«لا حج بلا تصريح» نجاحات متتالية.. تعزيز الوعي بأهمية التقيد بالتعليمات الصادرة

The Hajj permit has achieved remarkable success by stopping the violations of many residents and citizens, leading to better organization, commitment, safety, and services provided to those who deserve them.

The phrase "No Hajj without a permit" carried various warnings, while the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and security authorities emphasized the necessity of obtaining the official permit to ensure the safety and organization of the holy sites.

Citizen Saad Al-Harbi confirms that some people did not take the warnings about not performing Hajj without a permit seriously at first, but the penalties imposed on violators deterred others and made them think twice before heading to Mecca.

He said: We used to see pilgrims walking on the roads and among the valleys and mountains, and these individuals did not have Hajj permits, exposing themselves to danger and penalties. Even upon reaching the holy sites, they would sit and sleep in unsafe and unprepared places. However, now, after the permit system and the organization of Hajj, everyone can move comfortably and easily, and health, social, and economic services are provided to them.

Services for Those Who Deserve Them

Khadr Al-Otaibi pointed out that the organization related to the permit has achieved many benefits, the most notable being the provision of services to those who deserve them and avoiding confusion in delivering aid to those in need. He added: We witnessed, during the years preceding the permit system, large numbers of people spreading out and living under bridges and in tunnels, which posed a significant danger to their lives. When the "No Hajj without a permit" rule was implemented, many violations stopped, and movement in the holy sites became organized.

Al-Mutrefi: The Campaign Enhanced Awareness of the Importance of Adhering to Hajj Instructions

For his part, Dr. Saad Al-Mutrefi, Vice President of the Journalists' Association in the Makkah region, stated: The campaign has certainly achieved great success, exceeding the targeted percentage by enhancing awareness of the importance of adhering to the issued instructions and stopping fraudulent and irregular Hajj campaigns and individual violations, which has strengthened high levels of organization.

He added: One of the most notable positive outcomes of this campaign is that it has completely prevented encampment, leading to clear and smooth organization of the movement of pilgrims within the holy sites, as well as improving traffic flow within the city of Mecca, particularly in the central area around the Grand Mosque, and its smoothness. Additionally, it has enhanced the safety and security of pilgrims by reducing health risks such as heat strokes and issues arising from overcrowding, along with a decrease in the number of irregular pilgrims, strict enforcement of penalties, and reinforcing the religious objectives by establishing the concept that Hajj is a sacred act that must be preserved, and that adherence to regulations is part of the safety of the rituals, ensuring the performance of the rites with tranquility and dignity. He noted that the campaign supported the use of smart technologies and artificial intelligence in crowd management and controlling the entrances to Mecca.

The Hajj Permit Shapes an Exceptional Hajj Season

The mandatory Hajj permit system has brought about a qualitative shift in the Hajj season of 1447 AH/2026, after successfully directing all services to regular pilgrims and reducing rates of violations and infractions to their lowest levels in years.

Integrated Regulatory and Technological System

The Ministry of Interior has imposed deterrent fines starting from 20,000 riyals for those who perform Hajj without a permit, reaching up to 100,000 riyals for anyone who transports, shelters, or issues a visit visa to a violator. The fines multiply with the number of violators.

Continuing with field efforts, public security in Mecca apprehended residents promoting fraudulent campaigns while in possession of forged permits, and 18 residents were arrested on charges of forging residency and electronic Hajj bracelets, according to the Ministry of Interior's statement.

"Tawakkalna" Leads Digital Transformation

SDAIA has expanded Hajj services through the "Tawakkalna" app as part of the "Makkah Route" initiative, allowing pilgrims to view their permits electronically before leaving their country. The app offers more than 1,300 services to over 35 million users, contributing to expedited procedures and preventing forgery.

The Impact: Smoothness and Quality Services

Experts confirmed that the emphasis on permits aims to ensure a safe and smooth Hajj while avoiding congestion. The electronic linkage between permits and smart gates has prevented the entry of violators, directly reflecting on the quality of accommodation, transportation, and health services for regular pilgrims.

The Hajj permit for 1447 AH is no longer just an organizational procedure; it has become a safety valve for the season. Technology and strict penalties have ensured that every regular pilgrim receives their full rights to service, comfort, and tranquility. This is the model that preserves the sanctity of the holy sites and achieves the objectives of Vision 2030.

Improving Economic and Organizational Efficiency, Reducing Costs and Risks

Both Dr. Faisal Al-Ruqai, Associate Professor of Accounting and Management at Umm Al-Qura University, and Dr. Hassan bin Sultan Basfar, a former member of the Jeddah Municipal Council and Director of Community Partnership at Jeddah Health, stated that the state, from the perspective of organizing the Hajj process, has firmly prevented violators from performing Hajj, which has led to many positive economic impacts, the most notable of which are:

1. Reducing pressure on infrastructure and services

We find that organizing Hajj and preventing violators will reduce congestion on infrastructure and the pressure on it, such as transportation, housing, hospitals, and security services. This also helps reduce emergency government spending related to crowd management.

2. Increasing the efficiency of government spending

This organization helps the state to better direct resources to regular pilgrims. Consequently, it reduces waste resulting from services provided to unaccounted numbers of violators. This contributes significantly to improving the quality of government spending efficiency.

3. Enhancing the quality of the pilgrim experience

Better organization increases pilgrims' satisfaction, which supports the reputation of Hajj globally. This may reflect in increased future demand for regular Hajj programs.

4. Strengthening the formal economy

Emphasizing permits encourages companies, hotels, and campaigns to operate through official channels. Consequently, the level of the informal economy, such as random housing and unlicensed transportation, decreases. This has significant positive effects on the national economy in the long term.

5. Reducing economic risks from incidents

We find that uncontrolled excess density can cause costly accidents or health crises. Additionally, controlling the number of regular pilgrims will lead to a reduction in irregular numbers, thus mitigating the likelihood of compensations and operational losses.

Therefore, we find that in the long term, the current policies in Saudi Arabia are heading towards:

* Less random and more organized Hajj.

* Increasing the yield per pilgrim instead of relying solely on increasing numbers.

- Supporting a model:

* Quality of service.

* Digital transformation.

* Sustainability.

* Safety.

This aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on improving the experience of the guests of الرحمن and enhancing the efficiency of the tourism and religious sectors.

Thus, it can be said that preventing violators will improve economic and organizational efficiency and reduce costs and risks in the long term.

Major General Al-Asimi: The Campaign Limited Irregular Hajj and Facilitated the Performance of Rituals

For his part, former Commander of the Special Forces for the Security of the Grand Mosque, Major General Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Asimi, stated: There is no doubt that the campaign "No Hajj Except with a Permit" is a visionary initiative by those responsible for this global event, which is overseen by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his trustworthy Crown Prince, to provide the best services and facilitate the performance of Hajj rituals for the pilgrims of the House of Allah with ease and comfort. He pointed out that this campaign has succeeded in limiting irregular Hajj, which disrupts plans and hinders the provision of necessary services to the pilgrims of the House of Allah, and eliminating many negative aspects that arise from that.

Major General Al-Asimi noted that to demonstrate the success of this campaign, many pilgrims of the House of Allah speak every year about the smoothness in performing the rituals and moving between the holy sites with ease and comfort.