Banda Aceh. A 100-year-old man and his 95-year-old wife from Central Aceh are preparing to embark on the spiritual journey of a lifetime. Muhammad Dahlan and his wife Dahniar, residents of Tapak Moge Timur in Kute Panang subdistrict, are scheduled to leave for the holy city of Mecca on May 20 as part of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Dahlan, who will be the oldest Hajj pilgrim from Aceh this year, has been declared medically fit for travel after a recent health check. “The doctor said there’s nothing wrong. I’m fine,” he said confidently at his home earlier this week.

Still physically active, Dahlan continues to tend to his coffee farm. Both he and his wife have been diligently preparing for their journey, attending every Hajj rehearsal (manasik) session and participating in senior wellness programs at their local health center. “We are ready, body and soul,” said Dahniar with a smile.

The couple will depart as part of the third Hajj departure group (kloter 3) from the Aceh Embarkation, joining fellow pilgrims from Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Banda Aceh. This will be their third visit to Mecca, having previously performed Umrah twice.

Their decision to register for the Hajj came after their second Umrah journey. They signed up in 2019, not expecting to receive their departure notice so soon.

According to Azhari, head of the Aceh office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the province has been allocated 219 special Hajj slots for senior citizens this year, from a total of 4,378 provincial Hajj quotas. Priority is given to elderly pilgrims who have been on the waiting list for at least five years, ranked by age.

“If Muhammad Dahlan had not received this priority slot, he would have had to wait until 2044 to go on Hajj,” said Azhari on Friday.

To accommodate elderly pilgrims, the ministry is assigning them to ground-floor rooms at the Hajj dormitory for easier mobility and providing special care before and during the pilgrimage.

“The departure of Muhammad Dahlan and Dahniar is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to fulfilling the dream of worship in the Holy Land,” Azhari added. “What makes their journey even more special is that the entire cost of their Hajj is funded by the proceeds of their own coffee farm, which they’ve worked on tirelessly for years.”