Cave of Thawr

Cave of Thawr is a landmark of the Prophet's biography at the summit of Mount Thawr in the Makkah Province, 4 kilometers from the Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram), with the Al-Hijrah district beside it. [1]

The cave represents a prominent station of the Prophetic Migration, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq stayed in it for three days in concealment before setting out thereafter for Madinah. [3]

The cave lies at the top of Mount Thawr, known as Jabal Akhal, in the plain of Wadi Al-Mafjar, and it is separated from the rest of Makkah's mountains by the gap of Al-Mafjar and the ring road coming from Taif and the Holy Sites to Jeddah. [2]

Mount Thawr rises 760 meters above sea level, and it is easy at its lower part and rugged at its upper part, with difficult tracks. [1]

Historical accounts have held that Cave of Thawr is the first stronghold in Islam, in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq took refuge during the journey of the Migration; the two entered it, and when Quraysh's search for them subsided they continued on their way. [4]

Quraysh's pursuit reached the mouth of the cave, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Abu Bakr: "O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two whose third is God?", which was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. [1]

On this occasion the words of the Almighty were revealed: "If you do not aid him, God has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out as the second of the two, when the two were in the cave and he said to his companion, do not grieve, indeed God is with us; and God sent down His tranquillity upon him and supported him with hosts you did not see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest while the word of God is the highest, and God is Exalted in Might and Wise", which is known as the Verse of the Cave. [1]

Cave of Thawr was classified among the firmly established landmarks free of dispute that are associated with the Prophetic biography, at a seminar organised by the Makkah History Centre affiliated with the King Abdulaziz Foundation, in which the professor of history at Umm Al-Qura University, Dr. Mohammed bin Samil Al-Sulami, presented this classification. [9]

The seminar came within the Historical Atlas of the Prophetic Biography project carried out by the King Abdulaziz Foundation, in which the Makkah History Centre performs the largest and most field-based role. [9]

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance in Makkah established a guidance centre for visitors to Mount Thawr at the foot of the mountain, where books, dawah publications and audio recordings are distributed, alongside preachers and translators in various languages. [5]

His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of the Makkah Province, directed that work begin promptly on the two development projects for the caves of Hira and Thawr in the Holy Capital, with supervision of the two entrusted to a team formed of the Emirate of the Makkah Province, the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, the region's development authority, the Holy Capital Municipality and the region's police. [6]

The first phase of the project lasts 30 days and covers cleaning the rocks of writings and drawings, removing the writings in the two caves and along the two roads leading to them, and removing the concrete casts, zinc shades and timber, to be followed by further phases for developing the surrounding sites and the roads and creating facilities that serve visitors. [6]

The Deputy Governor of the Makkah Province reviewed the studies of the Civilisational Centre project for the two mountains of Al-Nour and Thawr in Makkah, which the region's development authority is carrying out in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. [7]

The Prophetic Migration Trail project aims to develop the historic sites within the Prophetic routes and paths that the Prophet (peace be upon him) took in his migration from Makkah to Madinah, to prepare them for visitors, revive the Islamic heritage and ease access to them. [8]

The head of the Hisbah Department at Umm Al-Qura University, Dr. Saleh Al-Darbas, made clear that Mount Thawr and the cave are not among the rites, and that a pilgrim should not burden himself with the ascent, reasoning that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not indicate the visiting of the mountain as a rite and did not urge his community to it. [5]

He noted that there is no objection if a visitor wishes to see the place and learn how the migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was and how he and his companion Abu Bakr endured hardship and ascended the mountain. [5]

Q: What is Cave of Thawr? A: A landmark of the Prophet's biography at the summit of Mount Thawr in the Makkah Province, 4 kilometers from the Grand Mosque. [1]

Q: How long did the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq stay in the cave? A: They stayed in it for three days in concealment, then set out for Madinah. [3]

Q: What is the height of Mount Thawr? A: It rises 760 meters above sea level, and it is easy at its lower part and rugged at its upper part. [1]

Q: Is visiting Mount Thawr among the rites of Hajj? A: The mountain and the cave are not among the rites, and a pilgrim should not burden himself with the ascent, while it is permissible for a visitor to see the place and learn about the migration of the Prophet. [5]

Q: What are the most prominent efforts to serve visitors to the site? A: A guidance centre at the foot of the mountain, the two development projects for the caves of Hira and Thawr, and the Prophetic Migration Trail project. [5][6][8]