Three to five days in Madinah is part of most Hajj and Umrah packages — and almost nothing in the app currently covers it.
Madinah is not a ritual obligation of Hajj. It is a recommended visit, deeply loved across the schools, and a calm counterpoint to Makkah.
First, the right framing
A visit, not a rite of Hajj.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him" (Dāraqutni; widely cited, chains debated — but Ibn Taymiyyah and the broader Sunnī tradition agree visiting Madinah is a recommended virtue, separate from any Hajj obligation).
Some operators bundle Madinah before or after Hajj; either is fine. The order doesn't change the validity of either trip.
Day 1 in Madinah · Masjid an-Nabawī
Greeting the Prophet ﷺ in the Rawḍah area
Enter Masjid an-Nabawī with the right foot first, reciting the dua for entering any masjid. Pray two rakʿah of taḥiyyat al-masjid. Then walk to the Rawḍah area (now bookable through Nusuk) and offer your greeting.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
As-salāmu ʿalayka yā rasūla-llāh wa raḥmatu-llāhi wa barakātuh.
"Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and the mercy and blessings of Allah."
Then move slightly to your right and greet Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu), and a step further to greet ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu). Keep your voice low. Do not face the qibla while addressing the grave; address the Prophet ﷺ then turn to face the qibla for any duʿāʾ for yourself.
Whenever you can · Rawḍah booking
Reservation through Nusuk
Praying in the Rawḍah — between the Prophet's ﷺ minbar and his chamber — is a uniquely recommended act ("a garden of the gardens of Paradise" — Bukhari 1196). Access is now slot-booked through Nusuk to manage flow. Book 2-3 days in advance.
Slots fill faster during Hajj season. Women have separate hours and the entrance is via Bab al-Salām (Gate 25).
Saturday · Masjid Qubā
The first mosque of Islam
The Prophet ﷺ would go to Qubā every Saturday — sometimes walking, sometimes riding — and pray two rakʿah there (Bukhari 1193). "Whoever purifies himself in his home, then comes to Masjid Qubā and prays a prayer in it, has the reward of an ʿumrah" (Ibn Mājah 1412 · ḥasan).
A 6 km drive south of Masjid an-Nabawī. Many groups arrange Saturday morning transport.
If time allows · Mount Uḥud
Battlefield and the graves of the martyrs
The Battle of Uḥud (3 AH) took place at the foot of this mountain. Pilgrims visit to offer prayers for the martyrs — including Ḥamza ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu), the Prophet's ﷺ uncle. A short prayer of salaam upon arrival is the tradition; no specific ritual is required.
5 km north of the city. Best in the cool early morning.
For reflection · Baqīʿ al-Gharqad
The cemetery of the Companions
Adjacent to Masjid an-Nabawī. Many of the Prophet's ﷺ family and companions are buried here, including ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, the Prophet's daughters, and his son Ibrāhīm. The Sunnah is to greet the inhabitants at the gate, then make duʿāʾ for them.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum ahla-d-diyāri mina-l-mu'minīna wa-l-muslimīn, wa innā in shā'a-llāhu bikum lāḥiqūn.
"Peace be upon you, dwellers of these abodes from among the believers and Muslims. We will, if Allah wills, join you."
Source: Muslim 974. Women are no longer customarily permitted into Baqīʿ in current Saudi practice — historically there is scholarly difference on this.
A note on tone
Madinah is famously the quieter half of the trip. The pace is slower. Many pilgrims describe the city as where the lessons of Hajj begin to settle. Take a few days to read, to write home, to pray without rushing. The intensity of Makkah lifts here — let it.