Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Often Get Lost In The Holy Land, What To Do?

Illustration of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in the Holy Land. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Hajj officials still often find pilgrims who do not know or get lost when they return to their hotel or accommodation, after carrying out various activities such as praying at the Prophet's Mosque.

"Until now, there are still many pilgrims who are known to be confused about how to return to their hotel or accommodation. This happens after praying at the Prophet's Mosque or after leaving the hotel," said Secretary of Daker Madinah Abdillah MT in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Monday, June 13 .

Abdillah said most of the congregants forgot their way home because they didn't bring the hotel business cards that had been distributed. In fact, the hotel business card can be a means to ask the officers around the Prophet's Mosque.

"They are mostly pilgrims who have never done Umrah or Hajj. They usually don't pay attention to the orientation, especially regarding the door at the Prophet's Mosque," he said.

Therefore, Abdillah shared a number of tips that pilgrims can do if they forget the direction to return to their hotel.

As for these tips, the pilgrims are asked to remain calm, there is no need to panic, because there are many Indonesian Hajj officers around the Prophet's Mosque.

Furthermore, it is mandatory to bring a hotel business card and show it when asking the officers around the Prophet's Mosque. The thing that can be done again is to identify the benchmarks / markers that lead to the hotel where you live.

"Look for the Nabawi special sector officer, wearing a black vest that reads Indonesian Hajj Officer," he added.

Previously, the Ministry of Religion also provided Indonesian pilgrims and hajj officers with identity bracelets and asked them to always wear them and not exchange them with other people because they become data for the identification process if they are separated from the group.

"We urge all congregants to wear the identity bracelet from the time they are received until they return to their respective domicile homes in the country. Don't just keep it for fear of being lost," said Head of the Public Relations, Data and Information Bureau of the Ministry of Religion Akhmad Fauzin.

Akhmad said the identity bracelet contained a number of important information related to the congregation. There are six columns in the bracelet, first, containing information on the origin of embarkation and year of departure. For example, JKS 1443 H, which means, pilgrims from the Jakarta-Bekasi Embarkation who departed in 1443 H.

The second column contains the group number, the third contains the information on the passport number of the congregation, the fourth contains the writings of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in Arabic (al hajjul Indonesiyyi). Then the fifth column contains the name of the congregation/officer according to the name in the passport book, the last column contains the Indonesian flag as well as a marker for the congregation or officer from Indonesia.

"The bracelet has proven to be very easy for various parties to identify the congregation when separated, forget the direction of the road to the lodge, and so on," he concluded.