Muslims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual pilgrimage—Hajj—which officially begins on June 4. According to Saudi authorities, around 1.5 million pilgrims have already entered the kingdom and will carry out the religious rites until June 9.
Hajj begins with the pilgrim entering a state of spiritual purity known as ihram. At this stage, a Muslim must perform a full-body cleansing, wear special garments (two unstitched pieces of cloth for men and a loose dress for women), and follow specific behavioral rules. After this, pilgrims are permitted to enter the religious complex surrounding the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, which houses the Kaaba—the holiest site in Islam. Pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba and seek to kiss or touch the Black Stone embedded in it, which, according to Islamic tradition, was sent down from paradise and around which the sanctuaries were first built by Adam and later by the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham in the Bible) and his sons.
After circling the Kaaba, pilgrims walk or run seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, which are now enclosed within the mosque complex. This commemorates the search for water by Hajar (Hagar in the Bible), the second wife of Ibrahim, who ran between these hills seeking water for her son Ishmael. Pilgrims then draw water from the sacred Zamzam well twice and proceed to the plain of Arafat for the wuquf—a day-long vigil of prayer that starts in the morning and ends with the following sunrise, during which pilgrims remain under the open sky.
The final rite of Hajj is the "stoning of the devil," in which pilgrims throw seven stones at three stone pillars. This day coincides with the Festival of Sacrifice—Eid al-Adha (known as Kurban Bayram in the Turkic tradition)—during which Muslims slaughter a sacrificial animal.
Once all rites are completed, pilgrims perform a farewell circumambulation of the Kaaba and may visit other holy sites associated with the Prophet Muhammad.
Technology Supporting Pilgrims
In recent years, Saudi authorities have actively implemented artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the organization of Hajj. In 2025, for the first time, the "iSelfie" diagnostic system will be used, allowing doctors to quickly assess a pilgrim's cardiovascular health. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the AI-powered system can analyze visual cues to detect irregular heart rhythms, significantly reducing diagnosis time and speeding up medical response.
Drones will monitor the holy sites from above in real-time. Organizers will use them to track rituals and crowd movements around the Kaaba to prevent deadly stampedes. The drones, equipped with thermal imaging cameras, can also detect and extinguish fires. The data collected will be continuously processed by the AI-powered "Sawaher" platform.
Digitization has also streamlined the visa process, border control, and entry into Saudi Arabia, whether by air, land, or sea. Authorities have promised pilgrims high-speed internet access throughout the religious complex in both Mecca and Medina, the city that houses the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb.
About Hajj
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside the shahada (declaration of faith), prayer, charity, and fasting. The Quran states that "people are obligated to perform the pilgrimage to the Kaaba if they are able to undertake the journey." Hajj traditionally takes place from the 8th to the 12th of the Islamic lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah, with the exact dates set each year by Saudi authorities.
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Based on materials from TASS