haj Pilgrimage to Mecca. The haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every able- bodied Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to perform it at least once in his life. During the month of the haj, Mecca receives approximately 4 million pilgrims from around the world. Entrance to Mecca is forbidden to non- Muslims, as the entire city is considered a holy site. Upon their return, pilgrims are usually addressed as ‘haji’ (in the case of men) and ‘hajjah’ (in the case of women).

While all Muslims are required to perform the haj, it was the arrival of steamships that made the journey easier. In the 19th century, the pilgrimage from Singapore was controlled by sheykh haji (haj brokers) who were mostly Arabs. These sheykh haji would liaise with brokers in Mecca and make the necessary arrangements for pilgrims.

From the middle of the 19th century, Singapore had become the centre for haj departures for Muslims in British Malaya as well as the Dutch East Indies. Indonesian pilgrims were restricted by the Dutch government in performing the haj, but managed to overcome this by travelling to Singapore first. Many would come to Singapore to earn enough money to finance their trip. Some never went on to Mecca, staying in Singapore permanently. These people were referred to as ‘Haji Singapura’.

The British colonial government eventually regulated the administration of the haj to manage the health and social problems that pilgrims faced. Living conditions on the ships were unsanitary, and the threat of smallpox and cholera epidemics were a cause for concern. Many pilgrims were forced to work for long hours for low wages as indentured labour for the haj brokers to pay off their passage. From 1889, passports were required to control the haj traffic. In 1905, an ordinance was passed which required haj brokers to be licensed.

Since 1975, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), has been handling issues relating to the haj. Initially, MUIS only licenced brokers. However, the use of brokers was discontinued in 1990, after 200 people were left stranded. From 1991, people planning to go on the haj had to register with MUIS, and had to use travel agencies that were endorsed by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (later Singapore Tourism Board).

Saudi Arabia has set up a quota system for the haj, and each country may send only 0.1 per cent of its population each year. Singapore was originally allocated 3,000 visas, but this was increased to 4,000 in 1997 and to 4,500 in 1999. The quota is not always used up each year. The numbers fluctuate depending on factors such as the timing of the haj season and the health of the economy. Between 1992 and 2000, over 4,000 pilgrims went for the haj each year. The peak was in 1992 when there were 5,216 pilgrims. In 2005, 2,550 Muslims went on the pilgrimage. MUIS also sends volunteer medical staff, as well as its own officers, to monitor the welfare of pilgrims.