Visit ArabiaJABAL THAWR (MEDINA)
The sentinel of the north.
Note: Do not confuse
There are two mountains called Jabal Thawr in Islamic geography:
1. Jabal Thawr in Mecca — where the Prophet ﷺ hid for 3 nights with Abu Bakr during the Hijra
2. Jabal Thawr in Medina — the northern boundary of the Medina Haram
These are two different mountains, about 350 km apart as the crow flies (nearly 450 km by road). Many pilgrims confuse them. Now you know.
The northern boundary of the Haram
As we saw for Jabal 'Ayr (Site 2), the Prophet ﷺ designated two mountains as boundaries of the Medina Haram:
- To the south → Jabal 'Ayr
- To the north → Jabal Thawr (this one)
- Cutting down green trees → Forbidden
- Hunting game → Forbidden
- Innovating in the religion (bid'ah) → Forbidden
- Giving refuge to an innovator → Forbidden
- Shedding blood → Forbidden (except for legitimate rights)
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Medina is sacred, what lies between 'Ayr and Thawr. Whoever commits an innovation therein or gives refuge to an innovator, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all mankind." (Sahih al-Bukhari no. 6755 · Sahih Muslim no. 1370)
All the space between these two mountains — the entire city of Medina, its palm groves, its wells, its mosques, its cemetery, and Mount Uhud itself — is sacred.
The precise location
Jabal Thawr in Medina is located to the north of Uhud — that is, even further north than the great mountain of Uhud. It is a small mountain compared to Uhud, which visually obscures it from the city.
The sacred rules
Inside the Medina Haram: