Places of the seerah
Where each place is, and what happened there.
The cave of Ḥirāʾ
غار حراءA small cave near the top of Jabal an-Nūr, about three miles outside Makkah.
Where he ﷺ withdrew to worship alone, and where Jibrīl عليه السلام first came with 'Iqraʾ'.
The Cave of Ḥirāʾ — the first revelation
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The Kaʿbah and the Ḥaram
الكعبةThe centre of Makkah, the house built by Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl عليهما السلام.
Filled with idols in his ﷺ lifetime; the place where he was abused as he prayed, and where the idols were cleared at the conquest.
Going public — and the persecution · Conquest, completion and farewell
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 240, 4287; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The house of al-Arqam
دار الأرقمA house at the foot of Ṣafā in Makkah, belonging to al-Arqam ibn Abī al-Arqam رضي الله عنه.
The first school of Islam: the believers met there in secret for about three years to learn the Qur'an.
The Cave of Ḥirāʾ — the first revelation · Going public — and the persecution
ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The valley of Abū Ṭālib
شعب أبي طالبA ravine on the edge of Makkah belonging to Banū Hāshim.
Where the clan was confined for about three years under the boycott, eating leaves and buying nothing.
The boycott and the Year of Sorrow
ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Abyssinia (al-Ḥabashah)
الحبشةAcross the Red Sea, the Christian kingdom of the Negus.
The first migration: a land 'where no one is wronged', where the believers were given refuge.
Going public — and the persecution
Musnad Aḥmad 1740; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Ṭāʾif
الطائفA green town in the hills about sixty miles south-east of Makkah.
He ﷺ went there for support after Abū Ṭālib died and was driven out with stones; the duʿāʾ of Ṭāʾif was made on the road back.
The journey to Ṭāʾif and the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ)
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3231; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
al-Masjid al-Aqṣā
المسجد الأقصىJerusalem.
The destination of the Night Journey, where he ﷺ led the prophets in prayer before the ascent.
The journey to Ṭāʾif and the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ)
Sūrat al-Isrāʾ 17:1; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 162; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
ʿAqabah at Minā
العقبةA pass at Minā, outside Makkah, where pilgrims camped.
The two pledges with the men of Yathrib that made the Hijrah possible.
The journey to Ṭāʾif and the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ)
ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The cave of Thawr
غار ثورA mountain south of Makkah, in the opposite direction to Madinah.
Where he ﷺ and Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه hid for three nights while Quraysh searched.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3653; Sūrat at-Tawbah 9:40; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Qubāʾ
قباءOn the southern edge of Madinah.
His first stop on arrival, and the site of the first masjid built in Islam.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3906; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The Prophet's masjid
المسجد النبويIn the centre of Madinah, where his camel stopped.
Masjid, school, court and shelter for the poor of the Ṣuffah — the first institution of the new community.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah · Conquest, completion and farewell
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3906; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Badr
بدرA well and market on the caravan road, about eighty miles south-west of Madinah.
The first battle: about three hundred believers against roughly a thousand of Quraysh.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah
Sūrat al-Anfāl; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3951; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Uḥud
أحدA mountain just north of Madinah.
The second battle, where leaving the archers' hill turned a win into a loss and seventy were killed.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah
Sūrah Āl ʿImrān 3:152; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4043; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
The Trench
الخندقThe exposed northern side of Madinah.
Dug on Salmān's رضي الله عنه advice against the Confederates; the siege broke in a winter wind.
The Hijrah — migration to Madinah
Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:9–27; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4103; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
al-Ḥudaybiyah
الحديبيةOn the edge of the Ḥaram, west of Makkah.
The treaty that looked like a defeat and was called 'a clear victory'; the pledge under the tree was taken here.
Conquest, completion and farewell
Sūrat al-Fatḥ 48:1, 48:18; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2731; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
Khaybar
خيبرA cluster of fortified oases about ninety miles north of Madinah.
Taken in 7 AH, ending the northern threat and securing the state.
Conquest, completion and farewell
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4210; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī
ʿArafah
عرفةThe plain east of Makkah where the pilgrims stand.
The Farewell Sermon, delivered from his ﷺ camel before about a hundred thousand people.
Conquest, completion and farewell
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1218; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī