Additional reporting by Ahmed Naish
Hundreds of would-be pilgrims have been queuing outside Dharubaaruge since last night to submit forms to the Hajj Corporation.
The corporation began accepting application forms at 9:00am this morning.
Of the 800 pilgrim quota afforded to the Maldives by the Saudi Arabian government, 400 were reserved by the Hajj Corporation. The remaining 400 pilgrim quota are to be divided among local Hajj groups selected through a bidding process.
The bidding process for the remaining allocations was halted last week, however, as the Anti-Corruption Commission last week ordered the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to revise the criteria for awarding quotas.
As of this morning, the number of people queuing outside Dharubaaruge reportedly exceeded 400 people.
The government-owned corporation announced last week that its rates for the pilgrimage were MVR69,965 (US$4,537) per person. Maldivians who have performed the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in the past would not be eligible.
Chairwoman Dr Aishath Muneeza told the press that the corporation will accept application forms for a one week period. The selected individuals will be announced after processing the forms and verifying information, she said.
Muneeza said the corporation’s goal was to provide quality service for the 400 pilgrims.
The corporation signed an MoU with the Maldives National Defence Force earlier this year for officers to assist pilgrims during their trip to Saudi Arabia.
According to the corporation, the hotels chosen for accommodating pilgrims will have ATM machines, internet, hot and cold water, coffee and tea at all times and room service at least once every day.
Other amenities and services include loading and unloading of luggages, 24-hour religious lectures, and laundry services. The corporation said it would allow a maximum of four people in each room.
For those with long-term Hajj plans, the corporation has introduced a “saving package” which can be purchased with an initial payment of MVR500.
The clients of this package will be allowed to make the Hajj pilgrimage when 75 percent of the total payment is completed on an installment basis.
Performing the Hajj pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime is one of the five pillars of Islam.
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Don't need to queue up.
Just donate your money, all of them to the Saudi royal family.
The Saudis have struck platinum, with their cover story to get people onto their god-forsaken desert lands. There is no other reason people would ever want to visit the arrogant bastards in their barren land.
All they had to do was, at the time of dark ages, create a supposed message from above, and shove it down the Bedouin camels throats.
Andrew Andreas: FYI, the Saudi Royal family do not make any money out of Hajj and they never have since they struck rich with the black gold stuff.
Granted, a lot of other people (and industry) do make money from the Hajj, but like any travel business, it's a question of supply and demand.
You, I, Bedouin camel riders, Viking skull bashers, medieval barbarians of Europe, the unwashed Mongols etc are no different from each other. All are human, driven by our desire to eat, sleep and reproduce!
All the creative ways we go about plundering this planet and each other is just to satisfy those 3 great animal needs of ours. Plain and simple.
What next? Prayer corporation? Zakat corporation? Shahaadah corporation?
People! Hajj is just money making racket. Poor ignorant Dhivehi people need a better education to get out of this mental torture coupled with religious ecstasy and adventure. Just use that money to travel other parts of the world, enjoy ethnic foods, participate in different religious rituals, climb mountains, and experience different culture, and go jungle safaris, you will really enjoy life in this way. Why you are stuck with medieval Arab barbarism. You live only one life there is no life after your death, No Allah to punish you for not being his slaves. No hell or heaven, you have everything on this earth, you are no different than the rock, sands, trees, water, air and every particles on this planet. You are simply one big chunk of atoms, when it is disintegrated you just become the star dust. Just like boiling water get evaporated.
Andrew. You and Nasheed can promise anything to our nation. You will never be able to succeed and we know you guys hidden agenda.
We will stick as a Muslim country and you barbaric people will never be able to allow multi religion in this country.
Minivan, I hope you will post this comments
Perform the Haj pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime.....this ensures the Arabs will always have a nice little earner when the oil runs out.....the Arabs have also got you converts to islam into believing you have Arab ancestry and that your forefathers were riding camels in the desert.....he he he.....seriously guys you need to get a grip.
You are as much Arab as I am Mongolian!!
"Hero" must be earning a 0.0000000000000000000000000000002% cut from the proceedings since he's a good lapdog of the arab imperialists. Just enough for a daily heroin dose?
Nowadays the saudis are commercializing the hajj,hotel rates with decent amenities in Mecca are dam costly,some hotels charge in excess >600$per day, food and transportation costs have tremendously increased with the saudiazation policy