A general view of the Al-Noor mountain where Hiraa Cave is located, overlooking Makkah. (AFP Photo by Mohammed Abed)

As the birthplace of Islam, Saudi Arabia abounds in historical sites. There is hardly an account of a visit to Makkah, Madinah or other parts of the country made by travelers of years past that does not mention one of them. Although the very existence of some is questionable, there are other sites of which the historical significance is beyond doubt.

There are supposed to be no less than 300 locations between Makkah and Madinah. Some were old mosques built on an older site related to the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him) or one of his companions.

Very few of the holy sites are documented. Some people in Makkah and Madinah make individual efforts, but they are not scientific and don’t have proper documentation.

Many of the sites outside of Makkah and Madinah are still there in some form. Unfortunately, many of the sites once in Makkah and Madinah and in between no longer exist.

Some are left to oblivion for fear of ‘shirk’ and ‘bidat,’ especially when it comes to sites involved with the life and times of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); others have been demolished in the interest of development.

Rutter, who visited the Kingdom in 1925 and met Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, notes that “in different parts of the Manakha there are several little mosques. These are cool silent places in the heat of the day. All are swept and garnished, and have grass mats on the floor. Some of them have small gardens beside them, and green branches and trees may be seen through the iron-barred windows by the sitters within. Among these mosques are the Masjid Al-Ghamama, Masjid Ali, Masjid Abi Bakr, Masjid ibn Anas, and the Masjid Umar.”

He also notes that “behind the hill Jabal Sil’a, to north-westward of the city, there are seven little mosques — Al-Masajid Al-Saba’a — scattered in the valley. One of these is known as the Mosque of the Two Qiblas.”

“Underneath this mosque there is a well, which is reached by means of a flight of steps,” he adds, and continues: “On our way we passed by the Masjid Al-Ijaba, where the Prophet (pbuh) is said to have prayed to God…”

Writing about Jeddah in his “Travels,” Ibn Jubayr says that “in it is a place having an ancient and lofty dome, which is said to have been the lodging place of Eve, the mother of mankind, — God’s blessing upon her — when on her way to Makkah. This edifice was erected to illustrate its blessedness and excellence. God best knows concerning it.”

Ibn Al-Mujawir also describes the tomb as a place having a lofty dome.

Al-Hamdani mentions the site in his “Sifat Jazirat Al-Arab” (Description of the Island of the Arabs).

Mention of Eve also is made by Idrisi in his “Nuzhat Al-Mushtaq fi Ikhtiraq Al-Afaq” (The Delight of Those Who Seek to Wander Through the Regions of the World); in the words “it is there that her mortal remains are buried.”

In “Travels to the Coast of Arabia,” published in 1788, the Western adventurer H. Rooke, wrote: “About a quarter of a mile north of the town is a white building called Eve’s sepulcher, and they tell you that she was certainly buried there, and her grave is 20 feet in length, which they determine to have been the standard height of mankind at that early period of the world; the two Arabic words Oumana Houa, signifying Eve, the mother of all, are inscribed on the building.”

Ibn Jubayr goes on to mention that the city has “a blessed mosque attributed to ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab — May God hold him in His favor — and another with two pillars of ebony wood, also attributed to him — May God hold him in His favor — though some attribute it to Harun Al-Rashid — May God have mercy on him.”

It is said that in Makkah there are two houses related directly to the Prophet — the birthplace of the Prophet now is where the library is, and the house in which he lived with Lady Khadeeja. That is the house that is sometimes called the Lady Khadeeja House, sometimes called the birthplace of Fatima because she was born in that house, and all his children were born in that house. He lived for 18 years in that house and received the wahi (revelation) in that house on many occasions.

In his book, “Mekka: In the Latter Part of the 19th Century,” author C. Snouk Hurgronje mentions the house of Abu Bakr, the house where Ali was born. He also mentions the “many yards long” grave of the Mother of Mankind. Hurgronje tells about the tomb of Maimunah, a wife of the Prophet, as being “on the road to Medina, half a day’s journey northwestward from Mekka.”

There are many houses in which the Prophet and others used to gather, such as Dar Ul Arkam, which “one could say it to be the first school in Islam.”

There are also many mosques related to the Prophet. And there are natural locations, such as Mount Hira, Mount of Noor (Jabal Al-Noor) and the Mount of Mercy (Jabal Rahma).

It was at a cave in Jabal Hira that the first wahi (revelation) came to the Prophet.

“History of Makkah” and “History of Madinah,” two books prepared by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaikh Saifur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, throw light on many such sites.

It was at Jabal Thawr, that the Prophet and Abu Bakr hid in a cave on their migration (Hijra) from Makkah to Madinah.

