Hajj 2026: Arafat Sermon to be Translated into Yoruba, Hausa, 33 Other Languages

Hajj 2026: Arafat Sermon to be Translated into Yoruba, Hausa, 33 Other Languages

MAKKAH — As pilgrims continue to arrive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2026 Hajj exercise scheduled to commence on Monday, the Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Professor Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, has announced that this year’s Arafat Day sermon will be translated into 35 international languages, including Hausa and Yoruba, to enable non-Arabic speaking Muslims to benefit from the sermon’s spiritual and humanitarian messages.

According to Al-Sudais, the Presidency of Religious Affairs would not only translate the sermon to be delivered by Sheikh Dr. Ali bin Abdulrahman Al-Hudhaifi, an Imam and preacher in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, into the 35 languages, but also broadcast it via digital platforms and channels affiliated with the Presidency. This initiative, he said, is aimed at conveying the message of Islam and the content of the sermon to Muslims across the world, adding that the translation is an extension of efforts being made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to serve Islam and Muslims. Al-Sudais described the Arafat sermon translation project as “one of the qualitative initiatives in which the Presidency has accumulated experiences over many years,” contributing to enriching religious content in various international languages. The translation of the Arafat sermon is designed to enable non-Arabic-speaking Muslims to benefit from the contents of the sermon and the comprehensive faith and humanitarian messages it carries. Al-Sudais noted that the Presidency has harnessed its technical and media capabilities, along with specialized teams, to ensure the sermon reaches the widest possible global audience with high professionalism and advanced quality standards. He emphasized that the translation project helps deliver the sermon’s themes to Muslims worldwide and convey Islam’s message of moderation. “The initiative enables non-Arabic-speaking Muslims to benefit from the sermon’s spiritual and humanitarian messages,” Al-Sudais stated.

Al-Sudais informed that the languages approved for translating the Arafat sermon include a diverse range of languages spoken across Africa, Asia, Europe, and other regions. The major global languages include English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish. Asian languages include Indonesian, Urdu, Turkish, Persian, Bengali, Hindi, Malay, Pashto, Punjabi, Tamil, Filipino (Tagalog), Uzbek, Tajik, Nepali, Sinhala, and Malayalam. African languages include Hausa, Yoruba, Swahili, Amharic, Somali, Oromo, Tigrinya, and Ugandan. European languages include Bosnian and Lithuanian. According to Al-Sudais, the Presidency of Religious Affairs has accumulated experiences over the years in the translation project, noting that the initiative is meant to enrich religious content in various languages and enable non-Arabic-speaking Muslims to benefit from the contents of the Arafat sermon.

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Al-Sudais further informed that the Arafat Day sermon this year will be delivered by His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Ali bin Abdulrahman Al-Hudhaifi, an Imam and preacher in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The sermon is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, corresponding to the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah 1447AH, from the pulpit of Masjid al-Namirah on Mount Arafat. Sheikh Ali Al-Hudhaifi is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished Quran reciters and influential religious personalities in the Muslim world. He has served not only as Imam of Masjid-e-Nabawi but has also previously led prayers at Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Haram. Al-Sudais described the sermon as “one of the greatest comprehensive faith messages followed by Muslims in the east and west of the earth,” noting that it enjoys wide attention because of the Sharia contents and comprehensive directives it contains that confirm the tolerance and mercy of Islam and its call for goodness, peace, and harmony among peoples.

This year’s five-day Hajj exercise will commence on Monday, when pilgrims will depart from Makkah for Mina, also known as Tent City, to begin their Hajj journey. Pilgrims will spend the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Tarwiyah) in Mina, praying and preparing for the central rites ahead. On Tuesday, May 26, pilgrims will converge on Mount Arafat, also known as Jabbal Rahma (Mount of Mercy), and its valley. The Day of Arafat marks the zenith of the Hajj exercise. Following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), pilgrims will perform the Dhuhr and Asr prayers together at noon time in the Namira Mosque. As the sun sets on Arafat, pilgrims will proceed to Muzdalifah, where they will perform the combined Maghrib and Isha prayer and spend the night until dawn of the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah. After praying Fajr, they will proceed to Mina to begin the stoning of the Jamarat ritual. Pilgrims will spend the next three days engaging in, among other activities, stoning the Jamarat (the pillars representing Satan). The exercise will come to an end on May 29, when pilgrims are expected to return to Makkah, preparatory to their departure for their various countries.

For Nigerian pilgrims, the inclusion of Hausa and Yoruba among the 35 languages is particularly significant. Nigeria, with one of the largest Muslim populations in Africa, sends tens of thousands of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia annually. The ability to follow the Arafat sermon in their native languages will deepen their spiritual experience and understanding of the profound messages delivered on the most important day of the Hajj. According to Al-Sudais, the sermon will be broadcast live through digital platforms and channels affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs. The Presidency has mobilized its technical and media capabilities to ensure the sermon reaches the largest possible segment around the world with high professionalism and advanced quality. As the 2026 Hajj season approaches, millions of pilgrims from around the world are expected to converge on the holy city of Makkah. The Presidency of Religious Affairs will continue to provide updates and guidance for pilgrims through its digital platforms and official channels. For the millions of Muslims who will not be able to make the journey this year, the translated and broadcast Arafat sermon will offer an opportunity to spiritually connect with the proceedings from their homes across the world.

Hajj 2026: Arafat Sermon to be Translated into Yoruba, Hausa, 33 Other Languages