Jabal Thawr

Jabal Thawr, south of Makkah — the mountain whose cave sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr for three nights at the start of the Hijrah.

• Where: about 5.6 km from Masjid al-Haram in a straight line, on its south-east side (21.37700, 39.84986)
• City: Makkah

History

In 622 CE, as the Quraysh plotted to kill him, the Prophet ﷺ left Makkah by night with Abu Bakr. Instead of heading north towards Madinah they walked south to this mountain and hid in a cave near its top for three nights while the pursuers searched the roads. Abu Bakr's son Abdullah brought news each evening, his daughter Asma brought food, and the freed slave Amir ibn Fuhayrah grazed sheep over their tracks.

When the search party reached the cave mouth, Abu Bakr feared for the Prophet ﷺ, who replied: "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us" (Quran 9:40). Popular accounts add that a spider had spun its web and a dove had nested at the entrance. On the fourth night they set out for Madinah by the coastal route.

What to do there

• View the mountain from the road or climb in the early morning with a guide; allow two to three hours up and down.
• Read the story of the cave (Quran 9:40) before you go.

Tips for pilgrims

• The cave is tiny and the queue slow; the mountain is best for fit visitors.
• Combine with Masjid Aisha or the Hajj sites on the same taxi tour.

Nearby places

• Abraj Al Bait — 5.3 km away
• Kaaba — 5.6 km away
• Masjid al-Haram — 5.7 km away
• Mina — 6.0 km away

Open Jabal Thawr on the UmrahMap 3D map for walking or driving directions, or see all Ziyarah places in Makkah.

Text by the UmrahMap content team from the sources listed; updated 2026-09-25. This text is still being reviewed by scholars. Visiting rules and opening hours can change — check locally.

UmrahMap is made by UmrahCore, Umrah and Hajj management software for travel agencies.

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