Hajj Lottery

What Does Hajj Lottery Mean in Detail?

Many Muslim-majority countries face the challenge of far more Hajj applicants than available slots. The lottery system provides a fair mechanism for selection. Countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and many others use variations of this system. The process typically works as follows: applicants register and pay a deposit during the open registration period; if applications exceed the quota, a random draw selects the pilgrims; unsuccessful applicants are often rolled over to the next year with increased priority. Some countries modify the pure lottery with weighted criteria: age priority (elderly applicants given preference), first-time pilgrim priority, previous unsuccessful application history, and regional representation. Indonesia has one of the most notable waiting systems, where registered pilgrims may wait 20+ years due to enormous demand. Some countries like Turkey and Egypt use alternative systems such as sequential waiting lists rather than random draws.