- Where
- North-east Makkah, about 5 km from the Kaaba
- Height
- About 640 metres above sea level
- Known for
- The first revelation, Surah al-Alaq 96:1 to 5
- Rite
- None. A place of history, not of Hajj or Umrah
What Cave Hira is
Ghar Hira (غَار حِرَاء), Cave Hira, is a small hollow in the rocks just below the top of Jabal al-Nour (جَبَل النُّور), the Mountain of Light, north-east of Masjid al-Haram. It is only a few metres long and under two metres wide, with room for a handful of people. The mountain is steep and stands out above the city, and its name comes from the light of the revelation that began there.
The first revelation
وَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَيَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ، وَهُوَ التَّعَبُّدُ، اللَّيَالِيَ ذَوَاتِ الْعَدَدِ
Aishah said: “...and he used to go into seclusion in the cave of Hira and worship there, that is, devote himself to worship, for many nights...” until the truth came to him while he was in the cave, and the angel came to him and said: “Read.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3, from Aishah, the mother of the believers.
In the long hadith, the Prophet ﷺ, then about forty years old, answered "I am not a reader". The angel pressed him three times and then recited the first verses of Surah al-Alaq. He went home trembling to Khadijah, who wrapped him and comforted him, and took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal. This was in Ramadan, in about 610 CE.
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾ ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾
Iqra bismi rab bikal lazee khalaq Khalaqal insaana min 'alaq Iqra wa rab bukal akram Al lazee 'allama bil qalam 'Al lamal insaana ma lam y'alam
(1) Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (2) Created man from a clinging substance. (3) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (4) Who taught by the pen - (5) Taught man that which he knew not.
Quran 96:1-5, Sahih International translation
Is visiting it a sunnah?
No. Climbing Jabal al-Nour is not a rite of Hajj or Umrah, and there is no special prayer or dua for the cave. The reports do not show the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions going back to it as an act of worship after the revelation. For this reason scholars say you may visit it as a place of history, as long as you do not treat it as a rite: no rubbing the rocks, tying cloth, writing names or taking stones. Pray your prayers in a mosque, not because of the cave.
The climb
- A path of steps winds up the mountain. Most fit adults take between half an hour and an hour to climb it, and longer at busy times.
- Go after Fajr or in the late afternoon. In the heat of the day the climb is hard and can be dangerous.
- Take water and wear good shoes, not sandals. It is not suitable for people with heart or knee problems, or for small children.
- If you are in ihram, finish your Umrah first: there is nothing to gain from climbing in ihram.
- Jabal Thawr, the other famous mountain, is south of Makkah. Its cave sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr at the start of the Hijrah. Both are on the Makkah map.
Questions
Where is Cave Hira?
Near the top of Jabal al-Nour, in north-east Makkah, about 5 km from the Kaaba in a straight line.
What happened in Cave Hira?
The angel Jibril brought the first verses of the Quran, Surah al-Alaq 96:1 to 5, to the Prophet ﷺ while he was worshipping there (Sahih al-Bukhari 3).
How long does it take to climb Jabal al-Nour?
Usually between half an hour and an hour for a fit adult, going up a long path of steps. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Is it sunnah to visit Cave Hira?
No. It is not a rite and has no special prayer. Visiting it as history is allowed, without treating it as worship.
What is the difference between Cave Hira and Cave Thawr?
Cave Hira, on Jabal al-Nour, is where the revelation began. Cave Thawr, on Jabal Thawr south of Makkah, is where the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hid during the Hijrah.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3.
- Quran 96:1 to 5 and 9:40.
- Mountain height and position from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap, checked 31 October 2026.
- Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, English by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic is the standard wording of the collection named; gradings are given for every hadith outside al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.