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Saudi Arabia tests Japan-inspired ‘nap pods’ for hajj
MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Aug 18, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Mansour al-Amer swipes a
card to reveal a narrow sleep pod, reminiscent of Japan’s famed capsule
hotels. But this pod is in Saudi Arabia, where the Muslim hajj pilgrimage
begins Sunday.
The kingdom has plans to introduce capsule rooms in the western city of
Mina in the coming days, as an estimated two million Muslim faithful gather
for the six-day hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
The free nap pods are part of new measures Saudi Arabia is rolling out
this year in a bid to modernise the centuries-old practice of hajj.
The government has also introduced apps for on-the-spot translation and
emergency medical care.
Amer is the head of a Saudi charity, the Haji and Mutamer Gift Charitable
Association, which is offering between 18 and 24 capsule for pilgrims to nap
in for free in the coming days.
Each fibreglass pod — less than three metres long and just over one metre
high — features a mattress, clean sheets, air conditioning and a large,
well-lit mirror.
The pods can be lined up horizontally or stacked vertically to save on
space.
“We are always thinking about pilgrims and how to make them more
comfortable during the rituals of hajj,” Amer told AFP.
– ‘Nap-share economy’ –
The nap pods provide a solution for pilgrims of limited means who cannot
afford to book hotels on site but need a quick rest during hajj.
Each napper will have three hours of access to the pods, which are
imported from Japan at cost of around $1,114 (1,000 euros) each.
When the pilgrim wakes for prayer time — five times daily in Islam —
workers will sterilise the pod before handing it over to the next pilgrim.
“The idea already exists globally, in Japan for example, and in several
cities across the world,” Amer said.
“We believe it’s extremely well-suited for crowded places in our holy
sites and in Mecca.” But for hajj, which takes pilgrims across Mecca and Mina
— two cities in western Saudi Arabia home to the holiest sites of Islam —
the pods were also inspired by the rising popularity of car- and bike-
sharing.
“The capsules work through a share economy, like bicycles that you can
rent for an hour and then leave for someone else,” said Amer.
A trial run of 12 pods earlier this year was, he said, a success. Amer
estimates 60 people used each pod every day during the holy fasting month of
Ramadan.
The hajj presents the Saudi authorities with major logistical challenges,
as Islam is currently the world’s fastest-growing religion, according to the
Pew research centre.
Providing accommodation for two million pilgrims is no small feat, with
travellers staying in everything from five-star hotels to tents pitched in
empty lots.
Saudi authorities are pushing a “smart hajj” initiative to meet with the
growing demands of hajj, which coincide with the kingdom’s unprecedented
modernization drive.
Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s most restrictive countries, this year
lifted a ban on women driving and has seen a string of reform initiatives
spearheaded by the powerful young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
But the kingdom has also tightened its grip on dissent, with around a
dozen women’s rights campaigners arrested in recent weeks. Some have been
released.
Every Muslim is required to complete the hajj at least once in their
lifetime if they have the means to do so.
The annual pilgrimage sees the Muslim faithful gather in Mecca, all clad
in white, to perform rituals around the black Kaaba cube.
The hajj also features a symbolic stoning of the devil ceremony, marking
the start of Eid al-Adha, a three-day feast.
Eid al-Adha includes the slaughter of sheep, with the meat distributed to
Muslims in need. The ritual symbolises Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his
son, Ishmael, on the order of God.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 0824 hrs