Makkah is the land of Islam and the sanctuary of revelation (Mahbat al-Wahy). It is where the Glorious Qur’an was revealed, where Islam originated, and from where it spread to all corners of the earth. It houses many of our sacred Islamic landmarks, including the two caves that stood witness to the beginning of the Muhammadan Message and its continuation: the Cave of Hira (Ghar Hira) and the Cave of Thawr (Ghar Thawr). What is your historical knowledge of each, and what is the difference between the two?
About the Cave of Hira
We begin with the Cave of Hira, located on Jabal al-Nūr (the Mountain of Light) in Makkah al-Mukarramah, on its northeastern side relative to the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Harām), to the left of those heading toward Arafat. It is the cave where the Prophet ﷺ used to seclude himself in devotion (tahannuth) for consecutive nights during every Ramadan before the advent of divine revelation.
In the Pre-Islamic Era (Jāhiliyyah), it was simply known as Hira, and the mountain itself came to be known as Jabal al-Nūr. The reason for this change in name is that the Trustworthy Spirit, the Archangel Jibrīl (Gabriel, peace be upon him), descended into it upon the Truthful and Trustworthy Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ, informing him that Allah Almighty had chosen and selected him as the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers to all mankind and jinn. The emanative light (nūr) originating from this event inspired people to refer to it as the Mountain of Light rather than Hira.
Visiting the Cave of Hira or Jabal al-Nūr offers an opportunity to explore the place where the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed and from which the light of Islam radiated across the globe.
Key Events Related to the Cave of Hira
As was his custom ﷺ, he frequented the Cave of Hira prior to his prophethood (ba'thah) to engage in worship and reflect deeply upon Allah's creation. He would remain there for a month or more each year. When only six months remained before his divine selection, signs began to manifest that had not occurred previously, such as:
Prolonged periods of seclusion in the cave.
Every vision (ru'yā) he experienced came to pass as clearly as the break of dawn (falaq al-subh).
No stone or tree would he pass by except that it offered greetings of peace upon him (sallamat 'alayh).
Eventually, the Trustworthy Spirit came to him when he had reached full maturity at forty years of age. Allah revealed to him the foundational verses of Sūrat al-'Alaq:
“Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (Al-'Alaq 96:1)
These were the first words of divine revelation (wahy), marking the commencement of the Muhammadan Message.
About the Cave of Thawr
If you are wondering, "Where is the Cave of Thawr located?", it sits atop Mount Thawr (Jabal Thawr) on its northern slope, south of Makkah al-Mukarramah. This is the cave to which Divine Care entrusted the destiny of the Final Message and the future of an entire civilization, leaving it under the protection of silence, solitude, and isolation. Within it, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companion, Abū Bakr al-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), stayed for three nights during their Migration (Hijrah) from Makkah al-Mukarramah to Al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah.
Key Events Related to the Cave of Thawr
When the two companions departed as emigrants toward Al-Madīnah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached the Cave of Thawr accompanied by his companion Abū Bakr al-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him). The polytheists of Quraysh were consumed with panic and rage over the Prophet’s ﷺ departure from Makkah. They pursued him relentlessly, setting up outposts and tracking the footprints of the Prophet and his companion until they reached the immediate vicinity of the Cave of Thawr.
Doubts crossed their minds as to whether the Prophet ﷺ and his companion had sought refuge inside, and they began debating amongst themselves. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companion heard the footsteps of the pursuers right outside. Apprehension gripped Abū Bakr, who whispered to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "If one of them were to look down at his feet, he would see us."
The Prophet ﷺ, with a heart brimming with faith in Allah’s divine protection, replied:
“O Abū Bakr! What do you think of two, of whom Allah is the third?” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī & Sahīh Muslim)
The pursuers came so close that their feet were almost at the entrance of the cave, leading Quraysh to assume the cave was uninhabited and abandoned. Consequently, they turned away without discovering the Prophet ﷺ. Thus, Allah’s divine providence and protection for His Messenger ﷺ were manifested at every step.
Regarding this, Allah Almighty says:
“If you do not aid the Prophet, Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved drove him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, 'Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.' And Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers [angels] you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (At-Tawbah 9:40)
It was part of Allah’s divine protection that the eyes of his enemies were blinded to his location, even though he was within their plain sight. This was not out of favoritism toward people who neglected the necessary precautions, but rather a reward for believers who took every possible measure of prudence while putting their complete trust (tawakkul) in the One God.