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History–Tours
610610–632 · Mecca and Medina

The Prophet Muhammad and the rise of Islam in Mecca and Medina

The Kaaba in the courtyard of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, surrounded by pilgrims
Photo: GusJuned. CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Muslim tradition holds that Muhammad received his first revelation in the cave of Hira above Mecca around 610. Facing hostility at home, he and his followers moved to Medina in 622, the Hijra from which the Islamic calendar is counted, and built the first Muslim community there. By his death in 632 Islam had united much of Arabia; it now has close to two billion followers.

Travel advisory. Mecca is open only to Muslims, and the sacred precinct around the Prophet's Mosque in Medina is reserved for Muslims. Check current rules before planning a visit. We list this event for reference, and don't list guides here until travel is possible again.

Sites

  1. Site 1: Masjid al-Haram and the Kaaba, MeccaThe great mosque around the Kaaba, focus of daily prayer and of the Hajj.Map ↗
  2. Site 2: Jabal al-Nour and the cave of HiraA steep climb to the small cave where tradition places the first revelation.Map ↗
  3. Site 3: Prophet's Mosque, MedinaThe mosque Muhammad began in 622, which now holds his tomb.Map ↗

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Read more: reference. Summary written by History-Tours.com.