Hajj and Umrah arrangements

Image of The Holy Mosque in Mecca

Introduction

NSWCWMA will start to arrange Haj and/or Umrak for our community from the year 2021 and will do our best in this regard: We aim to:

• Develop good system for the selection of qualified and suitable General Sales Agents to sell Haj packages and to manage our pilgrims.
• Ensure that good processes and proper administration in place in allocating the Haj applicants in the Central West of NSW Muslims Community quota.
• Liaise and collaborate closely with relevant Pilgrimage Agents through Saudi authorities to safeguard the safety and welfare of our Haj pilgrims.
• Globalise our services withing Australian Muslims Communities Haj services.

Our Core Activities Are

• Providing a range of haj packages available to our Haj pilgrims to choose from based on their affordability.
• Providing welfare and medical services in the Holy Land through sending Medical Officers, Nursing Officers and Assistant Pilgrim Officers.
• Allocating the eligible candidates to the official quota given by the Saudi authorities.
• Ensuring the visa process completion and compliance with the requirements of Saudi authorities.
• Providing sufficient notice of selection and pre-departure information to our pilgrims, and
• Ensuring the safety of our pilgrims’ departures to the Holy Land and safe arrival to their loved ones in Australia.

Haj Process

1. Introduction

1.1 Advanced Haj Registration System

1.1.1 The NSWCWMA’ Advanced Haj Registration System (AHRS) is based on advance registration and on a first-come, first-served basis (on registration date). The AHRS will be implemented from the time of establishing NSWCWMA Website and ongoing.

1.1.2 The AHRS allows the applicants to prepare early to acquaint themselves with the Haj rites and plan in advance his/her financial and other commitments such as leave applications. NSWCWMA would advise prospective pilgrims to plan and register early for their Haj.

1.2 Haj Quota

1.2.1 Haj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is obligatory for able Muslims to perform their Haj pilgrimage in Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they have the means and the journey is safe for them.

1.2.2 As at 2020 Australia’s official Haj quota is …….? The number of Haj places for the year of the Haj is subject to the availability of quota allotted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for that year.

1.2.3 NSWCWMA will allocate the Haj quota granted by the Saudi authorities based on first-come, first-served basis with priority to first timers due to insufficient places to accommodate the number of Australian Haj pilgrims every year.

1.2.4 NSWCWMA will allocate the Haj registration year for the current Haj applicants and inform all affected applicants of their new allocated Haj year accordingly based on the quota.

2. Allocated Haj Year

2.1 The allocated Haj year means the year specified in the approval of that application as the year in which the applicant has been offered a place by NSWCWMA to perform the Haj subject to the availability of quota allotted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for that year. This is also subject to the prevailing Terms and Conditions of NSWCWMA Haj registration.

3. Repeaters

3.1 For those who wish to perform Haj again (i.e. repeaters), they can register but there will be a time-out period of 10 years before they are allowed to perform Haj again. NSWCWMA will cap repeaters to 10% of the places for any allocated Haj year.

3.2 Exceptions for Repeaters
NSWCWMA will exercise some flexibility and make exceptions for repeaters who have performed the Haj less than 10 years, from their last Haj, due to special circumstances as follows:

1. Repeater can register if he is a mahram of first timer female applicant below 45 years old who is eligible to go based on allocation
2. Repeater needs to render assistance to their immediate family members due to extenuating circumstances (aged, sick or disabled) and who are first timer applicants and are eligible to go based on allocation. Such cases will be considered on a case-to-case basis. For this, the repeater must appeal for NSWCWMA consideration before his/her registration is accepted. The appeal form must be completed and returned to NSWCWMA.

4. Notice to Perform Haj

• Where an approval has been granted to an applicant to perform the Haj in the approved Haj year, NSWCWMA shall, before the performance of the Haj in the approved Haj year, issue Letter of Approval to perform Haj to that applicant to ascertain from him/her whether he/she is able to perform the Haj in the approved Haj year.
• If the applicant informs NSWCWMA that he/she wishes to have the approval granted cancelled within the time stated in the notice by NSWCWMA, then NSWCWMA shall cancel the approval.
• If the applicant does not inform NSWCWMA that he/she is able to perform the Haj in the approved Haj year within the stated time allowed by NSWCWMA, then NSWCWMA may cancel the approval granted.
• If the applicant informs NSWCWMA that he/she is not able to perform the Haj in the approved Haj year within the allowable time by NSWCWMA, then NSWCWMA may, upon application by the applicant, defer the performance of the Haj to a different approved Haj year subject to the availability of quota for that year.
• If the applicant cannot perform the Haj in the year that it has been deferred, the approval granted shall be deemed to be cancelled.

5. Cancellation of Application or Approval

• An applicant may, at any time, apply to NSWCWMA to cancel his application,
• NSWCWMA may, at any time, cancel any approval granted if the applicant had furnished any information which is false or misleading.

6. One Deferment Allowed

• Any application by the applicant to NSWCWMA for the deferment of the performance of the Haj may only be made once,
• If the applicant cannot perform the Haj in the approved Haj year that it has been deferred, the approval granted shall be deemed to be cancelled,
• Those expelled from the NSWCWMA Haj register can submit a new application if he intends to perform Haj in future but at the end of the queue.

7. Fee to be Refunded upon Cancellation of Application or Approval
Where any application or approval is cancelled or any approval is deemed to be cancelled, NSWCWMA shall refund the Haj administration fee paid less $50 as administrative cost to the applicant whose application or approval is or is deemed to be cancelled, as the case may be.

8. Miscellaneous

8.1 Haj administration fee collected by NSWCWMA is used to defray the costs incurred for the following:

8.1.1 Dubbo, NSW, Australia

• NSWCWMA Haj Unit services and operations (administration, printing and publication, etc.)
• Purchase of medicines, medical supplies and equipment, sundries, etc.
• Expenses incurred by NSWCWMA to send the NSWCWMA Community Haj Mission to the Holy Land during Haj

8.1.2 Holy Land

• Haj operations by the Australian Muslims Pilgrims’ Affairs Office
• Rental for clinics at Makkah, Madinah and Shisha
• Accommodation and transportation
• Rental of storage space for medical supplies and equipment, sundries, etc.

Appeal System

The allocation of places for Haj is based on the Advanced Haj Registration System (AHRS) and on a first-come-first serve basis (on registration date). This ensures the allocation of places to be fair and transparent and registrants should respect this queue system. Only in exceptional circumstances, NSWCWMA will allow for appeals. For example:

• Terminal or critical medical condition
• Old age or physical condition
• Caregiver for those with terminal/critical medical condition and/or old age
• Fulfilment of mahram to meet visa requirement

Each of the appeal cases will be considered on a case-to-case basis by the Pilgrimage Committee. The Pilgrimage Committee consists of senior community leaders and a panel of medical doctors who will objectively assess all appeal cases.

To avoid the abuse of this appeal system for those who intend to hasten their Haj, strict criteria has been set to guide the Pilgrimage Committee in allocating places to appeal cases. Priority will be given to appeals that fulfil at least 3 of the following criteria:

• Those who are first timers
• Those that have registered more than 3 years
• Those who are suffering from terminal/critical illnesses that have been certified by a doctor
• Those who are aged 55 and above at the point of appeal

Hajj Packages

Not yet available at the moment.

Hajj Mission

NSWCWMA may need applications for the honorary Medical Officer and Nursing Officer during the arrangement first pilgrimage program according to the numbers of the Haj applications and it will be advised accordingly.