Tracing the Steps of Hira Cave: The Site of the First Revelation and Khadijah's Loyalty

Dawn had not fully broken when footsteps began to ascend the stairs towards the peak of Jabal Nur in the early hours of Thursday (18/6/2026). Makkah’s still-cool air greeted the journey to one of the most historic sites in Islamic civilisation, the Hira Cave, the location where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the first revelation from Allah SWT through the Angel Jibril. For millions of Muslims worldwide, the Hira Cave is not merely a narrow space on a mountainside. This place is the starting point of the prophetic mission that changed human history. It was here, on the 17th of Ramadhan around the year 610 CE, that the 40-year-old Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the first revelation, consisting of verses 1-5 of Surah Al-Alaq. The event took place in an atmosphere that was both majestic and deeply moving. Various narrations state that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) experienced extraordinary anxiety and fear before receiving the first revelation, to the point that his body trembled. The Hira Cave is located at the peak of Jabal Nur, which rises approximately 634 metres above the residential plains of Makkah. From that height, the expanse of Makkah city is clearly visible. The Zamzam Tower of the Grand Mosque stands majestically in the city centre, surrounded by the characteristic rocky hills of the Haram land. Jabal Nur is situated about four kilometres east of the Grand Mosque. Although the distance is not too far, the journey to the peak still requires energy and patience. In the early hours of Thursday, a team of 17 from the Hajj Media Center (MCH) of the Saudi Arabian Hajj Organising Officers (PPIH) had the opportunity to tread this historic path. Step by step, they climbed the stairs until finally reaching the summit area and the relatively small Hira Cave.