DUSHANBE, March 7, 2016, Asia-Plus – The Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan began receiving Hajj applications on March 4.

Afshin Muqim, a spokesman for the CRA, says the application deadline is March 19.

“The applications are being received through CRA’s offices in cities and districts,” Muqim said.

According to him, the number of people from Tajikistan allowed to perform the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, this year is 6,000.  

We will recall that Tajik authorities have introduced new age restrictions for those who want to perform the Hajj.  Citizens under the age of 40 will no longer be allowed to perform the Hajj.

According to the CRA representatives, the aim of the decision to introduce new age restrictions is to give older people an opportunity to achieve their dream to perform the Hajj.

The new age limit of 40 has been raised from the limit of 35 that was instituted in April last year.

For the first time the CRA introduced age restrictions on those who want to perform the Hajj in 2010.  Only citizens aged 18 to 80 were able to perform the Hajj.

Last year, the number of people from Tajikistan allowed to perform the Hajj was 6,300.

In 2015, Tajik pilgrims had to pay 3,600 U.S. dollars for the Hajj.  This amount reportedly included travel expenses, board and lodging, special clothing with the national flag, purchase of animal for sacrificing, guide services, medical insurance, vaccinations, etc.

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.  The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God.  The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar.  Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year.