Idul Adha: Wife Recalls Yaqut Accompanying Hajj Pilgrims

JAKARTA – The wife of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Eny Retno, recalled her husband’s efforts in accompanying Hajj pilgrims in Muzdalifah during the 2023 pilgrimage season. ‘Mashallah, Father — especially during Idul Adha. I remember 2023 in Muzdalifah,’ Eny said after visiting Yaqut at the KPK’s Red and White Detention House in Jakarta on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. Eny recounted how Yaqut prayed earnestly amid the difficult process of retrieving pilgrims due to the surge in illegal Hajj and obstacles in aid distribution on the ground. According to Eny, the retrieval of pilgrims was extremely difficult due to the high number of illegal Hajj participants. Eny recalled her husband’s prayers at the time: ‘Oh Allah, Lord, how should I proceed, Lord? What more must I do, Lord?’ She said the situation was extremely difficult, with even water aid distribution facing challenges. According to Eny, her husband has always been fully dedicated to serving Hajj pilgrims. ‘While serving Allah’s guests with such dedication, he continued to think of the pilgrims even when ill. May Allah grant His assistance. May all the good deeds Abah has done for Hajj pilgrims become a means of support for him,’ she said. Eny also hopes the hajj quota corruption case involving her husband will resolve well. ‘As for the case, I hope everything turns out well. What is true will be revealed as true, and everything can be resolved properly,’ she said. The KPK has named four suspects in the hajj quota corruption case: former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; Yaqut’s former special staff, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex; Operations Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Ismail Adham; and Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and Chairman of the Kesthuri Association, Asrul Azis Taba. KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu stated there was collusion in the arrangement of additional hajj quotas that violated regulations, along with payments made to public officials.