Ghar Thawr (Cave of Thawr)

A cave at the summit of Mount Thawr some five miles south of Mecca; the Prophet and Abu Bakr took refuge in it at the start of the Hijra, hiding there three nights ¹.

Mount Thawr is a towering mountain, its path rugged, hard to climb, full of stones; it lies south of Mecca toward Yemen. The Prophet took this route because it is the opposite of the Medina road, toward which eyes first turn ¹.

The Prophet's feet were worn climbing the mountain — it was said he walked on his toes to hide his trace — so Abu Bakr carried him until he reached the cave at the mountain's summit ¹. They stayed in it three nights — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — and the pursuers reached its door and turned back ².