Hira, Sacred cave on Mount Noor near Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Hira is a natural cave on Mount Jabal al-Nour, located about 270 meters above the plain of Mecca and opening onto a rocky slope. The entrance leads into a single chamber with uneven flooring, offering views over the dry highlands of the Hejaz region.

In the year 610, the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation through the Angel Gabriel in this cave during the month of Ramadan. Before that, the cave had been a retreat for meditation, and after this event it remained a central place in Islamic faith.

The name Hira marks the place where the first verses of the Quran were revealed according to Islamic tradition, so pilgrims pause here in silence. Visitors often sit in the same spot where the Prophet meditated, experiencing it as a space for personal contemplation.

The climb to the cave follows roughly 600 steps up Mount Jabal al-Nour and requires sturdy footwear and plenty of water. The ascent can take between one and two hours, depending on pace and breaks, especially in warm weather.

The cave is a crevice about four cubits long and one and three-quarter cubits wide, with its entrance facing north; inside, a seated visitor faces the Kaaba. The Prophet is said to have climbed the peak with companions, and when the mountain moved he told it to be still, for upon it were only a prophet, a truthful one or a martyr. Only sparse plants grow in the cave.