Jeddah. Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf has raised concerns over the decades-long waiting period Indonesian Muslims must endure to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, urging reforms to make the system more just and accessible.

Speaking at the 49th Hajj Symposium held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, Yahya highlighted the stark disparity between the rising number of Muslims wishing to perform Hajj and the limited pilgrimage quota imposed by the Saudi government.

Although Indonesia receives the largest Hajj quota of any country -- currently 220,000 pilgrims annually -- it remains insufficient given the overwhelming demand. More than 5.5 million Indonesians are currently registered, leading to estimated wait times of between 20 and 40 years.

“This queue system, in place since 1987, forces countries with large Muslim populations like Indonesia, Pakistan, and India to adapt. But in Indonesia, the scale of the backlog has become unrealistic,” Yahya told participants at the international forum.

He added that the prolonged wait poses not only financial uncertainty but also physical risks, particularly for elderly registrants.

“Many who finally reach their turn are already in advanced age, and some even pass away before making the journey,” he said.

As a solution, Yahya urged Islamic leaders and governments to reinforce the message that Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation. This, he argued, would help ensure a fairer allocation of quotas, prioritizing those who have not yet performed the pilgrimage.

He also called on governments with Hajj queue systems to adopt more equitable and transparent waitlist policies.

Additionally, Yahya appealed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to develop and publicly share a long-term Hajj management plan to help Muslim communities worldwide better prepare.

Representing the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, Yahya underlined NU’s readiness to collaborate with the Saudi government in developing a Hajj system that is “more humane and just.”