RIYADH: Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and AI Authority, reviewed the work of the authority’s technical teams at 11 airports across seven countries as part of the Makkah Route Initiative.
The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Interior under the Pilgrim Experience Program, one of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 schemes.
Al-Ghamdi highlighted the importance of serving pilgrims and called for greater efforts to ensure the initiative’s success, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It followed a virtual meeting held by the president with the authority’s teams working on this year’s Makkah Route Initiative.
Al-Ghamdi assessed the readiness of technical personnel and the integration of services to facilitate pilgrims’ travel to the Kingdom for Hajj.
This included reviewing fixed and mobile airport workstations, equipped with advanced digital technology and efficient biometric registration in pilgrims’ home countries.
How AI tech innovation has elevated the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage experience
AI tools are transforming the Hajj experience, enhancing safety, easing logistics, and enriching spirituality for millions of pilgrims
From crowd control to faith tools, Hajj 2025 showcases a bold fusion of ancient ritual and cutting-edge digital innovation
Updated 05 June 2025
SULAFA ALKHUNAIZI AND GHADI JOUDAH
RIYADH: As the annual Hajj pilgrimage draws millions of Muslims to Makkah in 2025, Saudi Arabia is using a powerful suite of artificial intelligence tools to ensure that this sacred journey is safer, smoother, and more spiritually enriching than ever before.
In a remarkable blend of ancient ritual and modern innovation, the Kingdom is harnessing AI, biometric technologies, and digital services to overcome the logistical challenges of hosting one of the world’s largest religious gatherings — from crowd control to heat management — all while preserving the sanctity of the experience.
AI-powered tools have been developed to give pilgrims more time to focus on their Hajj obligations. (SPA photo)
“Saudi Arabia carries an immense responsibility in hosting millions of pilgrims,” Hatem Mandeel, managing director and co-founder of the digital transformation consultancy Tyde AI, told Arab News. “It continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to this role through innovative approaches to event management and safety.”
At the heart of this transformation is Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s national roadmap for economic diversification and digital growth. This year’s Hajj reflects those ambitions in action, with technologies being used to streamline everything from spiritual guidance to crowd movement.
Opinion
This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)
Among the most notable are two new tools — the Smart Enrichment Assistant and the Digital Mutawwif.
Developed by the Agency for Religious Affairs at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Smart Enrichment Assistant provides real-time updates on prayer times, imam schedules, and locations of religious activities. Offered in numerous languages, it reduces logistical stress while deepening spiritual engagement for pilgrims.
AI-powered tools have been developed to give pilgrims more time to focus on their Hajj obligations. (SPA photo)
The Digital Mutawwif, meanwhile, was created by the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque to serve as a digital companion for Umrah pilgrims. It includes navigation tools for tawaf and sa’i, a library of audio-visual supplications, and built-in ritual counters to help pilgrims stay focused and on track.
These tools are complemented by the Makkah Route Initiative, a fast-track immigration service powered by biometric technology and AI.
Now operating at 11 international airports in seven countries, the initiative allows pilgrims to complete visa, customs, and health checks before boarding their flights — reducing congestion on arrival.
Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) has developed the Smart Makkah Operations Center (Smart Moc) to ensure the safety and comfort of Hajj pilgrims and facilitating their movement and the services provided to them. (SPA)
It is supported by round-the-clock monitoring systems run by the Saudi Data and AI Authority, which ensure health compliance and swift issue resolution through AI-driven analytics.
Behind the scenes, more sophisticated AI platforms are addressing the enormous logistical demands of Hajj. One of the most critical is Baseer, a platform developed by the Ministry of Interior in partnership with the Saudi Data and AI Authority.
Using computer vision and machine learning, Baseer tracks and analyzes the movements of more than one million worshippers a day inside the Grand Mosque. The insights help authorities predict crowd surges and prevent dangerous bottlenecks.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Smart Enrichment Assistant helps pilgrims navigate rituals with real-time updates and multilingual spiritual guidance.
• Digital Mutawwif guides pilgrims step by step through tawaf and sa’i, with visual aids, supplications, and ritual counters.
• Makkah Route Initiative fast tracks immigration using biometrics and AI, easing congestion before pilgrims even arrive.
• Baseer tracks more than a million worshippers a day to manage crowd flow and prevent bottlenecks at the Grand Mosque.
Using AI at this scale is a major milestone in event management, especially in sensitive, sacred contexts.
“Building this technology is one thing, but maintaining system reliability under high demand, ensuring data privacy and properly onboarding personnel is a whole operation in itself,” Mandeel said.
Adding a more personal and interactive touch, the Kingdom has also introduced Manarah 2, a multilingual robot equipped with a smart touchscreen. It provides real-time information and guidance to pilgrims in several languages, along with a dedicated application to help non-Arabic speakers recite Surah Al-Fatiha correctly.
