Interactive multilingual screens in the Two Holy Mosques to enhance the Hajj experience

A step towards enriching the religious experience of the pilgrims

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance services for pilgrims, the General Presidency for Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has activated multilingual interactive smart screens as part of its operational plan for the 1447 AH Hajj season. This innovative initiative aims to enrich the religious experience of pilgrims and deepen their understanding of Islamic law by providing reliable religious content and guidance in a modern and easily accessible technological format.

General context and digital transformation in Hajj services

This step comes as part of the comprehensive digital transformation underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which aligns with the goals of Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims. Over the decades, guidance and instruction methods at the Two Holy Mosques have evolved from traditional study circles and printed booklets to the adoption of the latest digital technologies. The introduction of interactive screens represents a qualitative leap in how religious information is conveyed, overcoming the language barrier that posed a significant challenge given the vast cultural and linguistic diversity among pilgrims from around the world.

The importance of the initiative and its expected impact

The importance of these screens lies in their ability to provide immediate and reliable answers to questions of Islamic jurisprudence related to Hajj and Umrah rituals, enabling visitors to quickly access fatwas and guidance in their native languages. This initiative is expected to have a positive impact on several levels:

• Locally: This technology enhances the Kingdom’s position as a leading country in crowd management and the provision of smart services in the holiest places, and highlights the size of the investment in the technological infrastructure to serve the pilgrims.
• Regionally and internationally, it provides a model to be emulated in managing major religious events and contributes to spreading the message of moderate Islam in international languages. It also ensures that pilgrims perform their rituals with understanding and knowledge, thus reducing common errors and enhancing the spirituality of the pilgrimage.

Operational details and geographical distribution

The Presidency has intensified the use of these screens to accommodate the increasing crowds during peak times, distributing them across more than 70 locations within the Grand Mosque. These key locations include the Mataf expansion, the Saudi arcade, the King Fahd expansion, and the Third Saudi expansion, ensuring wider coverage and accessibility for the largest possible number of worshippers. The screens present their content in more than 42 international languages, reflecting the comprehensiveness and universality of the message. This initiative is part of an integrated digital system aimed at leveraging modern technologies to disseminate sound Islamic knowledge and reinforce the values ​​of moderation and balance.