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Key points
- On the Hijrah to Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (RA) hid in a cave on Jabal Thawr for three nights while the Quraysh searched for them.
- The Qur’an remembers the moment: “Do not grieve, indeed Allah is with us” (9:40).
- Jabal Thawr is south of Makkah, higher and harder to climb than Jabal al-Nour. The climb takes about one and a half to two hours each way.
- Visiting is not part of Umrah or Hajj. Seeing the mountain from the road is enough for most families.
The three nights in the cave
When the Quraysh plotted to kill the Prophet ﷺ, Allah gave him permission to leave for Madinah. He left Makkah at night with Abu Bakr (RA), but instead of going north towards Madinah, they went south to Jabal Thawr and hid in a cave near its top for three nights (Bukhari 3905).
Abu Bakr’s son Abdullah stayed with them at night and returned to Makkah before dawn to hear the Quraysh’s plans. Amir ibn Fuhayrah, Abu Bakr’s freed servant, grazed sheep nearby so they had milk, and the sheep’s tracks covered the footprints.
“Allah is with us”
The searchers came right up to the cave. Abu Bakr (RA) said, “If one of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “What do you think, Abu Bakr, of two when Allah is the third?” (Bukhari 3653).
Allah mentions this in the Qur’an: “when he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve, indeed Allah is with us.’ Then Allah sent down His calm upon him” (9:40). Many people recall stories of a spider’s web and a dove’s nest at the cave’s mouth; these come from weaker reports, while the verse and the sahih hadith are certain.
Where it is
- Jabal Thawr is in the south of Makkah, a short drive from Masjid al-Haram through the city
- The mountain is high and rocky, and the cave is near the top
- Many ziyarat drives stop at the foot or on the road, where you can see the mountain and remember the story
- The route of the Hijrah from here to Madinah can now be followed on the Ala Khutah trail
Should you climb it?
The climb is longer and steeper than Jabal al-Nour, on a rough, rocky path with few steps in places. A fit adult needs about one and a half to two hours to go up. It is not suitable for elderly people, small children or anyone with heart, knee or breathing problems.
- If you go: start straight after Fajr, wear proper shoes, take plenty of water, and go with others
- Never climb in the afternoon heat or alone
- The cave is small and you may have to queue
- There is no ritual or special prayer at the cave
Questions
Near the top of Jabal Thawr, a mountain in the south of Makkah.
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Official guidance
This guide is general travel information. For religious rulings, please ask a qualified scholar.
