JAKARTA - Mbah Marsiyah, a porridge seller from Kediri, East Java, Indonesia, is reported to be the oldest Haji pilgrim who performed the Hajj in 1447 Hijri or 2026.
This 104-year-old woman is one of 221,000 Indonesians who are allowed to perform the hajj as part of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in 2026.
Marsiyah first applied for the hajj in 2021, after saving for years to realize her dream of going to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj.
"I sell traditional porridge. I save a little bit. I put (money) in a can, and save it. If there is a shortage, my son adds it," he explained to the Hajj Media Center, as reported by Arab News (29/5).
Initially, Mbah Marsiyah kept her dream of performing the Hajj a secret.
"I didn't tell anyone that I was putting aside money to save for Hajj," he said.
In fact, close relatives and neighbors were not informed. But after his savings were collected, Mbah Marsiyah began to tell people around him.
By saving a little bit over the years, Mbah Marsiyah finally managed to collect enough money to apply for Hajj.
Marsiyah, who was born on July 1, 1921, can still walk slowly with the help of a cane, but uses a wheelchair for most of her travels.
He arrived in Mecca on Friday morning (May 22), accompanied by his 67-year-old daughter, Muidah.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the 112th Indonesian Surabaya Departure Group, Abiswatun Nadhiroh, stated that on the second day of Hajj, Marsiyah was in good health and "ready to participate in all aspects of the hajj."
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