If you are going to perform Umrah or Hajj, be sure to Visit Ghar Hira; the place where the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to keep himself to meditate and reflect on life.
Visit Ghar Hira | Location
It is located in the east of Mecca, to the left on your way to Arafat, at the top of the “Jabal Al-Noor” or “Mountain of Islam”.
At an altitude of 634 meters, it can only accommodate four or five people.
Its entrance is also very narrow, and you could enter it only by tilting your head.
And the inside of Ghar Hira is directed towards the Kaaba.
saudipics, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Ghar Hira is a cave in the mountain with a door towards the north, only five people can sit in it simultaneously.
It’s only 4 km from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, so you can see Mecca and Haram when you stand on the mountain.
Visit Ghar Hira
It could be hard for some people to visit Ghar Hira; It is located on the top of the mountain.
Jabal Al-Noor is high steepness, Therefore it is difficult for visitors to climb it.
This makes seeing the cave difficult for some; Like the elderly who cannot complete the ascent,
The cave is located twenty meters from the top of the mountain, and access to it requires climbing to the top and then descending to its place.
However, If you want to Ghar Hira, we advise you to go immediately after dawn; before the sun got hot.
You have to climb 1045 steps to reach it, and it may take you half an hour to get there.
User Nazli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Religious and Historical Status For Ghar Hira
It is the cave in which the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was secluded, before the mission and the revelation of the Qur’an to him by Gabriel.
In addition, it is the place where the revelation was revealed for the first time to the Prophet (pbuh).
And the first prodigies of the Holy Qur’an to be revealed were in it, starting with the revelation with the prodigy: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.[Al-Alaq:1]
From Ghar Hira, the message of Islam was launched, from Mecca to all parts of the world, which made him of great religious status among Muslims.
Why It Is Called Ghar Hira?
The mountain in which the cave is located was previously called Jabal Hira, and that is why the cave was named Hira.
After the revelation descended upon the Prophet (pbuh), and the beginning of the spread of Islam,
the name of the mountain was changed to Jabal al-Nour (which is an Arabic word that means light);
A sign that Islam is the light of the truth.
Nearby Places To Visit
During your visiting Ghar Hira we suggest you visit other historical and religious places for example:
Ghar Thowr
A short drive south of Mecca so you can find Ghar Thowr.
This is the place where the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companion Abu Bakr hide from the Quraish tribe during their migration to Medina.
<< Learn more about Ghar Thowr >>
Mecca Mosques
You can find many beautiful mosques with a distinctive designs in Mecca, such as:
- Al Ji’ranah Mosque.
- Mosque of the Jinn.
- Aqaba Mosque.
- Al-Taneem Mosque.
See more information about visiting mosques in Mecca.
Mecca Museums
Learn a lot about Mecca and its Islamic history by visiting museums, for example:
- Museum of the Two Holy Mosques.
- Kaaba Kiswa Factory.
- Mecca Museum in Al Zahir Palace.
In conclusion, Ghar Hira is currently considered a shrine for pilgrims who crowd in front of its entrance to enter it, and it, like other religious and historical places, occupies a place in the hearts of Muslims.
Moreover, Learn more about Ghar Thowr
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