016 (Antara)- Tens of thousands of Indonesian pilgrims who have started returning home after performing Hajj pilgrimage this year, are grateful that the implementation of the spiritual journey was relatively smooth, safe and incident-free.

       This year, nearly two million pilgrims from more than 150 countries have converged in Saudi to perform Hajj, which is quite successful compared to last year's pilgrimage which was marred by a stampede that killed at least 769 pilgrims. 
   Some 155,200 Indonesian Muslims have taken part in the regular Hajj scheme organized by the Indonesian government in 2016. In addition to, several thousand others have performed Hajj through non-regular schemes, or through other countries.  
   Up to Oct. 1, a total of 87,902 Indonesians comprising 86,827 regular-scheme pilgrims and and 1,075 Hajj officers have returned homed in 215 flight groups. Besides, 9,479 non-regular Hajj pilgrims have also landed safely in Indonesia.

        The process of the home return from Saudi to Indonesia will be carried out until October 15, Nurul Badruttamam from the Indonesian Hajj Organizing Committee, said.        
    The fifth pillar of Islam urges all Muslims to undertake a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in his/her lifetime. It is obligatory for every Muslim, regardless of gender, to make the pilgrimage if he/she is physically and financially capable of doing so.

ARAFAH, WHERE MUSLIMS GO TO ANSWER PROPHET IBRAHIM'S CALL by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 10, 2016 (Antara) - Over 2 million Muslims from all over the world started moving from Mecca towards Arafah on Saturday for Wuquf, which marks the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage rites.

         Wuquf falls on Sunday, September 11 or 9 Dhu'l-Hijjah 1437, according to Islamic calendar.

         On Monday, September 12 or 10 Dhu'l-Hijjah 1437, Muslims all over the world will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). Eid-ul-Adha is also known as the Greater Eid, which is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar after Eid-El-Fitr.

         The festival commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to. On that day, Muslims who can afford it, sacrifice a sheep (sometimes a goat) as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to Allah.

         Dhu'l-Hijjah is the final month in the Islamic calendar, when Muslims are urged to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, a spiritual journey to "answer the call of Prophet Ibrahim" as obliged by Allah.

         The fifth pillar of Islam urges all Muslims to undertake a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in his/her lifetime. It is obligatory for every Muslim, regardless of gender, to make the pilgrimage if he/she is physically and financially capable of doing so.

         The Day of Arafah is the day on which Muslim Hajj pilgrims gather on Mount Arafah, which is located some 20 kilometers southeast of Mecca, for Wuquf, which means `standing before God,' one of the most significant rites of Hajj.

INDONESIA HOPES FOR INCREASE IN QUOTA FOR HAJJ PILGRIMS by Fardah

   Jakarta, Oct 16, 2014 (Antara) -- A Muslim in Indonesia has to wait for up to 20 years for his turn to go to Mecca for Hajj due to the limited quota allotted to pilgrims from the country by Saudi Arabia.

         This is despite the fact that Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population of some 245 million.

         Earlier, when the ratio set by the Saudi government stood at one person per one thousand Muslims, Indonesia's quota for Hajj pilgrims was 211 thousand people, which was the largest among all countries.

         However, the quota was reduced to 168.8 thousand people in 2013 due to the expansion works being undertaken at Masjidil Haram in Mecca.