Praying in the Rawdah — the garden between the Prophet’s ﷺ minbar and his resting place — requires a free permit booked in the official Nusuk app. Book a slot in your gender’s calendar, then confirm the visit at least 48 hours before (or the system may cancel it), and arrive 15–20 minutes early with the QR code that appears 2 hours before your time.
Permit basics
- The permit is mandatory for the Rawdah — and free. No permit is needed for praying in the rest of the Prophet’s Mosque.
- Booking happens only in the official Nusuk app (from the App Store, Google Play or Huawei AppGallery — beware look-alike apps that charge for free permits).
- Men and women have separate visiting windows, so a family books separately per gender.
- Slots are scarce and released in batches — book before you arrive in Madinah if you can.
First: set up the Nusuk app properly
Most "Rawdah problems" are actually account problems. Get this right once:
- Install Nusuk and choose Register New Account (email registration, not Nafath, for visitors).
- Use your real name exactly as in your passport, your email, and a password with upper- and lowercase letters, a number and a symbol.
- Enter the 4-digit code emailed to you.
- Open Complete Profile, choose ID type International or GCC Visitor, then enter your nationality, passport number and your visa number or border number.
The booking, step by step
- On the app home screen, tap the Rawdah tile. You’ll land on the “Al Rawdah Al Sharifah” screen.
- Choose Males or Females — the calendars are separate, and availability differs between them.
- Select the visitors. You’re pre-selected as “You”. Add others by their Nusuk ID or QR code, send a WhatsApp invitation link (they install the app, register, and appear as linked), or use Add Companion for family without their own account — nationality, passport number, and visa or border number, children included.
- Pick date, period, slot. Choose a date, then one of the prayer-period tabs — Midnight, Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha. A ⚡ means the slot is open now; an hourglass means seats arrive soon; greyed-out means gone.
- Review and confirm. Check the “Your Blessed Visit” summary — remember, entry is only permitted at the exact time — accept the terms and tap Confirm Booking.
You’ll see “Booking confirmed — May Your Visit Be Blessed”. You are not done. Read the next section.
The 48-hour rule — where most bookings die
A fresh booking sits in “Awaiting Confirmation” (orange). You must open the permit and tap “Confirm the Visit” at least 48 hours before the appointment — otherwise the system can cancel it and hand your seat to someone else. Confirming means accepting the prohibited-items terms: no large or medium bags, no laptops or professional cameras, no food or drinks, no flammable items, no flags or banners.
Done right, the permit turns gold: “Reservation confirmed”. Set a phone reminder the moment you book — it’s the single most common way people lose a Rawdah visit.
On the day
- Your QR entry code appears about 2 hours before the slot — screenshot it once it shows.
- Arrive 15–20 minutes early at the gate printed on your permit; gates differ for men and women and can change by season.
- Entry is at the exact booked time — early or late arrivals risk being turned away.
- Keep your phone charged; the permit lives on it.
How often can you go?
Advance bookings have historically been limited to once every 365 days. Since January 2025, an “Instant Track” permit also exists for visitors physically near the mosque — refreshed roughly every 20 minutes and GPS-verified — which can allow additional visits. Because these rules get tuned between seasons, treat whatever the app shows for your account as the final word.
Cancelling (and why rescheduling doesn’t exist)
Open the permit → Cancel booking → confirm → give a reason (health, wrong date, change of plans, other). Cancellation is free and the seat returns to the pool — but there is no reschedule function, and released slots are often gone within seconds. Only cancel when you’re certain.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Rawdah permit cost anything?
No — the permit is completely free, booked inside the official Nusuk app. Anyone selling "guaranteed Rawdah slots" is reselling something free or lying. (Assistance with the booking process, like our service, is a separate thing — the permit itself never costs money.)
How often can I visit the Rawdah?
Advance bookings have historically been limited to once every 365 days. Since January 2025 an "Instant Track" permit also exists for visitors physically near the Prophet's Mosque — refreshed roughly every 20 minutes and GPS-verified — which can allow additional visits. Rules are adjusted between seasons, so treat the app as the final word on what you're eligible for.
Are there separate times for men and women?
Yes. The Rawdah has separate scheduled windows for men and women, and the app makes you choose "Males" or "Females" before showing available slots. A mixed family therefore needs separate bookings, and availability often differs between the two calendars. Your permit shows your exact gate and time.
What happens if I forget to confirm my booking?
The system can cancel it and release your seat. A new booking starts as "Awaiting Confirmation" (orange) — you must tap "Confirm the Visit" at least 48 hours before the appointment to turn it gold ("Reservation confirmed"). Forgetting this is the most common way people lose a Rawdah booking.
Can I take children?
You can add companions, including under-18s, to a booking (internationals are added with nationality, passport number and a visa or border number). Note that very young children are often not permitted in the Rawdah itself — check the current policy in the app before booking for small children.
There are no slots. Is it hopeless?
No — seats are released in batches (often around Fridays, Saudi time, plus smaller hourly trickles) and cancelled seats return to the pool continuously. Check at different times of day, try other prayer periods, and book before you arrive in Madinah rather than after.