Rawdah visit guide: Nusuk appointment, visiting hours and the Prophet’s Mosque

How is the Prophet’s Rawdah visited?

The Prophet’s Rawdah is visited with a date and time appointment booked through the official Saudi Nusuk mobile app. At your appointment time you wait at the designated checkpoints in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque; after the QR code check, you are guided by the staff onto the green-carpeted area, where you worship.

The official and spiritual steps followed during a Rawdah visit:

• Nusuk registration and appointment: Once your visa is approved, you choose a suitable time slot under the “Pray in the Noble Rawdah” tab of the Nusuk app. Each visitor has a single appointment entitlement defined in the system.
• Checkpoint and waiting: You need to be at the designated courtyard checkpoint 30-45 minutes before your appointment time. The staff admit people inside in groups.
• Greeting and exit: After praying and making supplication on the green-carpeted area, you pass in front of the Hujrah, greeting the Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and leave through Bab as-Salam or the exit gate you are assigned.

How do you give salam when entering the Rawdah?

When you enter the Rawdah al-Mutahharah and reach the point level with the Hujrah, you give salam in a low tone, with courtesy and calm, without raising your voice. You first greet the Prophet, then move one step to the right at a time and greet Abu Bakr and Umar in turn.

The etiquette and prayers of greeting according to Diyanet, Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, and TDV sources:

• Salam to the Prophet: “Essalâtü vesselâmü aleyke yâ Resûlallah, Essalâtü vesselâmü aleyke yâ Habîballah.”
• Salam to Abu Bakr: Moving one step to the right: “Essalâtü vesselâmü aleyke yâ Ebâ Bekrinis-Sıddîk.”
• Salam to Umar: Moving one more step to the right: “Essalâtü vesselâmü aleyke yâ Ömerel-Faruk.”
• Entrusted greetings: You can convey the greetings you were asked to bring from your loved ones silently in your heart or in a soft voice, saying “So-and-so sends you their salam, O Messenger of Allah.” Shouting, or shouting out supplications, while greeting goes against the etiquette of the place.

Which prayer is performed during a Rawdah visit?

In the Rawdah al-Mutahharah (the green-carpeted area), a two-rak’ah Tahiyyat al-Masjid prayer or a voluntary prayer of thanksgiving is performed. As an expression of respect for the Prophet’s Mosque and this blessed place, this prayer is performed without lingering, so as not to infringe on the right of the other Muslims waiting their turn.

Practical details to keep in mind while praying:

• Green carpet distinction: While red carpets are laid across most of the Prophet’s Mosque, green carpets are found only in the Rawdah al-Mutahharah area. It is preferred to pray in this area.
• Notable pillars: Praying and making supplication in the area of the historic pillars within the Rawdah, such as the Pillar of Aisha, the Pillar of Repentance and the Pillar of Hanut, is especially virtuous.

What are the Rawdah visiting hours for women and men?

According to the regulations of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Rawdah entry times and gates for women and men are entirely separate. When you book an appointment, the Nusuk app automatically shows the time slots that suit your gender.

Visiting hours and gate directions:

• Male visitors: Generally admitted in the slots before noon during the day and after the Isha prayer at night. Entry is directed through the Bab as-Salam (Gate No. 1) area on the south side of the mosque.
• Female visitors: Generally admitted in the slots in the morning at duha time (after the Fajr prayer) and around midnight. Women are admitted through the special gates numbered 24, 25 and 37 in the north courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque.

Finding your way in the Prophet’s Mosque and practical tips on the ground

Because the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque spreads over a wide area, following the gate numbers keeps you from getting lost. When choosing a hotel, preferring the sides close to the entrance gates for women or men shortens the walking distance considerably.

Tips that make moving around easier:

• Nusuk screenshot: Because mobile internet can slow down in the crowd in the courtyard, save a screenshot of the QR-coded appointment document in your Nusuk app to your gallery beforehand.
• North and south courtyard distinction: For female visitors, hotels in the north courtyard (Markaziyah North), and for male visitors, hotels in the south and east courtyards, make Rawdah access much more practical.

Plan your Umrah with your own calendar

You don’t have to fit the days you will spend in Madinah, your Rawdah appointment times and your visits to the Prophet’s Mosque around other people’s crowded coach schedules.

With Zair, you choose for yourself how many nights you will stay in Madinah and Makkah, your hotel close to the mosque gates and your high-speed train tickets between the cities. You focus on the spiritual peace of Madinah, and Zair keeps track of every operational detail.