United Arab Emirates declared on Monday that operators cannot accept Hajj and Umrah requests or applications without the approval of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments.
Along with the announcement of heavy fines for violating religious services, the authorities made this announcement. Anyone caught breaking the rule, including campaign organizers and their offices, might face a fine of up to Dh50,000.
Operators have to obtain approvals from the authority before organising or advertising Haj or Umrah trips. In addition, it prohibits collecting or receiving donations for the pilgrimage without a licence.
The new rules aim to unify the process for obtaining permission and restrictions for those who do not adhere to them to organize the Islamic pilgrimage more efficiently.
Hajj and Umrah are important in Islam because they bring people together and help them grow spiritually. They happen in Mecca and Medina, where millions of believers gather.
Last year, 1.84 million pilgrims made the journey to Mecca to conduct Hajj and number of pilgrims who have performed Umrah during the year 2023 was 13.55 million and reached the record number.
Visa to Foreign nations due to upcoming Eid ul Adha 5-day long vacations has dropped its prices to very minimum.
