Recognise the Signs of Illegal Hajj: From Cheap Prices to Unclear Visas

The case of illegal hajj has come under scrutiny again after several Indonesian citizens (WNI) were arrested in Saudi Arabia for alleged involvement in such practices. In the past week, at least 10 WNI were reported to have been arrested for suspected involvement in promoting and trading illegal hajj. Previously, three WNI were also detained by Saudi security forces in Mecca in a similar case that stemmed from offers of hajj proxy services via social media. In response to the prevalence of such cases, Zaky Zakariya Anshary, Secretary General of the DPP Amphuri (Indonesian Muslim Hajj and Umrah Organisers Association), has reminded the public to understand the characteristics of illegal hajj to avoid being ensnared by offers that appear legitimate. According to Zaky, illegal hajj practices are often disguised by parties claiming to be official organisers. “Those running this non-procedural hajj usually claim it is official hajj. This is what the public must understand,” Zaky said in an interview on Kompas.com’s Newsroom Chat, Tuesday (5/5/2026). He emphasised that the public needs to be cautious of offers with unreasonably low prices. “If someone offers hajj for under Rp 200 million, this is already very cheap and must be detected,” he stated. According to Zaky, price can serve as an initial indicator to assess the irregularity of a hajj programme. He noted that official hajj programmes like mujamalah have much higher costs, ranging from hundreds of millions to nearly Rp 1 billion, depending on the facilities offered. “Secondly, ask what visa is being used. If the hajj visa is unclear, be alert,” he said. Non-quota or queue-free hajj can fall into the legal category as long as it uses official hajj visas, such as Mujamalah, Furoda, and Mandiri, as regulated. Conversely, illegal or non-procedural hajj does not use hajj visas.