The Hajj season will end in just a few days and today we celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha. Year after year, many people receive invitations to perform the Hajj through the rotation system used by Tabung Haji. The first official Hajj was performed by the Prophet in 632 AD (10 years after the Hijrah) and Muslims who are able to perform this fifth pillar of Islam are still doing it without stopping until now.
During this 1394 year, various latest technologies have also been used by the Saudi Arabian authorities to ensure that pilgrims can perform their worship comfortably, holy and safely. Here are some of the 10 technologies that have been used so far.
1. Thassos Marble – Cool Floors
First of all, this is a “technology” that has been used for thousands of years since the time of Greek civilization. Many are amazed that the white marble floor surfaces of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque do not get hot even in hot weather. Some say that there is an air conditioner or a pipe filled with cold water under the floor.
But in fact, not at all. Thassos marble from the Thassos Islands in Greece has been used in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque since 1978. This marble has a natural cooling ability that has been known for thousands of years. Small air cavities in each 5cm thick marble slab absorb liquid which then evaporates when hot, thus cooling the surface.
If you have the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosque, you will sometimes see staff splashing water to be collected by the Thassos marble cavities. No mechanical system is used, instead the basic laws of physics of cooling through evaporation are used.
2. Smart Pilgrim Counting System
A smart pilgrim counting system in the Grand Mosque was just introduced during the month of Ramadan this year. It counts the number of pilgrims entering and leaving in real time. With this, the authorities can immediately avoid congestion in certain areas.
Staff on the ground will direct pilgrims to go to less busy areas, thus avoiding the issue of crowding or tragic tragedies like the Muassim Tunnel. Its use is highest during prayer times and pilgrims who want to perform the final tawaf to complete their respective pillars of hajj.
3. Electric Vehicles for Tawaf
The General Authority for the Custodian of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has introduced electric vehicles (EVs) in the form of golf carts specifically to help elderly, infirm and disabled pilgrims perform their worship in the Holy Land since 2024. Until now, infirm pilgrims have been carried or pushed in wheelchairs by assistants.
Pilgrims only need to buy a ticket and can access it through the Ajyad Staircase elevator entrance, the King Abdulaziz elevator gate, and the Umrah gate elevator. A total of 50 vehicles are provided and can carry 10 passengers for each trip.
Its operating hours start from 4 pm to 4 am every day with a fee of SR300 (~RM317) per person. There is a 50% discount for senior citizens aged 65 and above and it is offered free of charge to the disabled and children under 6 years old.
4. Drones Deliver Medicine
Saudi Arabia has been using a drone system to deliver medicine and medical supplies to treatment centers when needed this year after a pilot test was conducted last year. The use of drones has shortened the time to deliver medicine from 1 hour to just 6 minutes, allowing treatment to be provided to those in need much faster.
More than 2,000 types of medicine and medical equipment can be delivered using a network of 136 locations. The drones will then deliver the cargo to six main medical centers located in Mina, Muzdalifah and Mount Arafah. The locations were chosen because they are the focus of more than 1.5 million pilgrims this year. The drone system is operated by Terra Drone Arabia.
5. Haramain High-Speed Train
The Haramain High-Speed Train has been operating since 2008 between the Holy City of Mecca and Medina. With high-speed trains, the 453 km journey with 5 stops connects Mecca, Medina, Jeddah (Sulaymaniyyah), KAEC, and King Abdulaziz International Airport.
For the 2026 Hajj season, 2 million seats will be provided by Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), a 25% increase over last year's season. This is now one of the world's 10 fastest passenger trains, operating at up to 300 km/h, allowing the 453 km journey to be completed in around 2 hours 15 minutes compared to 5-6 hours by bus before the service was introduced.
6. Robot Assistants at the Grand Mosque
The robot was introduced at the Grand Mosque in 2022 and can read the Quran, give messages, deliver sermons and also call to prayer through the imam. It also includes a large screen that allows the display of information from the official website, as well as the display of other related content.
In addition, this robot will also provide a special barcode, allowing worshipers to download a number of services directly to their smartphones. There is also voice-based virtual assistant support. Worshipers can request information related to the imam, weekly schedules, information related to prayer times and more.
In addition, the robot is also used by the management of the Grand Mosque to clean the floors. During the pandemic, the robot was used to give bottles to worshipers so that they do not gather together while also meeting the requirements of social distancing at that time.
7. Nusuk NFC Application and Card
Nusuk Card
The Nusuk smartphone application and smart card were introduced since 2022 to make it easier for pilgrims to obtain hajj information locally and display the hajj permit they have received., To avoid congestion, each pilgrim must also display a physical Nusuk card containing personal information, permit status and photo. Authorities can find out the pilgrim's status by scanning the QR code or touching it because the physical card contains an NFC chip.
Unregistered pilgrims will be prevented from entering major cities and accessing the facilities provided. Last year alone, more than 200,000 individuals were prevented from performing hajj because they did not have a permit. A large number of the more than 1301 deaths due to heat last year also consisted of those who were not legally registered.
8. Use of Flying Taxis
Two years ago, Saudi Arabia conducted a pilot test of the use of self-driving flying taxis in Mecca in conjunction with the 2024 hajj season. The EHang EH216-S flying taxi was used and it can carry up to two passengers for a distance of up to 40 kilometers. Through the experiment, it carries pilgrims between Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafah.
In addition to the experiment of carrying pilgrims, these flying taxis will initially be used for emergency services, as well as to deliver goods or medicine for pilgrims. The Saudi Arabian government has expressed its desire to obtain more than 100 flying taxis that can carry pilgrims from the airport in Jeddah directly to hotels in Mecca. Although the test was successful, this is still just an experiment because it will not be continued in 2025 and 2026.
9. Zam Zam Water Machine Like Coway
At home, I have an automatic water filter machine. It is the best purchase because there is no need to boil hot water or store water in a cold water bottle manually. Just press and the water comes out. In the Grand Mosque, a zam zam water dispenser machine has been installed since 2024. This machine offers cold and room temperature zam zam water automatically
The water released from the machine is enough for the small cup provided. Because it is automatic, there is no waste of zam zam water. Next, there is a place to directly dispose of the paper cups that have been used by the pilgrims. More of these machines will be installed in the future, replacing the “Coleman” zam zam water barrels that have been used for decades.
10. Special Umbrellas for Prayer-Friendly Hajj Pilgrims
In the 2024 hajj season, 1301 pilgrims died from extreme heat according to data from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health. The solution is to use umbrellas, but for the elderly, they may not have the strength to hold them all day.
Therefore, a special umbrella for hajj and umrah has been developed by a Saudi Arabian firm. This Shadow Umbrella is worn on the shoulder of the pilgrim without touching the back to provide airflow. It is designed to have a lightweight design so that it is not burdensome and can be folded small to be put in a storage bag when not in use.
Originally, this umbrella was launched in 2023 for the use of laborers and security personnel who work under the hot Saudi Arabian sun, with the production process taking four years. The version for pilgrims was later developed with a smaller design to make it easier to use even while praying so as not to disturb other worshippers in the rows and not to cover the forehead when prostrating.
