Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Go Viral Asking to Go Home by Ojek After Tawaf in Kaaba

Dream - A number of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims are behaving strangely while in the Holy Land. One of them is M Arif Dg Rate.

In a viral video on social media, the 68-year-old pilgrim from Takalar, South Sulawesi, asks to go home to his hometown by motorcycle taxi.

In the 49-second video clip, Arif Dg Rate is seen walking around the Kaaba while holding a cane and planning to find a motorcycle taxi.

The leader of cluster 32, who brought the Takalar Hajj pilgrim group, Ambo Tuo, said that Arif Dg Rate is currently experiencing dementia.

"Our Hajj pilgrim named Muh Arif Dg Rate is experiencing dementia after being examined by the health team and is now being treated and in his room," he said.

Dementia is a condition of declining thinking and memory abilities that usually occurs in the elderly.

Ambo Tuo said that the physical condition of Muh Arif Dg Rate is still strong enough to walk, unlike most who use wheelchairs.

"Physically, he is still good, strong enough to perform worship activities, tawaf and sa'i. Many elderly Hajj pilgrims use wheelchairs, but Mr. Arif is still strong enough," he said.

Ambo Tuo said that the video was taken when Arif Dg Rate and cluster 32 group were performing obligatory umrah at night around 11:00 local time.

Arif Dg Rate performed obligatory umrah with his child and son-in-law. After the third round, his physical condition did not allow him to continue tawaf, so he rested.

However, after the obligatory umrah tawaf was completed and sa'i on the hills of Safa and Marwah, Arif Dg Rate was searched for until 06:00 local time in the morning.

"We started the obligatory umrah tawaf at 11:00 pm until morning. After we finished, I called the head of our group, Mr. Jamaluddin, and he searched until 09:00 in the morning. It turns out that after that, Arif Dg Rate was found by another team and taken back to the hotel," he said.

Ambo Tuo explained that Arif Dg Rate's condition often leads to incomprehensible answers during communication.

"It often happens like that, when invited to talk and asked, the answers are always unrelated. The health team monitors his condition and indeed Mr. Arif has been suffering from dementia," he said.