{
  "id": 15233122,
  "title": "Islamic Affairs Ministry answers over 100,000 religious queries during Umrah season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/islamic-affairs-ministry-answers-over-100-000-religious-queries",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T16:08:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ajel English",
    "slug": "ajel-english",
    "url": "https://english.ajel.sa/saudi-arabia/cmg5w0rvy"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Saudi Arabia handled over 100,000 religious inquiries by phone during the initial quarter of the 1448 Umrah season. This automated phone service, operated through the General Secretariat for Islamic Awareness in Hajj, Umrah, and Visit, provided crucial religious guidance to pilgrims from around the globe. The ministry's outreach initiative was part of a comprehensive package of educational and technological services designed to provide reliable religious information in multiple languages. This toll-free number (8002451000) was available in 15 languages, including Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Indonesian, Filipino, Hausa, Bengali, Hindi, and others, to answer questions about Umrah rituals and practices. The hotline facilitated direct and video consultations with scholars during high-demand periods like Ramadan and Hajj, ensuring pilgrims could perform their worship with a proper understanding of religious rites. The ministry emphasized that this service was a strategic move towards incorporating modern technology into Islamic awareness activities, broadening the range of services for pilgrims, and providing educational insights into Islamic teachings according to the Quran and Sunnah. The ministry's efforts aimed to showcase the moderate nature of Islam and ensure pilgrims could navigate the rituals at the Two Holy Mosques with ease, aligning with directives from leadership to offer exceptional services and facilities to visitors.",
  "summary": "Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs responded to more than 100,000 religious inquiries via its toll-free hotline during the first quarter of the 1448 Umrah season.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : Government Allocates RM3.1 Billion Under Budget 2027 For Islamic Development",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/general-government-allocates-rm3-1-billion-under-budget-2027-for",
        "published": "2026-10-17T09:04:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Govt allocates RM3.1b under 2027 Budget for Islamic development",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/govt-allocates-rm3-1b-under-2027-budget-for-islamic-development",
        "published": "2026-10-17T10:52:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Budget 2027: Islamic affairs gets RM3.1b, as minister outlines support for ‘pondok’ schools, imams and halal SMEs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/budget-2027-islamic-affairs-gets-rm3-1b-as-minister-outlines-support",
        "published": "2026-10-17T11:23:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}