The Fiqh of I'tikaf
What breaks I'tikaf and what does not, permitted exits from the mosque, intentions, and the rulings the four schools agree upon.
Makkah Itikaf
Madinah ItikafItikaf Guidance & Assistance
Itikaf Registration HelpFor Makkah & Madinah
Step-by-step help with the official I'tikaf registration for Masjid al-Haram and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi: Nafath login, account creation, OTP verification, terms and permit follow-up.
Registration not yet openRamadan 1448 · 2027
I'tikaf (Itikaf) Registration for Ramadan 2027 has not yet opened on the Alharamain Website.
We will guide and help you get everything ready before the registration opens. If anything is missing or needs to be corrected, we will let you know and guide you through the process step by step.
Prepare your application
Dates are astronomical estimates, subject to moon sighting and the Authority's own announcement.
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- PrepareNow – 9 FebCurrent stage marked below
- RegisterFrom 10 Feb
- NominationMid-Ramadan
- Itikaf27 Feb – 8 Mar
Before Anything Else
Can You Actually Apply?
Eligibility is re-set by the Authority every season and announced late. Stated plainly, including where the answer is no.
Reflects the Ramadan 1447 · 2026 season, checked 5 September 2026. The Ramadan 1448 · 2027 rules have not been published yet. We update this page when they are — and we will not guess in the meantime.
Saudi nationals
EligibleRegister through Nafath with your national ID. The most straightforward route into the service.
Iqama holders (residents)
EligibleAlso register through Nafath. Your Iqama must be valid through the whole Itikaf period.
Umrah & tourist visa holders
EligibleIf you have Umrah Visa or Multiple Entry Visa, you can apply for Itikaf Permit by creating your user ID and Password for Itikaf registration.
Under 18s
Not eligibleEighteen years old at the time of application, with no discretion available.
Previously revoked permits
Not eligibleThe undertaking opens by requiring that your permit has not been revoked in any prior season.
Three Rules That Cancel Permits
The Numbers Worth Memorising
Most permits are not refused at application. They are cancelled afterwards, by one of these three.
18+
Minimum age
Applicants must be no younger than eighteen years of age at the time of application.
12 Hours
Attendance window
Arrive at the designated location within twelve hours of the start of the approved period, or the permit is cancelled automatically.
10 Hours
QR re-scan
Your QR code must be scanned at a designated entry point at least once every ten hours during the I'tikaf period.
The official I'tikaf service is operated by the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques. We are an independent guidance service and do not issue permits — approval depends entirely on their eligibility rules, availability and decision. No permit can be guaranteed.
The Official Process
I'tikaf (Itikaf) Registration Thirteen Steps, In Order
This is the actual step-by-step process on the Alharamain Authority’s official portal — from creating your New User account (ID & Password) and submitting your Itikaf request to receiving the attendance SMS.
- 01
Open the Itikaf official pageOfficial Service
Go to the official I'tikaf registration service on the General Authority's portal: alharamain.gov.sa.
- Bookmark the page before Ramadan begins
- Registration windows open and close without long notice
- 02
Click "Start Service"
This takes you from the informational page into the online application system.
- The service page confirms the current season's dates
- Have your documents ready before you begin
- 03
Log in through Nafath
Nafath is the Saudi national identity gateway for Saudi nationals and Iqama holders.
- Nafath — Saudi nationals and Iqama holders
- Test your Nafath login days beforehand
- 04
Don't have an account? Click "Register New"
If you are not signing in through Nafath, tap Register New and fill every field exactly as it appears on your passport.
- Username is your passport number
- Write username and password down before submitting
- 05
Verify your Saudi mobile number by OTP
Enter the verification code sent by SMS to your registered Saudi mobile number.
- Only active Saudi mobile numbers receive OTP
- Enter code and press Verify
- 06
Return and start the service again
Once account exists, sign in and click Start Service to begin I'tikaf request.
