Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, has stated that efforts are underway to improve fairness in Hajj allocations, including facilitating arrangements for married couples to undertake the pilgrimage together.

He made the remarks in Parliament while responding to a question raised by the Member of Parliament for the Addu Meedhoo constituency, Abdul Rahman, regarding the allocation of Hajj opportunities.

The member sought clarification on why individuals who receive Hajj opportunities through sponsorships or gifts from institutions and companies are able to travel within the same year, while similar priority is not extended to others, including those who are ill or couples wishing to perform Hajj together.

In response, Minister Dr Shaheem said the Maldives Hajj Corporation is working to strengthen arrangements to ensure a more equitable allocation process.

The Minister noted that allocations through sponsorships and companies have long been part of the system in the Maldives, but said the current Government has reduced such allocations in recent years to prioritise those registered in the official Hajj queue.

He stressed that priority should remain with individuals already in the queue, adding that increasing allocations outside the system would not be equitable.

The Islamic Affairs Minister also noted that Hajj quotas have not been increased for any country at present due to ongoing development projects in Makkah and Medina. He said quotas are expected to rise once these projects are completed.

“Both the Ministry and President Dr Mohamed Muizzu are engaging with the Saudi Government at the highest levels to seek an increase in the quota,” he said. “If additional quotas are granted to any country, the Maldives will also benefit.”

The Minister added that the current length of the Hajj queue has been significantly influenced by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, when pilgrimage travel was halted and access to the holy sites was restricted. As a result, many individuals were unable to perform Hajj in their scheduled year, contributing to the existing backlog.