The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has ordered Safa Group to take those who paid to Saudi Arabia for Umrah this Ramadan, after Safa said they cannot go to Umrah this Ramadan and cancelled the Umrah trip.
The group's Umrah pilgrims were told they could not leave yesterday because Saudi Arabia did not issue visas to them.
The Islamic Ministry issued a statement on the issue yesterday, saying that while Safa Group claims that the Umrah pilgrims could not be taken on the scheduled date due to visa issues, the group had not tried to arrange the three-month Umrah visa in advance.
In addition, the Ministry said in the statement that Umrah visas are issued to Umrah companies by agencies authorized by the Saudi government. And that the Hajj Corporation of Maldives is one such agency.
The Islamic Ministry said it was a major concern that pilgrims were not able to leave on the day they were supposed to after paying, for such a holy pilgrimage as Umrah. The Ministry has asked Safa to arrange for the departure of the pilgrims as soon as possible without charging any additional fees.
The Safa Group had said it was looking into resolving the visa issue so that they could go to Umrah. However, a notice sent to those who had paid to the group last night said that after they could not leave on the scheduled date due to lack of visas, further attempts have also failed and they cannot leave to Mecca in any of the remaining days of Ramadan. Therefore, this year's Ramadan Umrah pilgrimage has been cancelled.
181 people had prepared to leave for Umrah through Safa Group. Each of them had paid MVR 37,500 to Safa.
The group's Umrah pilgrims were told they could not leave yesterday because Saudi Arabia did not issue visas to them.
The Islamic Ministry issued a statement on the issue yesterday, saying that while Safa Group claims that the Umrah pilgrims could not be taken on the scheduled date due to visa issues, the group had not tried to arrange the three-month Umrah visa in advance.
In addition, the Ministry said in the statement that Umrah visas are issued to Umrah companies by agencies authorized by the Saudi government. And that the Hajj Corporation of Maldives is one such agency.
The Islamic Ministry said it was a major concern that pilgrims were not able to leave on the day they were supposed to after paying, for such a holy pilgrimage as Umrah. The Ministry has asked Safa to arrange for the departure of the pilgrims as soon as possible without charging any additional fees.
The Safa Group had said it was looking into resolving the visa issue so that they could go to Umrah. However, a notice sent to those who had paid to the group last night said that after they could not leave on the scheduled date due to lack of visas, further attempts have also failed and they cannot leave to Mecca in any of the remaining days of Ramadan. Therefore, this year's Ramadan Umrah pilgrimage has been cancelled.
181 people had prepared to leave for Umrah through Safa Group. Each of them had paid MVR 37,500 to Safa.
