Shaykh Rabee Ibn Hādi al-Madkhali was asked the following:

Question: What is the ruling on climbing Mount Thawr or the Cave of Hirā [Nūr], simply for the purpose of viewing and having knowledge of the places which the Prophet ﷺ visited?

Answer: If it [the visit] coincides with the [same] days as the visits [to Mount Thawr or the Cave of Hiraa or Nūr] of the ignoramuses, the people of superstition and the people of innovation, then it is not permissible for a student of knowledge to participate with them in this evil. This is so that the people do not think he [the student of knowledge] is with them, except if he is going there with the intention of advising and clarifying to them that this visit is NOT from the religion of Allah; and it is not legislated.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born in these pure and sacred homes [in Makkah]. He ﷺ used to go to the cave of Hirā to worship Allah before his sending, until Allah sent down revelation upon him whilst he was within it. He departed from it and he ﷺ did not come back to Makkah until [after] he made Hijrah from [Makkah]. When he returned and entered [Makkah after he made Hijrah to Madinah] during the Umrah of Qadhā [Which took place 7 Hijri, a year after the treaty of Hudaibiya] he did not go to [the Cave of Hirā nor Mount Thawr]. He entered Makkah in the year of the conquest and did not enter them [Mount Thawr & the Cave of Hirā]! He came again for the farewell pilgrimage and did not enter them! He ﷺ did not enter [visit] them [the cave of Hirā or Mount Thawr] nor did his companions; none of them came to these places.

Mount Thawr, then the Prophet ﷺ lodged inside of it out of compulsion, then he departed from it and never returned to it. So then why all of this attachment?! There is propaganda [around this]! There is an evil media [propagating this], from the people of falsehood! They forge virtues and other things for the likes of these places. If the student of knowledge is going there to advise them, there is no problem with this. As for him going there and increasing the number of people; numbers of the people of ignorance, misguidance and he does not advise, then he is sinful for this.

If it is a must that he goes to acquire knowledge then he should research firstly, if it is a must that he acquires knowledge of it, then let him do so in seclusion or by himself [so the people don’t think it’s allowed].

This is a calamity which we have inherited from the west, the [calamity] is not except, giving special importance to relics and monuments. This is a plot from the west against the Muslims; [for example], giving concern to relics, unearthing relics, searching and digging for them, they’ve brought out the corpse of Fira’wn! They brought out the corpses of the people of Babylon! Etc.

They want to take us back to the Jahiliyyah [paganism, sorcery and all types of evil, devil and idol worship] of the Pharaonic era, the Jahiliyyah of the Babylonian era and other than it. This is the goal of the Jews and the Christians. [They want Jahiliyyah] to expand to Mount Thawr or to the Cave of Hirā [Nūr] and the likes of this. The people come and perchance wipe [the floor, dirt or rocks of the cave etc] seeking blessings and believe certain beliefs for the likes of these places!

So it is not permissible for the student of to knowledge to go during the likes of these occasions. If he must go, then he must go in seclusion [by himself], so that the people of foolishness, ignorance and misguidance do not see him and think that visiting these places is legislated.

‎Source: The Website of Shaykh Rabee’

Translated by Nasir Mahmood al-Hanbali
11th of Muharram, 1438 (10-12-2016)

                                   Original Arabic

⁠‎السؤال: ما حكم الصعود إلى جبل ثور وإلى جبل حراء (النور) لمجرد المشاهدة، ومعرفة الأماكن التي أتاها النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟

‎ الجواب

‎إذا كان ذلك أيام زيارات الجهال وأهل الخرافة وأهل البدع فلا يجوز لطالب العلم أن يشاركهم في هذا الشر لأنهم يظنون أنه معهم، اللهم إلا إذا كان يذهب لقصد أن ينصحهم ويبين لهم أن زيارة هذه ليست من دين الله وليس أمراً مشروعاً.

‎والرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام ولد في هذه البطاح الطاهرة وهي بلده وكان يذهب إلى غار حراء يتعبد قبل البعثة حتى أنزل الله عليه الوحي وهو فيه، فانصرف عنه ولم يرجع إليه أبداً إلى أن هاجر، ولما رجع عليه الصلاة والسلام إلى مكة ودخلها في عمرة القضاء لم يذهب إليها ودخل في عام الفتح ولم يذهب إليها! وجاء بحجة الوداع ولم يذهب إليها! لا هو ولا أصحابه كلهم ما جاؤوا إلى هذه الأماكن

‎غار ثور نزل فيه مضطراً، ثم غادره ولم يأته أبداً فلماذا هذا التعلق ؟! هناك دعايات! هناك إعلام شرير، من أهل الباطل! تنسج فضائل وأشياء وأشياء لمثل هذه الأماكن، فإن كان طالب علم يذهب لينصح فلا بأس وأما أن يذهب ويكثّر سواد الناس ؛ سواد أهل الجهل والضلال ولا ينصح فهذا يأثم.

‎إذا كان لا بد أن يعرف يدرس أولاً، وإذا كان لابد يعرف ففي خلوة.

‎وهذه مصيبة ورثناها من الغرب ألا وهي العناية بالآثار – ومكيدة – من الغرب للمسلمين الاهتمام بالآثار ونبش الآثار والبحث عنها وعن الحفريات، وأخرجوا لنا جثة فرعون! وأخرجو لنا جثث البابليين . . . الخ .

‎يريدون أن يعيدونا إلى الجاهلية الفرعونية والجاهلية البابلية وغيرها، هذا هدف اليهود والنصارى، ثم تمتد إلى مثل غار حراء وغار ثور وكذا، ويجيئون ويمكن أن يتمسحوا ويتبركوا ويعتقدون عقائد في هذه الأماكن! فطالب العلم لا يجوز له أن يذهب في مثل هذه المناسبات، وإذا كان لابد أن يذهب ففي خلوة بحيث لا يراه أهل السفه وأهل الجهل والضلال حتى لا يُظَن أن هذه الأماكن مشروع زيارتها.