The results of the electronic Hajj lottery in Iraq, announced today, Sunday, raised questions on social media regarding the chances of elderly participants winning, as well as criticisms of the phrase that appeared for applicants whose names were not selected: "We're sorry... you were not lucky in winning."
Writer Abdul Hadi Mahoud criticized the use of the word "luck" in announcing results related to the performance of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, activist Abdullah Bandar questioned why applicants born in the 1950s and 1960s were not selected despite participating in multiple lotteries, and what chances those over eighty years old have if they continue to wait.
Activist Mahmoud Hamid expressed the disappointment of the elderly whose names did not appear.
In a video posted on his account, writer Abdul Rahman Al-Saleh stated that the phrase "you were not lucky" has become widely circulated following the announcement of the results.
Al-Saleh questioned the reasons behind the lack of winnings for individuals who have applied for the lottery multiple times, while some officials and their families are allowed to perform the Hajj repeatedly, calling for clarification of the selection mechanism.
The debate extended to the application fees, as activist Alaa Al-Kadhimi mentioned that he paid 50,000 dinars upon registration and has not yet received a refund.
Another individual pointed out that when he simply registered his name, he received the message "you were not lucky," and questioned whether our internet speed and servers are so advanced that a rejection result can come up in fractions of a second as if the answer was already predetermined?
The authority had announced in July the cancellation of registration fees and the return of amounts collected from applicants, then in September it announced an extension for those who were unable to retrieve their amounts at its offices in Baghdad and the provinces.
The Supreme Hajj and Umrah Commission announced, upon opening the application process, that priority would be given to the elderly.
Today, the results of the lottery for the supplementary years 2027 and 2028, 2029, and 2030 were announced, stating that it was conducted electronically under the supervision of judges from the Supreme Judicial Council and in the presence of deputies and representatives from government bodies.