What is the historical significance of Ghar e Hira?

 

During his youth, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) travelled to several places in Syria and Palestine in the capacity of a merchant. In between his commercial undertakings, he also worked as a shepherd. This afforded him the opportunity for quiet thought and meditation far from the maddening crowds of Makkah.

When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was nearly forty years of age, one night while seated in deep thought and meditation in the cave of the Mount Hira, Hazrat Jibrail or the angel Gabriel (may God be pleased with him) came to him with a piece of silk brocade on which some words were written and said, “Read”. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “I cannot read!” But the angel repeated his words three times and said:

“Read in the name of thy Lord who created
Man from blood coagulated
Read! Thy Lord is wondrous kind
Who by the pen has taught mankind
Things they knew not, being blind.”

This was the first revelation. It affected the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) so deeply that he trembled all over and turned pale. He rose from his seat and hurried home where he related the incident to his wife – Hazrat Khadija bint Khuwaylid (may God be pleased with her). She comforted him and told him that he was the Prophet. In order to confirm her opinion, she went to her cousin, Waraqa bin Naufal, who was a ‘hanif’ or monotheist. This meant that he still followed the same uncorrupted religion of the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). He also supported her. Encouragements from his wife and her cousin comforted Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him).

There after the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) received the message of the God Almighty through the angel Gabriel that he was the Messenger of Allah and His Rasul. And that he was to deliver the message of Islam to the idolaters of Makkah in particular and the non-Muslims of the world in general. The Prophet (peace be upon him) returned and busied himself with the increasing burdens of prophet hood. He stood at the threshold of the most critical period in his own life and the history of the world. At first he conveyed the message privately to the close circle of his relatives and friends. But later on the message was spread in all directions. Thus God perfected religion. Sensible minds in Arabia understood that the mission of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was true and free from any worldly ambitions.


Not only was Mount Hira the choicest refuge of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) but it also became a much frequented ziyarat in subsequent centuries.

The Mount itself would be known as Jabal e Noor or the Mountain of Light. Particularly during the Hajj season is this cave visited by pilgrims in large numbers. But Umrah pilgrims keep visiting it off and on throughout the year. Devotees of the Holy Prophet (Ashiq e Rasool) climb the rock to reach the top where the cave is located. Strictly following the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him), they climb the steep enthusiastically and make the descent anxiously. By no means is this the only way, or the compulsory way. Pilgrims can climb and descend the way they like it or in a way that is not hazardous to their health. This is just for those who wish to see the Cave of Hira from inside and in accordance with the Sunnah.

The Mount Hira is only three kilometres away from Makkah at the end of the Jabal An Nur Road. Vehicles may or may not go beyond Bilal bin Rabah Mosque. This is where the said road terminates and the Ghar e Hira Trail begins. The passage is about half a kilometre of unpaved dirt road and may not be for everyone

.Mount Hira

This is Mount Hira (Jabal Hira), which lies about two miles from the Ka’bah. Near the top is a small cave, a little less than 4 meters in length and a little more than one and a half meters in width. It was here that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) received the first revelations of the Holy Quran during the month of Ramadhan in 610 CE. The mountain is also known as Jabal Noor (the Mountain of Light).

The Prophet (ﷺ) first began to have revelations in the form of good dreams which came true. Then he began to like solitude. He would go to the cave of Hira and meditate there in solitude for a number of days and nights. He would take provisions with him to stay for an extended period, and when he returned to Khadija (رضي الله عنه), he would stock up again and go back to the cave. This was his practice until Truth was revealed to him by an angel while he was in the cave of Hira.

During Tahajjud time one night, when he was alone in the cave, there came to him an angel in the form of a man. The angel said to him, “Recite!”. “I cannot read”, the Prophet (ﷺ) replied. The angel took hold of him a second time and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer. After letting him go, the angel again said, “Recite!”. Again the Prophet (ﷺ) replied “I cannot read”. The angel further embraced him again until he had reached the limit of endurance and said “Recite!” for the third time the Prophet (ﷺ) said “I cannot read”. The angel released him and said: “Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator. He Who created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Bounteous. Who taught by the Pen, taught man what he knew not.” [96:1-5]

This was the first day of his Prophethood and these were the first verses of the Quran revealed to him. He recited these words after the angel, who thereupon left him; and he said; “It was as though the words were written on my heart.” He was very alarmed by the experience and feared that he had become possessed.

The Prophet (ﷺ) fled from the cave, and when he was halfway down the slope of the mountain he heard a voice above him saying: “O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Jibraeel (Gabriel)”. The Prophet (ﷺ) stood gazing at the angel; then he turned away from him, but whichever way he looked the angel was always there on the horizon, whether it was to the north, east, south or west. Finally the angel turned away. The Prophet (ﷺ) was terrified and his heart was pounding hard. He returned home to Khadija (رضي الله عنها) and said, “Cover me!”. Khadija (رضي الله عنها) covered him and helped him calm down.

The Quran tells us that the first revelation descended in Ramadan on the ‘Night of Power’.“The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed.” [2:185]
“We have indeed revealed this message during the Night of Power.” [97:1]
The entire Quran was revealed over a period of approximately 22 years, 5 months and 14 days.