SMF Community Brief: Hajj Travel Guidance for American Muslims

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) attended a Hajj travel and return briefing hosted by the Muslim Public Affairs Council, with representatives from the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The briefing focused on safe travel and return for American Muslims performing Hajj this year, especially in light of the ongoing Iran war, regional security concerns, and possible travel disruptions. Sadia Niazi from the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was among the speakers.

This guidance is especially important for the American Muslim community. According to information shared during the briefing, approximately 9,000 pilgrims traveled from the United States for Hajj last year, and nearly 250,000 U.S.-based Muslims travel for Umrah annually.

Current Saudi Arabia Travel Advisory: Level 3

The State Department's current Saudi Arabia Travel Advisory is Level 3: Reconsider Travel, dated March 13, 2026. The advisory cites risk from Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans, and Saudi laws regarding social media activity. The Yemen border region is Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Use Only the Nusuk Hajj Platform

The State Department guidance makes clear that U.S. citizens performing Hajj must use the Nusuk Hajj platform, which is the only official platform for booking and managing Hajj packages, flights, payments, and visas. Pilgrims from the United States must obtain a Hajj permit and visa through Nusuk. U.S. citizens living in Saudi Arabia must also register through Nusuk to perform Hajj.

Beware of Scams Targeting Hajj and Umrah Travelers

Community members should be especially alert to scams. The State Department warns that Hajj and Umrah travelers are frequently targeted by scammers offering fake Hajj visas, fake permits outside Nusuk, and fraudulent Hajj or Umrah packages. These scams may appear on social media platforms, including Facebook, and may claim to offer special Hajj permits outside the official process. Performing Hajj without a permit may result in deportation, detention, fines, or a ban from future visits to Saudi Arabia. Overstaying a visa can lead to heavy fines, detention, deportation, or future travel bans.

Social Media Rules in Saudi Arabia

The briefing emphasized reviewing Saudi social media rules before travel. Saudi authorities may detain travelers for social media posts or online activity considered critical, offensive, or disruptive to public order, including past posts, reposts, or likes made outside Saudi Arabia. The State Department recommends deleting sensitive photos, comments, or past content that may be viewed as controversial or inappropriate in Saudi Arabia, and avoiding such activity while in the country.

Safety, Health, and Heat Preparedness

In 2024, 12 Americans died during Hajj, according to information shared during the briefing. Pilgrims should take heat, crowd safety, hydration, medication access, mobility needs, and emergency planning seriously. Summer temperatures in Makkah may exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Families and group leaders should consider practical safety steps, especially for elderly pilgrims and young travelers. The use of AirTags or similar location tracking devices may help families locate travelers who become separated in large crowds, provided the traveler or guardian consents and the device is used lawfully.

CBP Reentry and Customs Guidance

CBP advises Hajj travelers to prepare for U.S. departure and reentry by understanding customs requirements. CBP's Hajj travel tips note that travelers must declare currency over $10,000 when entering or leaving the United States, and should review restrictions on food, agricultural items, and other goods before travel.

General Travel Safety Checklist

• Keep passports secure and carry copies of passport and visa pages

• Save emergency contact information, including the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, and the U.S. Consulate General in Dhahran

• Monitor official U.S. government guidance throughout your travel

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before departure

• Review and, if needed, clean up your social media presence before entering Saudi Arabia

• Plan for hydration and heat safety given temperatures exceeding 105°F in Makkah

• Use only the Nusuk platform for official Hajj booking, permits, and visa processing

Official Resources

SMF encourages American Muslim community organizations, mosque leaders, Hajj group leaders, and families advising pilgrims to review the following official resources before departure:

• U.S. Department of State Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimage Guidance

• U.S. Department of State Saudi Arabia Travel Advisory

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Hajj Travel Tips

Cardinal Marks Pope Francis and Ayatollah Sistani Meeting With Visit to Shia Mosque

BURTONSVILLE, Md. — Cardinal Robert McElroy, the Archbishop of Washington, visited Idara e Jaferia on Saturday for a program commemorating the fifth anniversary of the 2021 meeting between Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al Sistani in Najaf. The event was organized by the Greater Washington, D.C. chapter of the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America and framed as a commemoration of a moment that reshaped Catholic-Shia relations and strengthened interfaith dialogue.

"The Pope went to Najaf not just as a head of state, but as a brother seeking wisdom and common ground with a fellow servant of God." - Cardinal McElroy

The visit carried a clear message. Five years after Pope Francis traveled to Najaf to meet Grand Ayatollah Sistani, one of America's most senior Catholic leaders came to a Shia mosque in Maryland to help honor that encounter and its legacy. That gave the event a practical American dimension. It was not just a retrospective about a meeting in Iraq. It was a public expression of Catholic-Shia engagement on mosque ground, before a local audience, in the United States.

"Najaf is a site of deep spiritual gravity, and the Pope’s presence there honored the rich history and intellectual legacy of the Shia community." - Cardinal McElroy

The program also featured remarks from Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, who reflected on the meaning of the Pope's journey to Najaf. Gregory said that the Holy Father's journey was a pilgrimage of peace, showing that fraternal love can bridge even the widest divides. He also said the Pope went to Najaf not just as a head of state, but as a brother seeking wisdom and common ground with a fellow servant of God.

