Jabal al-Nour

Coordinates: 21°27′29″N 39°51′41″E / 21.45806°N 39.86139°E / 21.45806; 39.86139
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Cave of Hira
)
Jabal al-Nour
Arabic)
Geography
Location
Makkah Province, Hejaz, Saudi Arabia
Parent rangeHijaz Mountains

Jabal al-Nour (

Jibra'il (as is pronounced in certain Quran recitation schools and some Arab tribes; also known as Gabriel).[2]
It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Makkah. The mountain itself is barely 640 m (2,100 ft) tall; nonetheless one to two hours are needed to make the strenuous hike to the cave. There are 1750 steps to the top which, even for a fit individual, can take anywhere between half an hour and one-and-a-half hours.

Etymology

This is where Muhammad is said to have had his

Laylat al-Qadr,[4] one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan, suggested to have been around August of 610 A.D.

Appearance

One physical feature that differentiates Jabal al-Nour from other mountains and hills is its unusual summit, which makes it look as if two mountains are on top of each other. The top of this mountain in the mountainous desert is one of the loneliest of places. However, the cave within, which faces the direction of the Kaaba, is even more isolated. While standing in the courtyard back then, people could only look over the surrounding rocks. Nowadays, people can see the surrounding rocks as well as buildings that are hundreds of meters below and hundreds of meters to many kilometers away. Hira is both without water or vegetation other than a few thorns. Hira is higher than Thabīr (ثَبِيْر),[a] and is crowned by a steep and slippery peak, which Muhammad with some companions once climbed.[7]

Geology

The mountain is composed of intrusive igneous rocks, predominantly Precambrian aged coarse grained hornblende tonalite, with subordinate granodiorite.[8]

Cave of Hira

The entrance to the Cave of Hira in the mountain

The Cave of Hira was of minor significance before Islam, its name comes from hira (jewels). Taking 1750 walking steps to reach, it is about 3.7 m (12 ft) in length and 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) in width.

Al-Haram Mosque, and so under most interpretations of Islam, the same reward is received for praying here as any other place in Mecca.[10]

Before Prophet Muhammad's first revelation, he had transcendental dreams, in which were signs that his prophethood had begun and that the stones in Mecca would greet him with the salaam. These dreams lasted for six months.[11]

An increasing need for solitude led Prophet Muhammad to seek seclusion and meditation (Muraqabah) in the rocky hills which surrounded Mecca.[12] He retreated to the cave for one month each year, engaging in seclusion (Tahannuth).[b][3][15] He took provisions and fed the poor who came to him. Before returning home to his family for more provisions, he would circumambulate the Kaaba seven times.[15]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ "Jabal al-Nour (The Mountain Of Light) and Ghar Hira (Cave of Hira)". 16 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b "In the Cave of Hira'". Witness-Pioneer. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  3. ^ a b Weir, T.H.; Watt, W. Montgomery (24 April 2012). "Ḥirāʾ". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.). Brill Online. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Surah Al-Qadr - 1-5". Quran.com. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  5. Encyclopedia of Islam (2 ed.), Brill
    , 2017, retrieved 2018-04-11
  6. .
  7. T.W. Arnold, R. Basset, R. Hartmann. Brill Online, 2013. Reference. Augustana College. 07 October 2013 <http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-1/hira-SIM_2820
    >
  8. .
  9. ^ a b "Saudi Tourism". Saudi Tourism. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  10. ^ "Multiplication of reward for prayer in Makkah and Madeenah - Islamweb - Fatwas". www.islamweb.net. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  11. ^ Mubārakpūrī, Ṣafī R. (1998). When the Moon Split (A Biography of the Prophet Muhammad). Riyadh: Darussalam. p. 32.
  12. ^ Peterson, Daniel C. (2013). Muhammad, prophet of Allah. Grand Rapids, Mich.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. Encyclopedia of Islam
    (2 ed.), Brill, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-11
  14. ^ Kister, M. J. (1968), ""Al-Taḥannuth": An Inquiry into the Meaning of a Term" (PDF), Kister.huji.ac.il, pp. 223–236, retrieved 2018-04-11
  15. ^ a b al-Tabarī, Abū Ja'far Muhammad B. Jarīr (1988). Watt, W. Montgomery; McDonald, M.V. (eds.). Ta'rīkh al-rusul wa'l-mulūk [The history of al-Tabarī]. Vol. 6. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press.

External links