Resumption of haj pilgrimage brings joy and sorrow for Indonesians

Resumption of haj pilgrimage brings joy and sorrow for Indonesians

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For Indonesian teachers Sutrisno and Sri Wahyuningsih, embarking on the once in a lifetime haj pilgrimage stirs bittersweet emotions.

After waiting more than a decade, Sri's parents were supposed to make the trip to Mecca, Islam's holiest site located in Saudi Arabia, in 2020 but that was cancelled because the coronavirus pandemic halted most international travel.

Making the haj is one of the foundational requirements of the religion and for Muslims who make the journey it is among the most important displays of their commitment to their faith.

. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
Sri Wahyuningsih, 51, and Sutrisno, 54, eat dinner at a food court in Jakarta.

Sri's father will never make the journey after dying from a stroke in March and her mother, whose health is deteriorating, was denied permission to attend after Saudi Arabian authorities imposed an age limit of 65 as part of new rules to resume the intake of pilgrims this year.

Sutrisno, 54, and Sri, 51, are joyful at undertaking the haj in the place of Sri's parents but they are saddened by the loss of Sri's father and the possibility her mother will never complete the pilgrimage.

. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
Sri sits at her desk on the last day of work before departing for haj.

"It's such a huge moral burden to me," said Sri.

"But my mother has given her blessings to me and I have to think that this is a journey I have to go through, everything is Allah's decision, and I have to go on the haj."

Since last week, thousands of pilgrims have begun arriving in Saudi Arabia ahead of the peak of the haj on the Eid al-Adha holiday on July 9, part of an eventual 1 million that are expected to attend.

. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
Sutrisno prays inside Al Jadid mosque after work.

Under the quota system Saudi Arabia uses, the average wait to complete the haj for people in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, is 35 years.

This year, just over 100,000 Indonesians are making the trip, about half of the usual number, according to the Indonesian religious affairs ministry.

Preparations began in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta in May, with pilgrims attending a preparatory briefing about the haj and the manasik, or the rites and ceremonies to be performed around Mecca, at what is one of the world's biggest religious gatherings.

. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
Indonesian pilgrims practice prayers before departing for haj.

Sutrisno, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, gave an emotional speech to the students at his school in Jakarta, as part of a ritual pre-haj celebration.

He sold his car and saved up 105 million rupiah ($7,019) over nine years to fund the trip for his wife's parents but the two-year hiatus cost them their chance to go together.

"We didn't expect the pandemic to come so fast and stay for so long," he said.

. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
Indonesian pilgrims wait for a final health screening and luggage check before departing for haj.

Many Indonesian Muslims are disappointed by the age cap and lower quota.

"Honestly, it breaks my heart as the haj organiser," said Cecep Khairul Anwar, an official at Indonesia's religious affairs ministry.

"But I hope this regulation only applies to this year."

Sri still holds out hope for the next haj for her mother, who is 71.

. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reuters/Mohammed Salem
Sri drinks Zamzam water at the Grand mosque, in Mecca.

"My first wish I would make is to pray for a long life for my mother, that she can stay healthy and can go there," she said.

(Photo Editing Kezia Levitas; Text Editing Martin Petty and Christian Schmollinger; Writing Stanley Widianto; Layout Kezia Levitas)

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Slideshow

A worker prepares luggage tags for the haj pilgrimage, at the Pondok Gede Hajj dormitory in Jakarta.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

A worker prepares luggage tags for the haj pilgrimage, at the Pondok Gede Hajj dormitory in Jakarta.

Indonesian pilgrims attend a briefing before their haj trip.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Indonesian pilgrims attend a briefing before their haj trip.

Rudy Cahyadi, 38, a vendor sells shoes and clothing to pilgrims during a briefing ahead of their journey to haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Rudy Cahyadi, 38, a vendor sells shoes and clothing to pilgrims during a briefing ahead of their journey to haj.

A pilgrim receives an oxygen saturation test before departing for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

A pilgrim receives an oxygen saturation test before departing for haj.

Nur Illahi Rabbani, 39, leads in a Jamratul Aqabah practice, a stoning ritual for the haj, at the Pondok Gede Hajj dormitory.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Nur Illahi Rabbani, 39, leads in a Jamratul Aqabah practice, a stoning ritual for the haj, at the Pondok Gede Hajj dormitory.

Sutrisno and his wife Sri read the Koran after the evening prayer.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Sutrisno and his wife Sri read the Koran after the evening prayer.

Sri shows a picture of her father who died last March.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Sri shows a picture of her father who died last March.

Sutrisno walks towards Al Jadid mosque for evening prayer.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Sutrisno walks towards Al Jadid mosque for evening prayer.

Yakub, a pet parrot, belonging to Sutrisno and Sri is loaded into the trunk of a car to be looked after by Sutrisno's son.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Yakub, a pet parrot, belonging to Sutrisno and Sri is loaded into the trunk of a car to be looked after by Sutrisno's son.

Sutrisno sits at his desk at the 122 Junior High School.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Sutrisno sits at his desk at the 122 Junior High School.

A decoration with the word "Allah" depicted in calligraphy, hangs on a wall, inside Sutrisno and Sri’s home.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

A decoration with the word "Allah" depicted in calligraphy, hangs on a wall, inside Sutrisno and Sri’s home.

Kindergarten students practice Jamratul Aqabah, the stoning ritual, during haj pilgrimage practice.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Kindergarten students practice Jamratul Aqabah, the stoning ritual, during haj pilgrimage practice.

Kindergarten students gather near a replica of Ibrahim's foot print, while practicing the haj pilgrimage, at the Nurul Iman mosque.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Kindergarten students gather near a replica of Ibrahim's foot print, while practicing the haj pilgrimage, at the Nurul Iman mosque.

Prisetiawan cries as he prays with other pilgrims, before departing for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Prisetiawan cries as he prays with other pilgrims, before departing for haj.

Suyono, 64, watches as his wife, Muniroh, 62, says goodbye to neighbours and family members before departing for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Suyono, 64, watches as his wife, Muniroh, 62, says goodbye to neighbours and family members before departing for haj.

Muniroh, 62, says goodbye to a family member as she departs for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Muniroh, 62, says goodbye to a family member as she departs for haj.

Askia Saufah, 7, hugs her grandfather as they say goodbye to her grandmother who is departing for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Askia Saufah, 7, hugs her grandfather as they say goodbye to her grandmother who is departing for haj.

Pilgrims say goodbye to their relatives before leaving for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Pilgrims say goodbye to their relatives before leaving for haj.

Suyono waves to his wife, Muniroh as she departs with other pilgrims for haj.
. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Suyono waves to his wife, Muniroh as she departs with other pilgrims for haj.

Sutrisno reads the Koran at the Grand mosque in Mecca.
. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

Sutrisno reads the Koran at the Grand mosque in Mecca.

Sri and Sutrisno sit in the Grand mosque, in Mecca.
. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reuters/Mohammed Salem

Sri and Sutrisno sit in the Grand mosque, in Mecca.