Riyadh: Saudi religious authorities have launched an electronic service aimed at providing instant fatwas (binding Islamic opinions) for pilgrims, Saudi online newspaper Sabq reported on Thursday.
The service, launched by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, offers the service to guests of the Saudi King’s Haj and Umrah during the current pilgrimage season.
The service is the first of its kind in the Islamic world.
The multilingual service gives the pilgrims a direct and easy access to a team of specialists at the ministry, who answer their queries and provide the relevant fatwas, according to the paper.
The ministry has launched a similar service for the pilgrims with special needs.
“This service is part of efforts to elevate the services offered to the pilgrims according to the highest standards of quality,” said spokesman for the ministry Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Al Askar.
More than 2 million Muslims are estimated to take part in the current pilgrimage season.
The Haj is one of Islam’s five pillars. Muslims are expected to perform it at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.
