For Safety, Kemenhaj Urges Prospective Pilgrims to Postpone Umrah

Jakarta, Republika.co.id — The Director of Special Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj), Akhmad Fauzin, has urged prospective pilgrims to postpone embarking on Umrah amid the escalation of the United States–Israel war against Iran. The move is intended to protect pilgrims, given the geopolitical situation that remains unstable and could pose on-ground difficulties. ‘Our position is in line with the decision to delay or refrain from undertaking Umrah in order to avoid unwanted incidents,’ Fauzin told Republika.co.id on Thursday (5 March 2026).

When asked whether the policy would be upgraded to an official ban, Fauzin stressed that for now the government is only advising pilgrims to delay their departure. ‘Yes, here we emphasise delaying. Because if people push ahead and funds are insufficient, it would create problems there,’ he said.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak revealed that from the start the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued advisories to postpone travel to anticipate possible undesirable situations. ‘The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have advised that prospective Umrah pilgrims who are scheduled to depart in the near term postpone their departure for the time being,’ Dahnil said during a speech at the ‘Consolidation of Pilgrimage and Umrah’ event at the Main Building of Grand El Hajj, Hajj Dormitory, Banten, Tangerang, Tuesday (3 March 2026).