As thousands of pilgrims continue their spiritual journey across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj exercise, technology and Artificial Intelligence are increasingly playing a vital role in bridging communication gaps among pilgrims and service providers.
For a group of Jigawa state pilgrims travelling from Madinah to Makkah, a journey that began a few minutes past 4 p.m. turned into a practical demonstration of how AI-powered translation applications are easing language barriers during pilgrimage operations.
The journey commenced smoothly with a stopover at the Miqat around 6 p.m., where the pilgrims observed necessary rites before proceeding towards Makkah.
After several hours on the road, the bus conveying the pilgrims stopped at a food court, allowing them to observe Maghrib and Isha prayers before resuming the trip around 9 p.m.
However, around 2 a.m., the vehicle made another unexpected stop which lasted for nearly an hour.
Concerned by the prolonged delay, some of the pilgrims approached the driver around 3 a.m. to seek clarification.
Communication quickly became difficult as the driver spoke only Arabic while many of the pilgrims could communicate mainly in English and local Nigerian languages.
Attempts to understand the reason for the stop initially proved unsuccessful due to the language barrier.
The situation, however, changed with the introduction of a translation application powered by Artificial Intelligence. Through voice-to-text and instant translation features, the driver was able to explain the reason for the pause, while the pilgrims also communicated their concerns effectively.
The translated conversation helped calm anxieties among the travellers and enabled both parties to understand themselves clearly before the journey resumed.
The pilgrims eventually arrived in Makkah around 4 a.m., but another challenge emerged as the drop-off location did not correspond with the hotel details printed on some of the accommodation cards issued to pilgrims from Nigeria.
This created temporary confusion and delays as officials and coordinators worked to verify the correct hotel destinations before the pilgrims were finally directed appropriately.
For many on the journey, the experience highlighted the growing importance of AI and digital technology in modern Hajj operations, especially in overcoming communication barriers among millions of pilgrims from diverse linguistic backgrounds across the world.