Oman’s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs has cautioned those looking to perform Haj this year to book only through licensed and registered operators.

The notification comes after hundreds of pilgrims were duped by fake Haj companies and swindled out of cash over the last three years.

An official at the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, told Gulf News, that 61 Haj companies had so far obtained licences this year.

“Applicants can pick any of these licensed companies listed in the e-registration system, on the ministry website,” he said.

The official urged applicants to be vigilant and not fall in the trap of using fake Haj companies.

Haj authorities in Saudi Arabia have increased the Omani Haj pilgrim quota to 14,000 up from 11,200.

During the past four years, Saudi authorities reduced the number of pilgrims while they worked to complete construction work to expand the capacity of the Makkah Grand Mosque.

The number of local pilgrims was cut by 50 per cent — foreign pilgrims by 20 per cent. Out of the 14,000 pilgrims, 12,664 spots are allocated for Omanis and 600 spots are allocated for expatriates living in Oman.

The remaining spots are allocated for Omani diplomats and military personnel.

An e-registration system for those interested in performing Haj from for this year’s season will open for two weeks from April 10.

The introduction of the e-registration system last year has streamlined the distribution of Haj permits and curbed instances of fake Haj tour operators swindling customers.

In 2015, about 753 pilgrims paid a total of more than 900,000 riyals (Dh8,5 million) to eleven Haj operators only to find out later that they had been provided with fake Haj permits.

The fake Haj operators were jailed and fined.

All applicants will have to submit certified vaccination reports.

Women applicants must be accompanied by a male guardian called a ‘mahram’, as per Saudi custom.

Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims, which must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every adult Muslim who is physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.

source: GULF NEWS