Saudi Arabia makes visits to Prophet's tomb for men only, reason remains unclear

Saudi Arabia’s ministry of hajj and umrah has banned women from applying for a permit to visit the tomb of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, in an announcement made over the weekend.

Visits are now limited only to male pilgrims, while women may obtain a permit to visit the Holy Rawdah - the area between the site of the home of the Prophet and the minbar - at the Masjid al-Nabawi, or the Prophet's Mosque, in the sacred city of Medina.

It is not yet clear why the ministry took this decision, and no official statement was released.

Umrah permits are usually obtained through a special phone application launched by the ministry called Eatmarna. Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that can be carried out at any time of the year, unlike the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca which only happens once a year.

The ministry said the Eatmarna app will regularly be updated to let pilgrims know what time slots are available for them to book, requiring at least 30 days in between each visit.