A digital initiative to enhance the journey of pilgrims
In a move reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to harnessing the latest technologies to serve pilgrims, the General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced the launch of the “Prayer Guide” digital platform. This innovative initiative aims to enrich the spiritual experience of millions of Muslims who visit the Two Holy Mosques annually by providing comprehensive and easily accessible religious and guidance content.
The platform, accessible via QR codes distributed throughout the prayer areas of the Two Holy Mosques, offers an interactive experience supporting seven major international languages: Arabic, English, Urdu, Turkish, French, Malay, and Indonesian. This linguistic diversity ensures that guidance services reach a wide range of visitors from around the world, removing language barriers and enhancing their ability to perform religious rites with ease and peace of mind.
Comprehensive enrichment content at your fingertips
The authority explained that the “Prayer Guide” platform provides a comprehensive package of digital content to serve worshippers on their religious journey. This content includes:
- An electronic version of the Holy Quran: It is characterized by its ease of navigation and is available with translations of the meanings of the Holy Quran in several languages, which allows the visitor to recite the Quran and contemplate its meanings in his native language.
- The Library of Supplications and Remembrances: It contains a comprehensive collection of supplications and remembrances narrated from the Prophet Muhammad - may God bless him and grant him peace - classified according to times and occasions to be a reference for the worshipper at all times.
- Educational visual content: Instructional videos explaining the manner of worship, such as prayer and Umrah, in a simple and clear style, to enable those intending to perform them correctly according to the Sunnah of the Prophet.
In the context of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and digital transformation
The launch of this digital platform is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts, in line with the goals of Vision 2030, which places digital transformation and the enhancement of the Hajj and Umrah experience at the heart of its priorities. Over the decades, the Two Holy Mosques have witnessed tremendous development in their infrastructure and services to accommodate the increasing numbers of pilgrims. Today, digital transformation is a natural extension of these efforts, as technology contributes to providing innovative services that transcend physical boundaries and reach each visitor personally.
The importance and expected impact of the platform
The importance of the “Prayer Guide” platform lies in its direct impact on enhancing the quality of visitors’ religious experience. Internationally, the platform reinforces the Kingdom’s image as a leading nation in serving Islam and Muslims, and underscores its commitment to providing an ideal worship environment that leverages modern innovations. Individually, it enables non-Arabic speaking visitors to gain a deeper understanding of their rituals and acts of worship, thereby increasing their devotion and spiritual connection. Providing reliable and translated religious content effectively contributes to disseminating accurate information and preventing misconceptions, ensuring that rituals are performed correctly and maximizing the spiritual impact of the visit.