The mosque in Mina, Masjid-Al-Khaif, is a place where Prophet Mohammed prayed during the Haj, and according to the marfu’ hadith (traceable) of Ibn Abbas 70 prophets prayed there.

The Masjid At-Tani’m, also known as the Mosque of A’ishah — Ummul Mu’minin (mother of the believers) — is situated 7.5 kms from the Makkah Haram on the road from Makkah to Madinah. It is the place where she went to enter ihram for Umrah when the Prophet told her to do so during the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Masjid Al-Ji’ranah is situated between Taif and Makkah, closer to Makkah. The Prophet stopped at that location on his way back from the campaign of Hunaian and entered Ihram from there.

Masjid Al-Jinn (Mosque of the Jinn) is the place where Allah had commanded the Prophet to recite the Quran to the Jinn. It is on the edge of Al-Hajun.

One finds mentioned in books, the houses of Abu Sufyan, Abdullah bin Abdul-Mutallib, and Ali bin Abi Talib in Makkah.

The Quba Mosque in Madinah, the first mosque in the Holy City built by the Prophet after his migration there, had a well related to the Prophet.

The other historical mosques in Madinah include Al-Ijabah Mosque, Al-Jumu’ah Mosque, Al-Qiblatain Mosque (Mosque of the Two Qiblahs), Masjid Al-Mustarah (Mosque of Banu Harithah), Al-Fath Mosque, Al-Miqat Mosque, Al-Musalla Mosque and Al-Fash Mosque.

Al-Ijabah Mosque is also known as the Mosque of Banu Mu’awiyah because of its location in the district of Banu Mu’awiyah from the Ansar.

It is named Al-Ijabah because the Prophet supplicated Allah for three things, and had two prayers granted. The third was declined. The prayers granted were that the Ummah would not be destroyed by famine and by drowning. The third was about fighting among the people of the Ummah.

The Al-Jumu’ah mosque is so called because the Prophet prayed at the location on the first Friday after he arrived in the village of Quba on his way to Madinah. It is also known by other names, such as Masjid Bani Salim, Masjid Al-Wadi (the Valley Mosque, because it is in the middle of the Valley of Ranuna), Masjid Al-Ghubaib and Masjid ‘Atikah.

Al-Qiblatain Mosque is so named because one prayer was offered therein facing two Qiblahs — Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and Bait Al-Haram (the Sacred House in Makkah. The Prophet was offering Zuhr (afternoon) prayers with his companions when he was commanded to face towards the Ka’aba. It is also known as Masjid Bani Salamah, because of its location in the village of Banu Salamah.

The Mosque of Banu Harithah was built during the time of the Prophet, and the people of the Banu Harithah tribe used to pray there. It is reported that the Prophet also prayed there.

Al-Fath Mosque is so called because Allah revealed to His Prophet the glad tidings of victory during the Battle of the Trench. It is located in the north of Madinah on a mountain called Sal’a. It is also known as the Mosque of the Confederates because the Prophet (pbuh) supplicated against the Confederates (of Quraish), saying: “O Allah! Vanquish the Confederates!”

Jabir bin Abdullah narrated that the Prophet supplicated in Al-Fath Mosque three times — on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and he was answered on the Wednesday between the two prayers with the good news.

Al-Miqat Mosque is so called because it is the miqat for the people of Madinah and is also known as the Mosque of Al-Ihram. The Prophet prayed therein and entered into a state of ihram from there.

The mosque is also known as the Ash-Shajarah (the tree) Mosque, because it was built near a tree under which the Prophet used to rest. As is it located in Dhul-Hulaifah area, it is also called by that name.

Al-Musalla Mosque is located southwest of the Prophet’s Mosque. It is in a place that he used for Eid prayer, and was also called Maidan Al-Musalla. It has been confirmed that he performed the rain prayer in Maidan Al-Musalla. It is also known as Al-Ghamama Mosque because it is said that a cloud shaded him from the sun when he was performing the rain prayer.

Al-Fash Mosque is a small mosque under the cave at Mount Uhud. It is reported that the Prophet performed Zuhr prayer sitting at its location after the fighting on the day of Uhud, because of the injuries sustained during the battle and the Muslims prayed sitting behind him.

It was perhaps built by Umar bin Abdul Aziz during his governorship of Madinah. The structure is Ottoman.

The Al Katibiyya mosque in Madinah is at least 300 something years old. Next to it is the grave of one of the sahaba who fought at Badr.

There are many such places in the Kingdom, but they are concentrated around Makkah or Madinah or in-between. For those looking for a new perspective — or a reminder of the old one — a little historical tourism might be in order over the next vacation time.