Makkah Part 3: To the Top of Jabal Nour

"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 men what he knew not."

Al-Alaq 1 - 5

In another few minutes, the azan for Subuh prayer would be on air. I was a bit sleepy and tired post umrah activities. One of the tour guides named Fadhil showed me a picture of Masjidil Haram, taken from far. From a higher ground from far. I could see cloud above the masjid, like a big gigantic umbrella providing shelter to the people performing umrah. And the cloud was hanging above the masjid. Only the masjid. Only.

So I asked him, where did he took the picture from. He said: From the top of Jabal Nour. Where Prophet Muhammad SAW first received the revelation of Iqra'. 

I told him I would love to go. Yes, to the top. 

The next day, 15 of us agreed to join the trip to hike Jabal Nur. 

Menuju Puncak (To the Top)

As the morning sun was crawling up to the sky, we left the city centre of Makkah to Jabal Nour. The van pulled over at a parking spot at the foot hill of the mountain and all of us had to walk along the steep and narrow pathway where we could see roughly built shacks, shanty homes and grocery shops lined up along the way. The pathway was so steep that I had to hold on to things that I could grab along the way, be it the roofs or the cracked bricks in the wall.

The wind was blowing consistently, ruffling the abayas and niqabs of the women. We walked slowly and steadily to the starting point for hiking. 800 steps only - written on the stairs. And I had no hiking equipment other than my slippery sandal. But the fact that Siti Khadijah RA had been climbing Jabal Nour multiple times to send food to her beloved husband somehow inspired me to take one step at at time to reach the top, where the cave of revelation is located. 

And the steps began. To the top. 

Journey to the Top
I would rather call it climbing stairs, rather than hiking. I guessed the local authority had taken a pro-active measure by providing stairs to the top of Jabal Nour. But still, being in a fit physical state would assist you greatly in climbing 800 stairs.  

As I was climbing to the top, I could see the sun was also making its way up to the sky bit by bit, gracefully revealing itself in between the mountainous earth. And it was obvious that the early ray of sunlight had awaken a group of apes in between the rocks. It made us wonder whether the waterless mountain was actually their habitat. 

It took us about half an hour to reach the top. Out of 15 people, only six made it to the top. 

The Top
From the top of Jabal Nour, I could see clearly masjidil haram. And the tower standing still nearby. It was said that Prophet Muhammad SAW used to stand here, to deeply observe and understand his people from far. 

I looked down under, few metres away, where the cave was located. The cave where the Prophet SAW used to spend his time alone. And where he received the first revelation. Iqra. 

The cave is capable to accommodate three people at once, but I could see almost twenty people pushing and shoving outside the cave. Typical. 

I spend some time to truly embrace the moments and enjoy the view from the top. This is my first time climbing to the top of Jabal Nour. And perhaps the last time. I do not know. The Prophet was here. So did I. 

Till then, 
Hairi Tahir