Itikaf registration for Makkah, Madinah grand mosques to begin March 5

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah has announced that registration for Itikaf, a revered spiritual retreat observed in the last ten days of Ramadan, will open on Wednesday, March 5, according to Gulf News.

The process will commence at 11 am via the authority’s official website and will remain open until all allocated slots are filled. Itikaf at the two mosques is set to begin on Ramadan 20 (March 20) and will continue until the end of the holy month. The authority confirmed that permits will be issued through its online platform, following specific conditions and criteria.

Itikaf is a deeply spiritual practice where worshippers dedicate themselves to prayer, Quran recitation, and devotion, following the example of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). Participants spend their time in the mosque, engaging in worship free from daily distractions, often eating and sleeping within the premises.

With Ramadan beginning in Saudi Arabia on March 1, thousands of worshippers are expected to participate in Itikaf at the two holy mosques, reinforcing their faith through seclusion, worship, and spiritual reflection.