Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Involves UIN Imam Bonjol Students in Hajj Organisation

Padang (ANTARA) - The Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) in West Sumatra Province has involved dozens of students from the State Islamic University (UIN) Imam Bonjol in Padang City to assist with the organisation and preparations for the departure of prospective Hajj pilgrims. “As many as 27 students from UIN Imam Bonjol Padang are directly helping the officers as a support team and volunteers at the Padang Hajj Embarkation,” said the Head of the Kemenhaj Office in West Sumatra, M. Rifki, in Padang City on Tuesday. These dozens of UIN Imam Bonjol students will join the Hajj Service Officers (PPIH) to assist with pilgrim services at various points, from the arrival process, administrative services, to accompaniment while the pilgrims are at the local embarkation. According to Rifki, the presence of these students not only strengthens the Hajj season services for 1447 Hijriah but also serves as direct learning in community service. This aligns with the spirit of the university’s tridharma. Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication Sciences at UIN Imam Bonjol Padang, Murisal, welcomed the involvement of these university students in the 2026 Hajj organisation. Besides providing direct field learning experience, this involvement also trains the students’ social and spiritual sensitivity. “Not everyone gets this opportunity. Students must make the most of it and carry out their duties with full responsibility,” he said. For the 1447 Hijriah Hajj season, the Padang Hajj Embarkation will dispatch 5,282 prospective pilgrims grouped into 14 flight clusters. This number combines pilgrims from West Sumatra Province and Bengkulu Province. The first cluster, consisting of pilgrims from Padang City, will enter the Padang Hajj Dormitory on 23 April 2026 and is scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia on 24 April 2026 in the early hours from Minangkabau International Airport in Padang Pariaman Regency.