The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the capital of the Islamic world. It is here that the famous Kaaba is located, as well as a number of other Muslim shrines. Quite popular among pilgrims is Hira Cave on Mount Jabal al-Nur. We will tell about it in our article.
Hira Cave: photo and description
The sacred mountain Jabal al-Nur is located four kilometers from the Kaaba, on the northeastern outskirts of Mecca (see the map below). The locals call it the Mountain of Light or the Mountain of Revelation, since it was here that the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the Almighty. Jabal al-Nur stretches from west to east for almost five kilometers. The absolute height of the mountain is 621 meters.
Hira Cave is located on the eastern slope of the mountain. In profile, Jabal al-Nur resembles a giant humped camel. Its top is rocky and rather difficult to reach.
Hira Cave and the Prophet
Hira is a very tiny cave with one entrance. Its dimensions are 3.5 by 2 meters. No more than eight people can fit in it at the same time. In essence, this is allonly a grotto, a small recess in the thickness of the rocky rocks.
Hira Cave is quite a popular object among pilgrims coming to Mecca. Although her visit has nothing to do with the Hajj - the most revered and massive ritual in Islam. Nevertheless, thousands of tourists and believers rise to the top of Mount Jabal al-Nour every year.
According to historians of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad retired to the cave for several years of his life. Here he spent in worship up to ten nights in a row, and sometimes more. Occasionally he went down to the city for food and again returned to the mountain. And then one day in the month of Ramadan, the heavenly angel Jabrail appeared to him, identified in Christian culture with the biblical archangel Gabriel. He transmitted to Muhammad the first five verses of the 96th sura of the Qur'an, which sound like this:
Read, in the name of your Lord, who created all things.
He created man from a blood clot.
Read, because your Lord is the Most Generous.
He taught with a writing stick
– taught a man what he did not know.
This was the first divine revelation revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
Climbing the mountain
Despite the insignificant height, the ascent to the top of the Jabal al-Noor mountain takes about two hours. And it is quite difficult, since the traveler is not protected from the scorching sun all the way. From the top there are beautiful views of Mecca and its surroundings.
Not so long agoThe Saudi Arabian authorities have issued a ban on visiting the Hira cave. They argued their decision by taking care of pilgrims and tourists, because climbing the mountain is fraught with risks to their life and he alth. In addition, the Prophet Muhammad himself did not indicate that Hira was suitable for performing the Hajj. Therefore, Muslim rituals performed by pilgrims in the cave somehow contradict Sharia law. All travel companies and operators involved in the organization of ascents to the summit of Jabal al-Nur were familiarized with the issued ban.
Plus, over the past few years, the cave has had another serious problem. The fact is that its walls and vaults are gradually being destroyed. The main reason for these destructions lies in the fact that almost every pilgrim who climbs the mountain takes a stone with him as a souvenir. Therefore, the restrictions introduced will help preserve this natural historical and religious monument intact.
