Police and Islamic Ministry launch investigation into Al-Abrar Group after Umrah pilgrimage for 110 people was canceled at the last minute despite payments being made
Following the last-minute cancellation of an Umrah pilgrimage organized by Al-Abrar Group, 110 individuals who had paid for the trip gathered outside the company's office to demand full refunds. While the group reportedly cited the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as the reason for the cancellation, the pilgrims expressed frustration over the lack of clarity, noting that Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed had confirmed there were no safety threats to the pilgrimage due to the war and that the group could have proceeded with the scheduled departure on Tuesday night had arrangements been properly finalized.
A group of pilgrims who traveled for Umrah under the care of Al-Abrar Group. | Social Media | Social Media
The Maldives Police Service and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs have launched an investigation into Al-Abrar Hajj and Umrah Group following the last-minute cancellation of a trip for 110 pilgrims who had already paid for their travel.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that a complaint was filed on March 4, 2024, regarding a travel group that collected payments for Umrah pilgrimages during Ramadan but subsequently cancelled the trips.
Police stated that they are currently investigating the matter.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs stated that they are aware of the issue and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Protesters gathered near the office of Al-Abrar Hajj and Umrah Group on Tuesday night to voice their grievances regarding the matter.
Protesters stated that the cancellation was announced abruptly, despite them having already transported their luggage to the airport between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. They were subsequently instructed to retrieve their bags and called into a meeting. During the meeting, officials cited the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as the reason for the cancellation, though the protesters noted that the situation remains unclear and they have not been provided with definitive information.
However, Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed dismissed these claims as outright falsehoods, stating that had all travel arrangements been finalized, the group could have departed on Tuesday night. Furthermore, Minister Shaheem reassured that the ongoing conflict poses no threat to those performing the Umrah pilgrimage.
Each individual had paid 45,000 Rufiyaa to the group to travel for Umrah. Those gathered outside the office demanded that their payments be refunded.
According to reports, a portion of the ticket payments has already been refunded to some individuals after the initial deductions were made.
The group informed several media outlets that the issue arose because the Ministry of Islamic Affairs had not received certain documents submitted by the group, noting that the matter is currently under review. Furthermore, the group stated that the refund process is being facilitated through the assistance of generous donors. They clarified that the funds originally paid by the pilgrims had already been spent on arrangements for their Umrah travel.
Al Abrar Group is a licensed operator for Umrah pilgrimages, having previously facilitated travel for numerous pilgrims.