“This demonstrates how Saudi Arabia is taking the initiative to manage — but also elevate — the sacred journey for millions of pilgrims,” Mandeel said. “This is a powerful example of how AI can thoughtfully enhance sacred, deeply human experiences — something more people globally should be aware of and inspired by.”
With extreme heat, massive crowds, and time-sensitive rituals, the pilgrimage poses huge logistical challenges. But Saudi Arabia’s strategic investment in AI is setting a global standard for how digital transformation can serve human traditions.
“This proactive use of technology not only supports the goals of Vision 2030,” Mandeel said. “But also offers a model for other nations managing large-scale gatherings in sensitive contexts.”
From Arafat to Muzdalifah, 1.6m Hajj pilgrims continue their sacred journey
As the sun set over Mount Arafat, signaling the end of the day’s rituals, pilgrims began leaving en masse for Muzdalifah, a holy site nestled between Arafat and Mina
Travel from Arafat to Muzdalifah was achieved by using a vast fleet of buses operating on a phased schedule
Updated 05 June 2025
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: On Thursday, corresponding to Dul Hijjah 9, more than 1.67 million pilgrims gathered on the plain of Arafat, marking the spiritual apex of the Hajj pilgrimage.
From early morning, the atmosphere in Arafat was one of intense devotion, with worshippers praying, reciting the Qur’an, and raising their hands in supplication.
The Day of Arafat, considered the most sacred in the Islamic calendar, is the heart of the Hajj journey.
In Muzdalifah, the pilgrims collect pebbles for the stoning of the devil ritual at the Jamarat area in Mina. (AN photo by Huda Bashattah)
As the sun set over Mount Arafat, signaling the end of the day’s rituals, pilgrims began leaving en masse for Muzdalifah, a holy site nestled between Arafat and Mina.
The move to Muzdalifah is an integral part of Hajj, combining logistical coordination with spiritual significance.
This leg of the journey is tightly choreographed by Saudi authorities to ensure safe and efficient travel despite the enormous scale of the operation.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj this year, with 1,506,576 of them from outside the Kingdom.
The number of domestic pilgrims is 166,654, including citizens and residents.
Managing the movement of such large numbers requires seamless coordination between several agencies, including the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Interior, and the Transport General Authority.
Travel from Arafat to Muzdalifah was achieved by using a vast fleet of buses operating on a phased schedule. Additionally, the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro, a railway system built exclusively for Hajj, played a major role in easing congestion.
The nine-station metro can transport up to 72,000 pilgrims an hour in one direction, operating on a circular loop connecting Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina.
Authorities also used smart surveillance systems, drones, and real-time data to monitor crowd movement and prevent bottlenecks.
Volunteers and security personnel were stationed at checkpoints to guide pilgrims and ensure safety during this critical transition.
Upon arrival in Muzdalifah, pilgrims performed the Maghrib and Isha prayers — traditionally shortened and combined — before beginning another key ritual: collecting 49 pebbles for the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat site in Mina.
Many pilgrims chose to rest or sleep under the open sky, emulating Prophet Muhammad’s practice during his farewell pilgrimage. Although logistically smaller than other holy sites, Muzdalifah was fully equipped with ample lighting, shaded rest areas, water stations, and mobile medical units.
The Ministry of Health deployed more than 120 ambulances and several field hospitals at Arafat and Muzdalifah, supported by thousands of medical staff to respond to heat stress, dehydration, or urgent health issues.
Mobile clinics were also stationed at key points to assist elderly and vulnerable pilgrims.
These logistical and health measures reflect Saudi Arabia’s long-term commitment to improving the Hajj experience under Vision 2030.
Through a blend of faith, planning, and technology, this year’s Hajj continues to evolve into a model of safety, efficiency, and spiritual focus for millions of Muslims worldwide.
The Ministry of Interior outlined a comprehensive security and organizational plan to ensure a safe and smooth 2025 Hajj season
Updated 05 June 2025
MOHAMMED AL-KINANI
ARAFAT: Saudi Arabia has intensified the enforcement of Hajj permit regulations this year, barring individuals without official permits from entering Makkah to ensure that authorized pilgrims can fully benefit from the Kingdom’s services and facilities.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that security forces had been deployed across all key access points to Makkah to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the city in the days leading up to Hajj. The intensified measures come in response to longstanding concerns over the strain placed on infrastructure and essential services by unauthorized pilgrims.
The Ministry of Interior has repeatedly said that individuals caught attempting to perform Hajj with no valid Hajj permit will face a fine of SR20,000 with enforcement in effect from April 29 to June 10. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
The Ministry of Interior outlined a comprehensive security and organizational plan to ensure a safe and smooth 2025 Hajj season.
