Visit Madinah

Your guide to Madinah’s sacred and historic sites.

  • The Cave of Uhud (كهف جبل أحد)

    Nestled within the rugged slope of Mount Uhud near Madinah lies a narrow cave – a silent witness to one of the most critical moments in early Islamic history. During the Battle of Uhud in 625 CE, this humble crevice became the hiding place of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ after the tide of battle turned against the Muslims.

    Wounded and surrounded, the Prophet was shielded by a handful of devoted companions. Seven brave Ansār gave their lives one after another to protect him. With only two defenders left, Talha ibn ʿUbaydullāh lifted the injured Prophet up the rocky slope and into the cave, using his own body to block arrows. Beside him, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ launched arrows with precision, while the Prophet passed them to him, saying, “May my parents be ransomed for you, Saʿd!” – a phrase never said to anyone else.

    The cave provided vital cover as reinforcements arrived and the Meccan enemy withdrew. This moment preserved the Prophet’s life and, with it, the future of the Muslim community. Today, the Cave of Uhud remains a powerful symbol of loyalty, sacrifice, and resilience. It is not just a crevice in a mountain – it is a place where history turned on faith and courage.

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  • The Martyrs of Uhud (مقبرة شهداء أحد)

    The Battle of Uhud was a pivotal moment in early Islamic history. It tested the resolve of the young Muslim community and claimed the lives of around 70 companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These noble individuals, buried at the foot of Mount Uhud in Madinah, are remembered not just for their martyrdom but for the legacy of courage, faith, and unwavering devotion they left behind.

    Here are some of the most prominent martyrs buried in the Uhud Martyrs’ Cemetery:

    • Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib: The Prophet’s uncle, known as the “Lion of Allah,” who was martyred defending Islam with unmatched bravery.
    • Musʿab ibn ʿUmayr: The Prophet’s first envoy to Madinah, who carried the Muslim standard in battle and died holding it firm despite losing both arms.
    • Abdullah ibn Jahsh: The Prophet’s cousin and commander of Islam’s first military expedition, whose prayer for martyrdom was accepted with divine precision.
    • Hanzala ibn Abi ʿAmir: Known as “the one washed by angels” after being martyred immediately after his wedding night without performing ghusl.
    • Anas ibn An-Nadr: A companion who missed Badr and pledged to prove himself at Uhud—he died bearing over 80 wounds, fulfilling his promise.
    • Saʿd ibn Ar-Rabiʿ: A leader of the Ansar whose last words urged Muslims to protect the Prophet at all costs before succumbing to over 70 wounds.
    • ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ: An elderly, lame man who insisted on fighting and was martyred alongside his son while crying out his love for Paradise.
    • ʿAbdullah ibn Jubayr: Commander of the archers at Uhud who obeyed the Prophet’s command to the end, dying while defending the rear of the army.

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  • The Battlefield of Uhud (ساحة معركة أحد)

    The Muslims had been victorious on the Day of Badr by the help of Allah, the Exalted. In revenge, the polytheists agreed to fight the Muslims, prepared for war, and advanced until they camped near Mount Uhud. The Prophet ﷺ consulted his Companions and went out towards them with one thousand fighters. Then the hypocrite ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy turned back with three hundred of them.

    The Prophet ﷺ arranged the ranks for battle, placed his back to Uhud, and appointed fifty archers on Jabal Rumah. At the beginning of the day the advantage lay with the Muslims. When the archers saw this, they said, “(Let us go to) the booty!” When they abandoned the pass, the cavalry of the polytheists charged the Muslims and surrounded them. Many Muslims were martyred, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was wounded. The polytheists reached him, intending to kill him, but the Companions stood between him and them.

    He then went down into one of the ravines of Mount Uhud, the Muslims gathered around him, and he performed the ẓuhr prayer sitting.

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  • Mount al-Rumāh (جبل الرماة)

    A red hill located to the south of the Cemetery of the Martyrs, next to Wadi Qanah. It was named “Mount of the Archers” because the Prophet ﷺ stationed fifty archers on it during the Battle of Uhud and appointed ʿAbdullāh ibn Jubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader.

    He ﷺ said to him:
    “Turn back the cavalry from us (i.e., repel and prevent the cavalry), so that they do not come at us from behind. Whether the battle turns in our favor or against us, remain firm in your position; do not let them come at us from your side.”

    After the idolaters were initially routed, the archers said, “Booty! Booty!” and they did not listen to the words of their commander. When the polytheists found the pass empty, they came from behind this hill and surrounded the Muslims. A number of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were martyred, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was wounded, and one of his front teeth was broken.

    Wahshī was hiding behind a rock on Mount al-Rumāh; from there he killed Ḥamzah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Prophet ﷺ gave him the title “Leader of the Martyrs.”

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  • Jabal Thawr (جبل ثور في المدينة)

    Just behind the famous Mount Uhud, on the northern edge of Madinah, rises a small, round mountain that many visitors pass without realizing its importance. This is Jabal Thawr of Madinah – the mountain that marks the northern boundary of the Sacred Sanctuary (Haram) of Madinah.

    It lies approximately 9 km from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and you can reach it today via Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Road.

    The mountain is called “Thawr” because it resembles a bull. The dark rocky mass on top looks like a bull’s hump and the reddish, uniform body of the mountain appears like the body of a bull.

    A Boundary of the Madinah Haram

    Madinah, like Makkah, has an area considered a Haram (sanctuary) with special honor and protection.

    The Prophet ﷺ said:

    “Al-Madinah is a sanctuary between ʿAir and Thawr.”

    This means:

    • The southern boundary of the Madinah Haram is Jabal ʿAir,
    • The northern boundary is Jabal Thawr.

    The distance between these two boundary mountains is about 16 km, and within this space lies the sanctified zone of Madinah—the city of the Prophet ﷺ, the home of the Muhājirīn and Ansār, and the resting place of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

    Linked to the End Times Narrations

    Jabal Thawr is also connected to some narrations about the End Times, especially those describing the coming of Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (the False Messiah).

    From the authentic narrations:

    • Dajjāl will come near Madinah but will not be able to enter it,
    • Angels will guard the entrances and pathways of the city,
    • He will stop in the salty, marshy lands (sabakh) behind Uhud, in the northern area,
    • He will look towards Madinah and see the Prophet’s Mosque appearing to him like a white or red palace, and yet he will remain unable to reach it.

    These descriptions place his position in the area behind Uhud, close to where Jabal Thawr stands as the northern marker of the Haram. This connects the mountain to both geography and prophecy.

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