Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira, Makkah

What Jabal al-Nour is

Jabal al-Nour is a mountain north-east of Masjid al-Haram. Its height is about 640 metres: the Saudi encyclopedia Saudipedia gives 642 metres above sea level, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah about 634 metres. Saudipedia describes the summit as shaped like a camel’s hump. It is also called Jabal Hira, and some sources use the names Jabal al-Quran and Jabal al-Islam.

Near the top is the Cave of Hira. It is small. Saudipedia describes it as a narrow cave that fits only a few people, with the entrance facing north and the inside turned towards the Kaaba.

Why people visit

In Islamic history, the Cave of Hira is described as the place where the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to spend time alone before prophethood, and where the first verses of the Quran were revealed to him. Many visitors come to see the mountain because of that story.

We do not give religious guidance. Our drivers know the roads and the places, but they are not scholars. If you want to know what is recommended at a site, ask your group leader or a scholar.

Where it is and how far from the Haram

Saudipedia puts Jabal al-Nour about 4 km from Masjid al-Haram, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah puts the cave about 4.8 km from Makkah. Other guides give figures from about 3.5 to 5 km, depending on where they measure from. The drive from a hotel near the Haram is usually short, but traffic around the Haram changes the time a lot, especially around prayer times and in Ramadan.

At the foot of the mountain there is the Hira Cultural District, a visitor development of more than 67,000 square metres that Saudipedia lists as including an exhibition about the revelation, a visitor centre and a Quran museum.

What visitors usually do there

Visitors usually do one of three things:

1. View the mountain from the road or the foot of it. Many people take photos and look up at the cave from below. This is the version that fits inside our two hour tour.
2. Visit the cultural district at the base. This is a walk-through exhibition rather than a climb.
3. Climb to the cave. This is a real hike, up steep stone steps and slopes.

The climb is steep and takes far longer than the two hour tour allows, which is why we do not include it in that tour.

Practical notes

• Go early. Saudi summers are very hot, and the mountain has little shade. After Fajr is the coolest time. This is common sense rather than an official rule.
• Wear shoes with grip. The surface is stone and can be steep and uneven.
• Carry water. Ask for chilled water in the car when you book, and it is worth taking a bottle with you if you walk.
• Check your health first. The climb is hard for older visitors or anyone with heart or knee problems. Viewing from the foot of the mountain is a good choice for them.
• Rules can change. Access to the path and the cultural district is run by the authorities and can change. Your driver will tell you what is open on the day.

The Hira Cultural District and the Revelation Exhibition

Discover Makkah describes the Hira Cultural District as a modern visitor development at the foot of Jabal al-Nour, near the Cave of Hira. It includes the Revelation Exhibition, a museum that tells the story of the descent of the Quran with interactive displays and augmented reality. It also has galleries, rest areas, restaurants and shops selling crafts and copies of manuscripts.

The published details, which we have taken from Discover Makkah and the district’s own website:

• The district and the path. Open 24 hours.
• Exhibitions and museums. Saturday to Wednesday 7:30 AM to 11:30 PM, Thursday 7:30 AM to 1:00 AM, and Friday 3:30 PM to 1:00 AM.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says that visiting the cave is not one of the rulings of Hajj, nor one of its recommended acts, because the cave is hard to reach, especially for sick and elderly people. That is why our tours view the mountain from the road, and the cultural district is a good choice for those who want to see more without climbing.

On our four hour full ziyarat, the car stops at the Hira Cultural District. The ticket for the exhibition is separate and is paid to the venue.

Which of our tours includes Jabal al-Nour

The Makkah ziyarat has two tiers on one page, the Makkah ziyarat taxi. The two hour ziyarat covers Jabal al-Nour, Jabal Thawr, Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat and Masjid Namirah, mostly viewed from the road.

Fares are for the whole vehicle, in Saudi Riyal, with the return to your hotel included.

Time beyond the tour is charged at the hourly rate, from SAR 80 an hour, and the driver tells you before that starts. You pay the driver at the end, in cash in SAR or by bank transfer, with no deposit and no booking fee. See every place in the ziyarat hub and every fare on Routes and prices.

The four hour full ziyarat adds Jannat al-Mualla, Masjid al-Jinn, a stop at Masjid Namirah, Masjid al-Khayf and the Jamarat at Mina, Masjid al-Mashar al-Haram, a stop at the Hira Cultural District, and optional Masjid Aisha for a second Umrah, with longer stops. Jabal al-Nour is in both tiers, seen from the road. The stop at the Hira Cultural District is in the four hour full ziyarat.

Nearby: Jabal Thawr, Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah.