Selawat Bus Service Temporarily Halted, Operations Resume on May 31

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Republic of Indonesia announced that the Selawat Bus service has been suspended temporarily since 22 May and will resume on 31 May 2026. The Selawat Bus is a government-provided free transport service for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from hotels to Masjid al-Haram. ‘Approaching the peak phase of Hajj, the Selawat bus service in Mecca will be temporarily halted from 22 May 2026 at 18:00 WAS and will resume on 31 May 2026 at 01:00 WAS in accordance with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia policy,’ the Ministry wrote on its Instagram on Thursday (21/5). The Ministry states that for pilgrims who have not yet performed the obligatory Umrah, transport to Masjid al-Haram and back to the hotel remains facilitated. The Ministry also urged all pilgrims to maintain health and prepare for Armuzna. The first day of the peak Hajj falls on 1 Dzulhijah until the Tarwiyah days on 8 Dzulhijah. The Arafah day (9 Dzulhijjah) will fall on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, and Eid al-Adha (10 Dzulhijjah) coincides with Wednesday, 27 May 2026. Arafah is considered the peak of the pilgrimage, where millions of Muslims from around the world gather on Mount Arafat near the holy city of Mecca to pray. Eid al-Adha commemorates the day when Prophet Ibrahim was prepared to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah before it was ultimately replaced by a ram. Muslims worldwide observe Eid al-Adha with prayers, family gatherings, the slaughter of a qurbani animal, and sharing with relatives, friends, and those in need.