| Jabal al-Nour | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jabal al-Nour in the vicinity ofMecca | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 642 m (2,106 ft) |
| Coordinates | 21°27′29″N39°51′41″E / 21.45806°N 39.86139°E /21.45806; 39.86139 |
| Naming | |
| Native name | جَبَل ٱلنُّوْر (Arabic) |
| Geography | |
  Jabal al-Nour Location of Jabal al-Nour in Saudi Arabia | |
| Location | Makkah Province,Hejaz,Saudi Arabia |
| Parent range | Hijaz Mountains |
Jabal al-Nour (Arabic:جَبَل ٱلنُّوْر,romanized: Jabal an-Nūr,lit. 'Mountain of the Light' or 'Hill of the Illumination') is amountain nearMecca in theHejaz region ofSaudi Arabia.[1] The mountain houses thegrotto or cave of Hira (Arabic:غَار حِرَاء,romanized: Ghar-i-Hira,lit. 'Cave of Hira'), which holds tremendous significance forMuslims throughout the world, as it is here where the Islamic prophetMuhammad received hisfirst revelation of theQuran, which consisted of the first fiveayat ofSurah Al-Alaq from the angelJibra'il.[2] It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mecca. 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 can take anywhere between half an hour and three hours.[3]
The mountain is where Muhammad is said to have had hisfirst revelation and received five verses of theQuran, and was given the titleJabal an-Nūr ("Mountain of the Light" or "Mountain of the Enlightenment"). This experience is sometimes identified with the beginning of revelation; hence the present name.[4] The date of the first revelation is said to have occurred onLaylat al-Qadr,[5] one of the last 10 nights ofRamadan, suggested to have been around August of 610A.D.
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, whichfaces the direction of theKaaba, 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.[8]
The mountain is composed ofintrusive igneous rocks, predominantlyPrecambrian aged coarse grainedhornblendetonalite, with subordinategranodiorite.[9]
The Cave of Hira was of minor significance before Islam, its name comes fromhira (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.[2] It is at a height of 270 m (890 ft).[10] During theHajj (pilgrimage), an estimated five thousand visitors climb to it daily to see the place where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have received the first revelation of the Quran on theLaylat al-Qadr (night of power) by the angelJibreel (Gabriel).[10] Most Muslims do not consider visiting the cave an integral part of the Hajj. Nonetheless many visit it for reasons of personal pleasure and spirituality, and though some consider it a place of worship, this view conflicts withSalafist interpretations of Islamic ritual. While the cave plays an important role inAs-Sīrah an-Nabawiyyah (prophetic biography), it is not considered as holy as other sites in Mecca, such as theAl-Haram Mosque, and so under most interpretations ofIslam, the same reward is received for praying here as any other place in Mecca.[11]
According to Islamic tradition, before Prophet Muhammad's first revelation, he hadtranscendental dreams, in which were signs that his prophethood had begun and that the stones in Mecca would greet him with thesalaam. These dreams lasted for six months.[12]
An increasing need for solitude led Prophet Muhammad to seek seclusion and meditation (Muraqabah) in the rocky hills which surrounded Mecca.[13] He retreated to the cave for one month each year, engaging in seclusion (Tahannuth).[b][4][16] 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.[16]
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Hills andmountains on the Arabian Peninsula | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Note: Mountains are sorted in alphabetical order, unless where it concerns ranges. The highest confirmed mountains in each country are indicated with 'HP', and those with the highest peak are indicated with 'HP', bearing in mind that in the UAE, the highest mountain and the mountain with the highest peak are different.Outcrops are indicated with 'OC', andoutliers with 'OL', andanticlines with 'AC'.Volcanoes are indicated with 'V',volcanic craters with 'VC',lava fields with 'LF', andvolcanic fields with 'VF'. Other notes:
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