Kuala Lumpur: Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has advised Malaysian pilgrims not to rely solely on artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as ChatGPT or Google searches for guidance on the rules of haj and umrah. Instead, Holy Land haj facilitator (PIHTAS) Salmah Sheikh Hassan urged pilgrims to use the e-Taib service as their primary reference, including when at the Masjidil Haram, to obtain authentic and accurate guidance from certified ibadah guides.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Salmah emphasized the importance of accurate guidance in performing religious duties. She highlighted instances where pilgrims, uncertain about their tawaf rounds, have reached out via e-Taib for confirmation. In such cases, PIHTAS advises completing an additional round to remove any doubt.

The e-Taib system, accessible through the THujjaj application, allows pilgrims to submit questions to PIHTAS via their smartphones in a format similar to the WhatsApp messaging platform. Salmah noted that, on average, pilgrims receive responses within five minutes, depending on internet connection quality.

Salmah explained that the e-Taib service is managed by four PIHTAS officers working 18-hour shifts, with operations extending to 24 hours during the masyair week to handle the anticipated increase in queries. The service currently receives over 1,000 questions weekly, with expectations of up to 4,000 during the peak haj season, underscoring the demand for reliable online guidance.

Most inquiries come from female pilgrims, particularly concerning issues like menstruation during ihram, ihram prohibitions, dam payment, ihram intention at miqat, and the tawaf ritual. The PIHTAS team is supported by three expert consultants from the Haj Advisory Committee (TH-JAKIM), including deputy mufti of Perlis, Tajul Urus Abdul Halim.