- Keep your password saved
- 07
Select the I'tikaf location
Choose between the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah and the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
- Al-Masjid an-Nabawi · Madinah
- Masjid al-Haram · Makkah
- 08
Read and agree to the terms and conditions
The full undertaking covers conduct, health, timing and permit cancellation rules.
- Read binding terms carefully
- 09
Fill in the required information accurately
Check every field twice. Education, organisation and designation are required on this screen.
- Select education
- Write organisation name
- Select location
- 10
Click "Submit Application"
The request enters the nomination pool. Keep a screenshot of confirmation.
- Keep submission screenshot
- 11
Wait for nomination SMS and email
You will be notified by SMS and email if you are nominated.
- Check spam folders
- Do not change mobile number
- 12
If accepted, confirm attendance and upload photo
Log in to confirm attendance and upload a personal photograph for the permit.
- Clear recent photograph
- Cancel early if plans change
- 13
Receive attendance date and location by SMS
Final SMS confirms when and where to present yourself.
- Arrive within 12 hours
- Keep QR code ready
Creating A New Account
Every Field, And What Trips People Up
Most rejected applications fail on one of these eleven fields. Get them right the first time.
Remember: your login username becomes your passport number — or whatever you type into that field. Write both down before you submit.
- 01
Full Name
Enter your full name exactly as written on your passport
- 02
Passport No
Enter your passport number — this becomes your login username
- 03
Mobile
Enter an active Saudi mobile number — the OTP is sent here
- 04
Visa Number
Enter your visa number as printed on the visa
- 05
Date of Birth
Enter your date of birth. Applicants must be 18 years or older
- 06
E-mail
Enter your e-mail address. Used for nomination notifications
- 07
Gender
Male or Female, as per your documents
- 08
Nationality
Enter your country as stated on your passport
- 09
Password
Enter your password and write it down somewhere safe
- 10
Confirm Password
Re-enter the same password — the two must match
- 11
Tick the Box
Tick I'm not a robot before you submit
Scope Of Service
What We Do, And What We Will Never Claim
Read the right-hand column first. It is the one that tells you whether anyone in this business is being straight with you.
What we do
- Help you to create your ID and Password
- Will try to arrange Saudi Mobile No If you don't have
- We will try to submit your Itikaf request
- Walk you through nomination, photo upload and permit issuance
- Answer a screenshot on WhatsApp while you are mid-form
What we do not
- Issue permits — only the Authority does that
- Guarantee, expedite or influence a nomination
- Promise you a place if you don't have Itikaf Permit
- Register on your behalf using your Nafath credentials
- Charge you for an application that cannot succeed
Guidance Intake
Need Help Creating Your Account?
Want us to create your USER ID & PASSWORD? Fill the required information and send us !!
Step 1 of 2
Want us to create your USER ID & PASSWORD? Fill the required information and send us!
Need Help Creating Your Account?
Want us to create your USER ID & PASSWORD? Fill the required information and send us!
Must include country code only — e.g. +92 or +971. No local format without a + code.
Terms & Conditions
What You Are Agreeing To
Reproduced in full so you can read it calmly now, rather than skimming it on the registration screen.
The Official Undertaking
You accept all 14 clauses below during registration. They are binding, and breaching any one of them can cancel your permit.
- 1
My permit has not previously been revoked in any prior season for any reason whatsoever.
- 2
I shall adhere to the designated locations and specified times for I'tikaf, as well as all related instructions.
- 3
I shall comply with the Islamic guidelines of I'tikaf in a way that fulfils the objectives of worship and reflects proper conduct within the I'tikaf areas in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in al-Madinah.
- 4
I shall uphold the sanctity of the place and maintain dignity and tranquillity within the designated I'tikaf areas.
- 5
I shall abide by the public norms and all general rules and etiquettes.
- 6
I confirm that I am in suitable health and physical condition to perform I'tikaf without exposing myself or others to any risk, and I shall comply with all approved health regulations and preventive measures.
- 7
Applicants for I'tikaf must be no younger than 18 years of age.
