As Saudi Arabia gears up for this year’s Hajj season, pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina are being welcomed by a new high-tech helper. Meet Manara 2, an AI-powered robot designed to answer religious questions in real time.
Manara 2 is part of an initiative to integrate cutting-edge technology into the spiritual journey of millions of Muslims visiting Islam’s holiest sites.
The robot can respond to Islamic and Sharia-related questions in several languages using a carefully reviewed database of answers.
If someone asks something more specific or outside its stored information, the robot can instantly connect them with a qualified scholar through a live video call. So it’s basically a mix of AI convenience and real human guidance.
The evolution of religious guidance at the Grand Mosque has come a long way: from scholars offering advice in person, to consultations over the phone, then digital access, and now, AI-enabled service.
The AI robot is also part of other new services introduced for Hajj this year. Saudi Arabia recently launched a dedicated 24/7 hotline to help with questions and emergencies. It also introduced a new digital system allowing Hajj pilgrims to travel within the Kingdom without their passports.
