Visiting the historic sites of the Seerah

One of the great joys of visiting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah on Umrah is to be able to visit and experience at first hand the places, which you have read about in the Quran and the hadith and see the historic sites, which were so important in the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

 “This is the land where Islam has its roots and spending time here really gave me a better insight into the spiritual journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the struggles he and the Sahaba (AS) encountered in those early years and their extraordinary faith and resilience.”

Ufuk Seçgin, Chief Marketing Officer of HalalBooking, the halal travel experts, told Islam Channel: “It meant so much to me to be there in the places where the Prophet (SAW) himself had been. To stand in the very places which I had only read about before. To pray in Masjid al-Haram or Masjid an-Nabawi is, of course, an inspirational experience in itself, but there are so many other important sites and historic places to explore.”

He gave us an insight into some of the sites to visit to make the most of a stay in Makkah or Madinah. It's very easy to travel between the two, using the Haramain high speed railway.

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Top historic sites from the Seerah of the Prophet (SAW) to visit whilst staying in Makkah or Madinah:

Cave of Hira – the cave on Jabal Nur (the mountain of light), around 6 km from Makkah, where the angel Jibreel (AS) first revealed the Quran to the Prophet (SAW) when he was alone there during Ramadan.

Mount Arafat - known in Arabic as Jabal ar-Rahmah or ‘the Mountain of Mercy’, it is here that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) gave his last sermon.

Cave of Thawr – this famous cave on the mountain of the same name is where the Prophet (SAW) and his companions hid from the Quraish, whilst a spider weaved its web across the entrance and a pigeon laid eggs to mislead their pursuers.

Masjid Quba – built by the Prophet (SAW) following the Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah, it was originally built from mud bricks and was the first place of worship in Islam.

Masjid Qiblatain – this mosque is one of the few in the world to have contained two mihrab, marking the shifting of the direction of prayer from Al Quds to Makkah in 2AH.

Al-Hudaybiyah – the historic place where the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah was signed in 6 AH, ensuring peace between the Muslims and the Quraish. The well of Hudaybiyah is nearby, where the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) performed a miracle by causing water to flow.

Taif – the people of this mountainous city rejected and abused the Muslims when the Prophet (SAW) visited them, hoping to spread Islam. Rather than choosing to destroy them for their insolence, he instead forgave them and prayed for them.

Battle of Badr – this famous battle took place on the 17^th Ramadan, when the Muslims defeated the Quraish army, despite being heavily outnumbered.

Mount Uhud – the site of another famous battle, a year later, during which archers stationed on this mountain, which surrounds the plain of Madinah, ignored the instructions of the Prophet (SAW) and abandoned their post, leading to confusion. The cemetery at the foot of the mountain is where the 70 companions who lost their lives were buried.

Battle of Khandaq – also known as the ‘Battle of the Trench’ after the trench, which the Muslims dug to protect Madinah. Visit the 6 mosques which were built on the battlefield after withstanding the siege.

HalalBooking offers a wide choice of accommodation in Makkah and Madinah. You can choose the best option by making use of their unique Umrah filters and features to select hotels with Haram view or Kaaba view rooms; those with Haram-connected prayer halls and those within walking distance of the Haram or which have a free shuttle service.