Mount Uhud and the martyrs’ cemetery in Madinah

What Mount Uhud is

Saudipedia describes Uhud as a range of connected peaks north of Madinah, with its highest point about 1,077 metres above sea level. The range runs for some eight kilometres on its eastern side.

The Battle of Uhud took place in the third year after the hijrah, around 625 CE, between the Muslims of Madinah and the Quraysh of Makkah. Saudipedia says about 1,000 Muslims faced about 3,000 Quraysh fighters and their allies. Seventy companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, were killed, among them his uncle Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, called in Islamic history “the Chief of the Martyrs”.

Saudipedia also notes a saying attributed to the Prophet about the mountain, that it is a mountain that loves us and that we love it. It is one of the reasons the place is so widely visited.

The martyrs’ cemetery and Jabal al-Rumah

The martyrs’ cemetery borders the southern side of the mountain. It is enclosed and signposted, and visitors usually pause at the fence or gate to make supplication.

Close by is Jabal al-Rumah, the small hill known as the archers’ hill. In Islamic history it is where the Prophet placed archers to guard the pass. It is a short climb of about ten minutes for visitors who want the view, which makes the layout of the battlefield easier to understand. The climb is optional.

Where it is and how far from Masjid an-Nabawi

Saudipedia puts Uhud about 4 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, to the north of the city. The cemetery is on the southern foot of the mountain, so it is the nearest part for visitors arriving from the centre.

What visitors usually do there

Visitors usually:

1. Park close to the cemetery. The driver waits.
2. Stand at the cemetery gate or fence, say a short supplication, and look at the mountain behind it.
3. Walk to Jabal al-Rumah and climb it if they want to.
4. Take photographs of the mountain from the road.

Allow time for the climb if you plan it, around ten minutes up. Otherwise the stop is a short one. There are stalls near the entrance. Nobody is obliged to buy anything.

Practical notes

• Heat. There is no shade at the cemetery or on the hill. Go in the morning or at the end of the day and carry water.
• Ground. The path up Jabal al-Rumah is uneven. Wear closed shoes.
• Wheelchairs. A folding wheelchair travels in the Staria or Hiace boot at no extra charge, and the driver helps the passenger into a seat. Tell us before booking if the passenger cannot leave the wheelchair.
• Respect. It is a burial ground. Keep voices low.
• Questions of practice. What is recommended when visiting graves is a question for a scholar or your group leader.

Which of our tours includes Mount Uhud

The Madinah ziyarat has two tiers on one page, the Madinah ziyarat taxi. The two hour ziyarat covers Jannat al-Baqi, the mosques near the Haram, Quba, Qiblatain, Uhud and the Seven Mosques. The four hour full ziyarat adds Masjid al-Jumu’ah, Bir Uthman, time at Masjid al-Fath, a longer stop at Uhud, the date market or a date farm, and the King Fahd Quran Printing Complex and Dar al-Madinah Museum, with longer stops.

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.

Mount Uhud and the martyrs’ cemetery are in both tiers. The four hour full ziyarat has a longer stop.

Nearby: Masjid Quba, Masjid al-Qiblatain, Seven Mosques and Madinah ziyarat with Wadi Jinn.