Saudi Arabia Expands Umrah Guidance Services to Hausa Speakers
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Saudi Arabia has expanded access to religious guidance for Umrah pilgrims by including Hausa among the languages available through its multilingual telephone service, providing Nigerian and other Hausa-speaking worshippers with an additional channel to seek clarification on pilgrimage rites.
The initiative is part of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance’s efforts to improve pilgrims’ religious understanding and help them perform Umrah in accordance with Islamic teachings.
The ministry’s multilingual toll-free service allows pilgrims to speak with qualified specialists about Umrah rituals and other religious matters in languages they understand.
Hausa is particularly significant to Nigerian pilgrims, especially those from the country’s northern states, where the language is widely spoken.
The development comes as the ministry reported delivering more than 3.36 million religious awareness messages in nine languages to approximately 225,000 beneficiaries during the first quarter of the 1448 AH Umrah season.
Saudi Arabia Expands Umrah Guidance Services to Hausa Speakers
The messages were displayed on electronic screens installed in hotel prayer halls around the Grand Mosque in Makkah and mosques at the Miqat locations of Al-Ji’ranah and Al-Tan’im.
Through QR codes displayed on the screens, pilgrims can also access religious books, educational resources and guidance materials in their preferred languages.
The materials provide information on Umrah rites, religious practices, worship requirements and regulations designed to support pilgrims throughout their spiritual journey.
The ministry’s initiatives reflect Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to improve religious awareness and accessibility for the millions of Muslims visiting the Kingdom for Umrah.
For Nigerian pilgrims, the availability of Hausa-language guidance offers an additional opportunity to seek religious clarification without relying entirely on translations or intermediaries, particularly when questions arise during their pilgrimage.
