As the 2025 Haj season commences, over a million Muslim pilgrims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage, one of Islam’s five pillars. The Saudi government has highlighted its extensive preparations to ensure a safe and spiritually fulfilling experience for all attendees.
A significant feature of this year’s Haj is the newly expanded Grand Mosque in Makkah, which now accommodates double its previous capacity, facilitating better crowd management and enhanced worship experiences. To assist pilgrims, the kingdom has introduced the ‘Nusuk’ application, offering real-time maps, crowd-aware navigation, emergency alerts, AI-powered voice translation in over 100 languages, and hydration reminders.
Additionally, the ‘Makkah Route’ initiative has streamlined the entry process for pilgrims by allowing them to complete visa, customs, and health procedures in their home countries. Over 250,000 pilgrims have utilized this service, including many from Pakistan, which has one of the highest Haj quotas.
To enrich the spiritual journey, more than 50 Islamic landmarks between Makkah and Madina have been preserved and reopened. The Saudi authorities have also conducted over 37,000 field inspections to ensure the readiness of essential services such as electricity, water, transportation, and emergency response systems.
Maintaining the ‘No Permit, No Haj’ policy, the kingdom emphasizes the importance of authorized participation to uphold the sanctity and order of the pilgrimage. Dr. Ghassan Alnwaimi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Haj and Umrah, stated, “Our readiness is not just measured in infrastructure and systems — it’s reflected in our care for every individual who arrives in search of spiritual fulfilment.”