In a move aimed at enhancing the experience of pilgrims and facilitating their performance of rituals, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by the General Secretariat for Islamic Awareness in Hajj, Umrah and Visitation, announced the activation of a free telephone service dedicated to answering religious inquiries. This advanced service, staffed by a select group of the Ministry's preachers and utilizing an automated response system, is part of the second phase of the Islamic awareness plan for the current Umrah season of 1447 AH.
The service, accessible via the toll-free number (8002451000), offers comprehensive support in ten major world languages, including Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Indonesian, Filipino, Hausa, Bengali, and Hindi, among others. This linguistic diversity aims to break down language barriers and enable pilgrims of all nationalities to easily and conveniently obtain accurate and reliable religious rulings.
In line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in serving the guests of God
This step comes in response to the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which places great importance on the program for serving pilgrims. The Kingdom seeks to harness all its technological and human resources to enrich the religious and cultural experience of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. Digital transformation in religious outreach and guidance services is a fundamental pillar of this vision. The use of modern technologies, such as automated responses and remote communication, ensures rapid response and efficient performance, allowing pilgrims to focus on the spirituality of their rituals without the burden of searching for information.
The importance of multilingual awareness
This project is of particular importance given the great cultural diversity of pilgrims to the Two Holy Mosques. Non-Arabic speaking visitors often face challenges in understanding some of the religious rulings related to Umrah rituals. Therefore, the free telephone service serves as a bridge of cultural and religious communication, ensuring access to accurate religious information derived from the Quran and Sunnah. This helps reduce errors that pilgrims might make due to ignorance or a lack of language understanding, and it enhances their peace of mind and tranquility.
Consolidating the approach of moderation and centrism
In addition to the technical aspects, the Ministry focuses through this service on the religious content provided by scholars and preachers, which aims to highlight the tolerance and ease of Islam in worship and transactions. The Ministry seeks to educate pilgrims according to the principles of moderation and balance, avoiding extremism or negligence, in fulfillment of the aspirations of the wise leadership—may God support them—to present a positive image of Islam and serve Muslims throughout the world. The service operates around the clock to receive calls, with intensified efforts and direct communication activated during peak seasons such as the holy month of Ramadan and the Hajj season, to ensure it can accommodate the increasing number of callers.
