Hajj packages Run Out for British Muslims, New Portal Confirms
Nusuk, a new portal designed by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to handle Hajj packages for western pilgrims, confirmed on Tuesday that all the slots for UK Muslims had been used up.
"We would like to confirm that our current packages for UK are indeed sold out and the full capacity is reached," Nusuk said on Twitter.
"However, we recommend periodically checking the availability as new packages may be released."
The Council for British Hajjis (CBH), a charity that supports British Muslims hoping to fulfil the Hajj, also confirmed that the quota for 2023 had been filled.
"Nusuk have confirmed that the Hajj quota for the United Kingdom has now been filled," CBH UK said in a statement.
The CBH added that spaces might open if UK pilgrims cancelled their packages and urged British Muslims to keep checking the Nusuk website.
It remains unclear how many places Saudi Arabia allocated to the United Kingdom for the upcoming Hajj, set to start on 28 June and end on 1 July.
Muslims view Hajj as a key pillar of the Islamic faith and are obligated to attend at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy and financially able to do so.
Saudi Arabia has reduced the number of British Muslims who can attend the Hajj from 25,000 to 3,600, which could lead to long waiting times for pilgrims. Riyadh has changed the booking system for the Hajj, which has caused problems and confusion for British Muslims who want to perform the pilgrimage.
Source: middleeasteye.net