"The encounter between the Holy Father and the Grand Ayatollah served as a powerful testament to the necessity of interfaith solidarity." - Bishop Denis Madden

In one of the clearest formulations of the day's interfaith theme, Gregory added that when the Pope stood in that sacred city, he sent a clear signal to the entire world that dialogue is the only path forward for humanity.

Gregory also directly addressed Najaf's place in the Shia world. He said Najaf is a site of deep spiritual gravity, and the Pope's presence there honored the rich history and intellectual legacy of the Shia community. He added that the meeting between the Pope and the Grand Ayatollah in Najaf reminded us that the pursuit of justice and peace is a shared religious duty. Those comments sharpened the event's main point. The significance of the 2021 meeting was not only diplomatic. It was also theological, moral, and civilizational.

Bishop Denis Madden also emphasized the significance of the Pope's visit to Najaf. He said the Pope demonstrated a profound humility by entering the narrow streets of Najaf, signaling a deep desire for authentic connection. Madden described Najaf as a center of spiritual excellence and a vital pillar for regional stability, and said the encounter between Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Sistani served as a powerful testament to the necessity of interfaith solidarity. He also said Najaf remains a city where the profound commitment to learning and prayer creates an atmosphere the Pope deeply respected.

Madden's remarks pushed the event beyond symbolism. He said that by traveling to Najaf, the Pope showed that no distance is too great when the goal is to foster mutual peace and understanding. That line captured the broader message of the commemoration. The meeting in Najaf still stands as a model for serious engagement between major religious traditions at a time when many global conflicts are aggravated by mistrust, polarization, and sectarian narratives.

The event also included remarks from Sayyid M. B. Kashmiri, who appeared on the program as part of the Shia scholarly leadership panel. His role matters institutionally as well as symbolically. I.M.A.M.'s official structure page lists Sayyid M. B. al Kashmiri as the organization's Vice Chairman and Director of Religious Affairs. The same page notes that I.M.A.M. operates under the supervision of the Marjaeya's Special Representative of Religious Affairs of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al Sistani for Europe and North America, the Honorable Scholar Sayyid Murtada al Kashmiri. So while Sayyid M. B. Kashmiri is clearly a senior I.M.A.M. leader and a prominent figure in Sistani-aligned religious work in North America, I.M.A.M.'s current official page does not describe him as the overall head of the organization.

This gathering also did not come out of nowhere. The Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America said in October 2025 that a delegation of Shia scholars met McElroy in Washington, reflected with him on the significance of the Sistani-Francis meeting, and invited him to a public commemoration in 2026. The Council said that earlier meeting focused on strengthening ties between the two faith communities and on shared concerns including polarization, immigration, and young people's religious identity. Saturday's program appears to have been the public fulfillment of that invitation.

McElroy's presence also carried added weight because he has spoken publicly on recent regional conflict. Vatican News reported in April that he described the war with Iran as "morally illegitimate" and urged prayer that the ceasefire hold and lead to peace. That background made his appearance at a Shia mosque for a Najaf-themed commemoration even more notable. It connected interfaith symbolism with an active moral concern about war, peace, and the future of the region.

The result was a serious and layered message. Five years after Pope Francis met Grand Ayatollah Sistani in Najaf, Catholic and Shia leaders gathered in a Maryland mosque to say that the meeting still matters. They presented Najaf not as a relic of a past diplomatic moment, but as an enduring symbol of religious seriousness, dialogue, wisdom, justice, and peace. In a time of war and distrust, that was the real meaning of the day.

Shia Muslim Foundation Meets with Maryland Governor's Office of Homeland Security to Address Safety of Shia Mosques Statewide

The Shia Muslim Foundation (SMF) this week held a meeting with Marcia Deppen, Interim Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, to discuss the physical security of Shia Muslim mosques and Islamic centers operating across Maryland. The meeting marks a significant milestone in SMF's ongoing government relations efforts on behalf of the American Shia Muslim community.

During the engagement, SMF Executive Director Rahat Husain presented a comprehensive briefing on security concerns affecting Shia religious institutions in the state, including threat reporting protocols, federal and state coordination gaps, and the need for dedicated security assistance for Maryland's Shia Muslim centers. SMF provided Director Deppen's office with informatino regarding Shia mosques and Islamic centers operating across the state, spanning Montgomery County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Prince George's County, to facilitate direct outreach and security coordination with each institution.

SMF also formally transmitted its Report on Incidents and Threats Against Shia Muslim Centers in Maryland, a documented account of incidents, threats, and harassment targeting Shia mosques and clergy in the state, prepared specifically to support state and federal security engagement. Director Deppen responded promptly, committing to personally work on establishing security contacts for each center and to review the report this week.

"The Governor's Office of Homeland Security's engagement on this issue is a meaningful step toward ensuring that Shia Muslim communities in Maryland receive the same security attention and resources available to other faith communities," said Rahat Husain, Executive Director of the Shia Muslim Foundation.

"We are grateful to Director Deppen for her responsiveness and her commitment to this work, and we look forward to building a durable partnership that delivers real security support to our mosques and centers."

The meeting reflects SMF's broader advocacy agenda, which includes sustained engagement with state and federal law enforcement, homeland security officials, and elected representatives to address the safety and civil rights of Shia Muslims across the United States.

About the Shia Muslim Foundation

The Shia Muslim Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the civic, legal, and community advancement of Shia Muslims in the United States. SMF engages government officials, legal institutions, and community organizations to protect the rights and safety of the American Shia Muslim community.