Average time spent performing Umrah during Ramadan 1447 AH: Official statistics
The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques revealed promising figures reflecting the success of its operational plans for the blessed month of Ramadan 1447 AH. The average time for performing the entire Umrah ritual was only 130 minutes during the first ten days of the holy month. These results are a testament to the significant efforts made in crowd management and traffic flow, which facilitated the pilgrims' performance of their rituals with ease, comfort, and peace of mind.
Details of the spiritual journey in numbers
The detailed statistical data published by the authority clarified the timeframes for the various stages of Umrah, from the arrival of pilgrims at the outer courtyards to the completion of the Sa'i (ritual walking between Safa and Marwa). Field indicators showed that the average time to move from the outer courtyards to the Mataf (circumambulation area) was 16 minutes, while pilgrims took approximately 51 minutes to perform the Tawaf. Notably, the vast majority of pilgrims, 79%, preferred to perform the Tawaf in the Mataf, indicating the smooth flow of movement in this vital area.
Regarding the Sa'i ritual, figures indicate that the time to move from the Tawaf area to the Sa'i area did not exceed 12 minutes, while performing the seven circuits of Sa'i took an average of 51 minutes. Pilgrims moved smoothly between the different levels of the Sa'i area, with the ground floor recording an occupancy rate of 50% of the total number of pilgrims, reflecting the success of the crowd management plans and the distribution of people.
The historical development of the Two Holy Mosques services system
This achievement cannot be understood in isolation from the historical context of the Saudi expansions of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Since the Kingdom's founding, the leadership has given paramount importance to expanding the Two Holy Mosques, culminating in the Third Saudi Expansion, the largest in history. These monumental projects, along with the development of the circumambulation area (Mataf) and the area between Safa and Marwa (Mas'a), have contributed to an unprecedented increase in capacity. The reduction in the time required to perform the rituals was not a coincidence, but rather the result of decades of engineering and architectural planning aimed at serving those visiting the Holy House.
The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 also plays a pivotal role in this transformation, as the vision aims to host 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by 2030. To achieve this goal, the latest global technologies have been harnessed, including artificial intelligence and smart monitoring systems for crowd management, which has directly contributed to achieving these record numbers in the time required to perform the rituals.
The importance of reducing the average time for performing Umrah globally
Reducing the average time for performing Umrah significant implications that extend beyond the local level to the regional and international levels. On an Islamic level, this achievement means enabling greater numbers of Muslims worldwide to visit the holy sites and perform the rituals without overcrowding or risks, thus enhancing the Kingdom's positive image in caring for pilgrims. The ability to manage millions of people in a limited geographical area and in record time is a global model to be emulated in crowd and crisis management.
In conclusion, these positive indicators confirm the high level of preparedness of the concerned authorities and the integration of security, health and service services to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims, making the Umrah journey an easy and safe spiritual experience befitting the sanctity of the place and time.
