Iran war strands tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

More than 58,860 Indonesian pilgrims were stranded in Saudi Arabia as of Thursday after the war in the Middle East disrupted air travel during the Umrah pilgrimage season, Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said. About 1,600 Malaysian pilgrims were also stranded, Malaysia’s consul general in Jeddah said. The disruptions began when the conflict broke out on Feb. 28, forcing last-minute itinerary changes and cancellations for thousands of worshippers in the kingdom during Ramadan.

The chaos has placed financial and emotional burdens on pilgrims who cannot afford extended hotel stays and on families waiting at home, while Indonesia and Malaysia have mobilized consular and government resources to assist stranded citizens.

Indonesia and Malaysia Mobilize Resources

The Indonesian government is negotiating with Saudi authorities and airlines to ease hotel and flight costs for stranded pilgrims, Simanjuntak said. The government also urged about 60,000 other Indonesians planning Umrah travel to postpone their trips until April for safety reasons.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Ichsan Marsha, described the situation as an “urgent humanitarian and logistical issue.”

About 1,600 Malaysian Umrah pilgrims were stranded in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia’s consul general in Jeddah, Mohamad Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir, told the national Bernama news agency on Tuesday. His office opened a 24-hour operations room to monitor the situation and channel assistance to affected citizens. Malaysia Airlines announced a temporary resumption of return flights from Jeddah and Medina through Sunday, and Malaysia’s foreign ministry said it was working with airlines and diplomatic missions to evacuate stranded citizens.

Financial and Emotional Strain

Zanirah Faris, an Indonesian pilgrim stranded in Saudi Arabia, said her return flight was canceled and she was rescheduled onto a flight on March 12. She called on the Indonesian government to assist pilgrims who could not absorb the extra costs of an extended stay.

“Not everyone can book additional stays at a hotel,” Faris told Indonesia’s iNews TV. “I’m disappointed because my children have been waiting for me.”

Maged Kholaif, a 44-year-old Egyptian, had been scheduled to return to Kuwait on Feb. 28 — the day the war began — when his flight was canceled. Stranded in Saudi Arabia with his wife and mother-in-law, Kholaif said he heard reports of sirens and explosions in Kuwait, where his children were waiting.

“Everyone got scared,” Kholaif said.

He decided to travel home by land and arrived in Kuwait on Tuesday.

“Once you have your children in front of your eyes and in your embrace, whatever happens next doesn’t matter as long as you’re together,” he said.

Some Canceled Travel; Others Pressed On

Javed Khizer, 47, of Michigan, canceled Umrah travel for himself and his family, who had planned to travel to Saudi Arabia via Turkey and Qatar.

“We were looking at the news and everything. We could only understand that the situation is getting worse,” Khizer said. “It was a difficult decision. … Who knows whether I will be there for next Ramadan or not? It’s not guaranteed.”

Majid Mughal, 52, who traveled from the United States with his family, was already in transit when the strikes began and his flight proceeded normally. He said conditions at the holy sites appeared typical for the Ramadan season — large crowds and standard security.

“So far, everything is OK, thank God. There (are) no problems here,” Mughal said.

His family has been monitoring flight schedules daily to confirm departures remain on track.

“We are checking the flight details, the departure details almost daily just to make sure the flights are still operating,” he said, noting his children need to return to school and he needs to return to work.

Context: Umrah During Ramadan

Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, and hundreds of thousands of its nationals travel to Saudi Arabia each year for Umrah rituals, particularly during Ramadan, when the pilgrimage holds heightened religious significance. Umrah, often described as the lesser or minor pilgrimage, can be performed at any time of year, unlike the annual Hajj — one of the five pillars of Islam and required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who is able to make the journey.

Beyond the pilgrimage traffic, airports in the Gulf serve as critical connecting hubs for travelers moving between Europe, Africa, and Asia, extending the war’s effects on aviation well beyond the Umrah season.