Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 24 Jun 2026, 5:12 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia expanded AI across the 1447 Hajj, using SDAIA platforms Baseer and Sawaher for crowd monitoring, a multilingual robot, the Makkah Route Initiative, and the Nusuk Card for digital identity and medical records.
The Day of Ashura, the tenth of Muharram, is expected on June 25, 2026, as the Islamic year 1448 AH begins. Fasting it is a strongly recommended Sunnah that expiates the previous year's sins.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set the Hajj 2027 booking calendar, with priority accommodation reservations opening June 30 and service contracts through Masar Nusuk from July 29.
Saudi Arabia has cut the Umrah entry visa validity from three months to 30 days, while requiring verified Nusuk hotel bookings before a visa is issued.
Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics confirmed 1,707,301 pilgrims performed Hajj 2026, with detailed breakdowns by origin, entry point and gender.
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has awarded six development sites worth an estimated SAR 13.3 billion, including two major Hindawiyah projects near the Grand Mosque.