- 8
I shall not exploit I'tikaf for any unauthorised purpose of whatever nature.
- 9
I shall not bring in any prohibited items, including hot or cooked meals, or any items that may obstruct the movement of others within the I'tikaf areas.
- 10
I shall comply with all instructions issued by the competent administration during this season, including those related to crowd management, emergencies, and safety and security requirements.
- 11
I consent to the competent administration processing my personal data with full confidentiality for organisational and regulatory verification purposes in accordance with the applicable regulations.
- 12
Failure to attend the designated I'tikaf location within a maximum period of twelve (12) hours from the start of the approved I'tikaf period, without a valid excuse in accordance with the approved procedure, shall result in the automatic cancellation of the permit. The competent administration shall have the right to reallocate the space in accordance with the approved procedure in the public interest.
- 13
The permit shall be cancelled during the I'tikaf period if a new scan of the I'tikaf participant's QR code is not recorded at the designated entry points to the I'tikaf area within a maximum period of ten (10) hours. The Authority shall have the right to reallocate the space in the public interest.
- 14
I acknowledge that any breach of the above Terms and Conditions shall result in the cancellation of the permit or termination of the I'tikaf as determined by the competent administration, without any entitlement on my part to claim any obligation arising from such cancellation.
Spiritual & Practical Guidance
Preparing For Ten Nights
Spiritual Preparation
Setting a realistic Quran target, structuring night prayer, managing sleep, and protecting the heart from distraction in a crowded space.
What to Pack
A compact list: prayer mat, unscented toiletries, two changes of ihram-appropriate clothing, power bank, refillable bottle, small lock.
Your Daily Schedule
A sample rhythm through the last ten nights: Suhoor, Fajr, rest blocks, recitation, Asr circle, Iftar, Isha, Tarawih and Qiyam.
A Day In Seclusion
The Rhythm Of The Last Ten Nights
A sample schedule. Yours will shift with the imams' timings and your own capacity — but the shape holds.
- 03:10Suhoor
Light, unscented food. Hot meals may not be brought into the I'tikaf area.
- 04:30Fajr in congregation
Followed by Quran recitation until sunrise.
- 07:00Rest block
Sleep is part of the discipline, not a failure of it.
- 12:30Dhuhr & study circle
Scholar-led session on the fiqh of the last ten nights.
- 15:45Asr & personal recitation
Quiet study zones are set aside for reading.
- 18:30Iftar
Dates, water and a full-board meal served in the designated area.
- 20:00Isha & Tarawih
The long night prayer with the imams of the Haram.
- 01:00Qiyam-ul-Layl
The final third of the night — the reason you came.
Logistics & Support
What We Arrange Around You
Full-Board Suhoor & Iftar
Prepared meals served within the permitted rules for the I'tikaf area.
Quiet Study Zones
Dedicated low-noise areas for recitation, memorisation and reading.
24/7 Medical Liaison
On-call coordination with the mosque's medical services throughout the period.
Secure Luggage Storage
Your belongings kept safely so the I'tikaf area stays uncluttered.
Scholar Support
Access to a scholar for questions on rulings, doubts and practical matters.
Arrival Coordination
Help planning arrival so you land inside the twelve-hour attendance window.
Iftar, Served In The Permitted Area
Hot and cooked meals may not be carried into the I'tikaf area. Ours are served where the rules allow, so nothing you bring puts your permit at risk.
Light Suhoor & Fresh Fruit
Unscented, easy food for the pre-dawn meal — chosen so you can pray comfortably through a long night.
Questions People Actually Ask
Straight Answers
No, and nobody honestly can. Final approval and issuance of a permit are entirely subject to the eligibility requirements, rules, availability and decision of the relevant Saudi authorities. What we guarantee is that your application will be complete, accurate and submitted correctly.
Stuck On A Screen Right Now?
Send a screenshot on WhatsApp and we will tell you exactly what to enter. This is the fastest way to get unstuck, especially during registration week.
Official portal: eservices.alharamain.gov.sa