Ministry of MOHIA Officially Announces the Refund Process for Surplus Hajj Expenses to the Pilgrims of Hajj 1447
Wednesday, 14 Safar al-Muzaffar 1448 AH, corresponding to 7 Asad 1405 (Solar Hijri)
The Ministry of MOHIA of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan officially announced today, during a press conference held at the Government Media and Information Center, the process for refunding the surplus funds remaining from the Hajj expenses to the pilgrims of Hajj 1447 AH (corresponding to 1405 SH).
The press conference was attended by Sheikh-ul-Hadith Dr. Noor Mohammad Saqib, Minister of MOHIA; Hafiz Mawlawi Mohammad Hamed Hasib, Professional Deputy Minister; Makhdoom Mawlawi Abdul Salam Saadat, Deputy Minister for Coordination of Religious Affairs and Sacred Sites; the Ministry's central directors; officials of the Government Media and Information Center; and representatives of the media.
At the beginning of his remarks, the Honorable Minister delivered a comprehensive scholarly address on the significance of performing the fifth pillar of Islam (Hajj), the virtues and rewards of an accepted Hajj (Hajj Mabroor), as well as the importance of trustworthiness, justice, compassion, and kindness toward Muslims from the perspective of Islamic Sharia.
Speaking about safeguarding the rights of pilgrims, the Honorable Minister stated that, by the immense (grace) and mercy of Allah Almighty, this year's Hajj was completed successfully and to the satisfaction of all concerned. He added that Hajj is an act of worship involving both financial and physical obligations; therefore, protecting the pilgrims' funds and preserving their rights is among the Ministry's fundamental responsibilities. He further emphasized that since the Islamic Emirate came to power, all financial and administrative aspects of the Hajj process have been conducted with complete transparency, and no official, whether senior or junior, would dare to violate the rights of pilgrims or misappropriate their funds.
Regarding the accurate calculation and expenditure of Hajj costs, the Honorable Minister stated that each year the Ministry of MOHIA carefully assesses and calculates Hajj expenses, striving not only to improve the quality of services but also to reduce costs and provide the best possible services to pilgrims at the most reasonable price. He added that this marks the fifth consecutive year in which, after all calculations and thorough audits have been completed, a portion of the pilgrims' funds has remained unspent, and the Ministry, in accordance with its religious and moral responsibility, has returned these surplus funds to the pilgrims.
The Honorable Minister further stated:
"We never intentionally collect more money from pilgrims at the beginning and then, by reducing expenses, return part of it at the end merely to enhance our personal reputation or portray the Ministry's performance more favorably. Never—absolutely not. Allah Almighty is our witness that we do not engage in such practices. Rather, based on our precise calculations, we always expect the total expenses to equal the amounts collected, and it is even possible that the Ministry may have to cover part of the costs from its own budget. Nevertheless, despite all these careful calculations, by the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty, a portion of the pilgrims' money still remains unspent."
The Honorable Minister then presented information regarding the total amount collected from the pilgrims and the expenditures incurred, stating:
According to the finalized financial statement, the total amount collected from the pilgrims was AFN 7,818,307,200 (seven billion, eight hundred eighteen million, three hundred seven thousand, two hundred Afghanis). The Hajj cost allocated for each pilgrim had been set at AFN 266,400.
Following a detailed review of the Hajj expenditure accounts, it was determined that the total expenditure amounted to AFN 7,723,741,583.60 (seven billion, seven hundred twenty-three million, seven hundred forty-one thousand, five hundred eighty-three Afghanis and sixty pul). Accordingly, the actual cost per pilgrim was AFN 263,177.78.
From the total amount collected, AFN 94,565,616.40 (ninety-four million, five hundred sixty-five thousand, six hundred sixteen Afghanis and forty pul) remained unspent. After a detailed calculation by the Ministry of MOHIA, each pilgrim is entitled to receive a refund of AFN 3,222.22.
Since paying 22 pul is impractical, the Ministry has decided to round up the amount and pay each pilgrim AFN 3,223.
It should be noted that there is no time limit for pilgrims to claim their refund. The remaining funds, being the rightful property of the pilgrims, will be kept in trust at various branches of Da Afghanistan Bank. Whenever a pilgrim presents himself or herself to claim the refund, the remaining amount will be paid at that time. God willing, the refund process will commence on Saturday, 17 Safar al-Muzaffar.
All respected pilgrims are requested to collect their refunds by presenting the original passport, a color copy of the passport, the original national identity card (Tazkira), and a copy of the Tazkira. In Kabul, they should visit the General Directorate of Hajj, Umrah and Pilgrimages of the Ministry of MOHIA (Hajj Complex – Central Zone), while pilgrims in the provinces should report to their respective Provincial Directorates of MOHIA