By ensuring that only authorized individuals enter Makkah during the Hajj season, the Kingdom aims to maintain public health, optimize crowd control and uphold the spiritual integrity of the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims have voiced their support for the tightened rules. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)
In a recent press conference, held ahead of Hajj, the Kingdom detailed preparations aligned with the directives of Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud. The strategy covers public safety, crowd and traffic control, and emergency responses throughout the pilgrims’ journey.
Authorities reported the dismantling of 252 fake Hajj campaigns, the arrest of 1,239 illegal transporters, and the return of 269,678 non-residents of Makkah, 75,943 unauthorized pilgrims and 109,632 vehicles. An additional 11,610 individuals were found violating residency, labor and border laws.
The Ministry of Interior has repeatedly said that individuals caught attempting to perform Hajj with no valid Hajj permit will face a fine of SR20,000 with enforcement in effect from April 29 to June 10. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
The move is part of a broader effort by authorities to safeguard the sanctity of the pilgrimage and ensure the safety and comfort of registered pilgrims.
The MoI has repeatedly said that individuals caught attempting to perform Hajj with no valid Hajj permit will face a fine of SR20,000 (more than $5,300), with enforcement in effect from April 29 to June 10.
The Ministry of Interior outlined a comprehensive security and organizational plan to ensure a safe and smooth 2025 Hajj season. (AN photo by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)
The ministry warned that foreign nationals found in violation would, in addition to the financial penalty, be deported to their home countries and barred from re-entering the Kingdom for ten years.
The ministry also confirmed that a financial penalty of up to SR100,000 would be imposed on anyone who transported holders of visit visas or attempted to transport them with the intent of bringing them to the city of Makkah or the holy sites during the same period.
The ministry added it would request the competent court to confiscate any land transport vehicle proven to have been used for this purpose if owned by the transporter, an accomplice or any party found to be involved.
In previous years, emergency rooms in Makkah hospitals were often overwhelmed with medical cases involving individuals who entered the city without valid Hajj permits. Many lacked access to official accommodation and transportation, resulting in overcrowding not only in emergency facilities but also in the Grand Mosque and the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat — areas whose capacity is topographically constrained.
Pilgrims have voiced their support for the tightened rules. In previous seasons, illegal pilgrims strained logistical operations, including food distribution, transportation schedules and accommodation management.
Indian couple Altaf Hussein and his wife Farhana told Arab News that they were pleased with the running of this year’s Hajj.
“I am happy with their management,” Hussein said. Farhana added that it was her first time performing Hajj and that it was unlike what she had heard about.
“From day one in Makkah, I am so happy and thankful to Allah the Almighty, and may Allah keep the two holy mosques’ management prosper,” she said.
Marwa Al-Said, an Egyptian pilgrim, said that this year’s Hajj felt “especially exceptional” with unauthorized pilgrims barred from entering Makkah.
“I would like to thank you all. The arrangements you are applying this year are truly different,” she said. “I feel comfortable — there is no hardship, no fear and none of the worries we usually hear about during Hajj. It is, seriously speaking, real security.”
According to an official at Jabal Al-Rahma Hospital in Arafat, the one-day facility — which in previous years typically received hundreds of patients during the Hajj season — had recorded only two emergency cases as of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.
King, crown prince receive telegrams, calls from around Arab world
Four-day festival begins on Friday
Updated 05 June 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The leadership of Saudi Arabia on Thursday received telegrams from the heads of several Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent their own goodwill messages, wishing Islamic leaders progress and prosperity for the festival.
The crown prince on Thursday also received a telephone call from Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Muslims worldwide will begin the four-day celebration of Eid Al-Adha on Friday. The holiday occurs in the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah, where 1.4 million pilgrims this week began their rituals.
Pilgrims commend Saudi Arabia’s care, organization
This year, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ program is hosting in excess of 2,400 pilgrims from more than 100 countries
Updated 05 June 2025
Arab News
ARAFAT: Several guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah expressed deep emotions as they stood on the plains of Arafat, saying that chanting the Talbiyah and supplicating were among the most profound moments of their lives.
They praised the generous care they received from their arrival in the Kingdom until reaching the holy sites, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Pilgrim Mohammed Amer, from New Zealand, said: “Arafat Day is extraordinary in every detail; a moment of serenity and peace. I never imagined experiencing it with such honor, organization and care.”
Pilgrims praised the generous care they received from their arrival in Saudi Arabiba until reaching the holy sites. (SPA)
He commended the Kingdom and its leadership for facilitating the rituals and ensuring every pilgrim’s comfort, the SPA reported.
Pilgrim Sameh Abu Baker, from Palestine, appreciated the services and exceptional organization of pilgrim movement.
He said: “The emotions on this great day are indescribable. Joy fills our hearts as we see pilgrims responding in unison. These moments will remain etched in memory.”
This year, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ program is hosting in excess of 2,400 pilgrims from more than 100 countries, reinforcing the Kingdom’s global mission to serve the two holy mosques and pilgrims.
