Mount 'Aynain

'Aynain is a small mountain located near Mount Uhud from the southwesterly vantage, in the area in which the Battle of Uhud took place, in the third year of the Hijrah. It is also referred to as Mount Roomaah because the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) positioned the archers on it a bit prior to the battle and ordered them to defend the rear of the Muslims and to prevent the polytheists from escaping behind it.

This mountain, whose elevation is low, extends from north to south with a gradual slope towards the east. Close by is the course of Waadi Al-'Aqeeq. During the Al-'Uthmaani period, a small mosque and some houses were built on it, but were recently removed. Its mass and height have dwindled in current times, as the level of the earth surrounding it has been raised, due to alluvial deposits of silt that have remained from the flooding of Waadi Al-'Aqeeq. Improvements to the area such as the road that has been extended around it are another cause. It is clear that it remains today excluding what was on it before. A number of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud (Allah be pleased with all of them) are buried nearby, to its north.

Jabal �Ayr (Mount �Ayr)

Mount �Ayr is located in the area southwest of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. Its distance from the Prophet�s Mosque is eight kilometres. The breadth of its width covers seventy metres and it rises about 955 metres above sea level. It is a tall mountain extending from east to west; its top a plateau, not rising to a peak. For that it is called Mount �Ayr, as it is compared to the back of a donkey. It extends uniformly and levelly, reaching a length of nearly two thousand metres.

Mount �Ayr is ascribed as the southern border of the Haram of Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. It is reported in noble hadith, �The Haram of Al-Madinah is what is between (mount) �Ayr and (mount) Thawr�.

Jabal Dthabbaab (Mount Dthabbaab)

Jabal Dthabbaab is a small mountain, its height not exceeding twenty metres, located to the northwest of the Prophet�s Mosque. Its approximate distance from the wall surrounding the mosque is less than one kilometre. It has been reported that it is called by this name as a man from Yemen came to Madinah and killed some of its people. He himself was killed and crucified on the rocks of this mountain.

It lay on the mountain pass (road) that led to Ash-Shaam, so travellers of either direction saw it. The �khandaq� (trench) that was excavated by the Muslims in the year 5 A.H. passed by its western base. Some history books mention that the dome of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was erected on it and that he secured the banner for some of the Sahaabah (Companions) who were with him. After that a small masjid, which is ancient in this day, was built on the mountain and it was called Masjid Al-Raaiyah or Masjid Dthabbaab. Today, buildings cover most of the mountain and the masjid on it has become a distinguished relic.

Jumaawaat

Al-Jumaawaat are three, not very large mountains, which are located west of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, on a section of the extension of Waadi Al-�Aqeeq. The word Jumaawaat is the plural form of Jumaa� (portion), which also means, a sheep without horns. It has been reported that it bears this name, as the high part of it is extended, without a peak. Al-Jumaawaat continues uninterrupted, running from east to west, with definite inclines towards the north, as follows:

-Jumaa� Al-�Aaqir, also referred to as Jumaa� Al-�Aaqil, is the farthest from Al-Madinah,

-Jumaa� Umm Khaalid, is located to the north of the aforementioned,

-Jumaa� Tudaari�a, which is the closest to Al-Madinah and is called Al-Sahal; which is located in its base and extends in the proximity of Al-�Aqeeq (Al-�Arsah).

Jabal Sila�a (Mount Sila�a)

Jabal Sila�a is located to the west of the Prophet�s Mosque, five hundred metres from its western wall. It length reaches nearly one kilometre and its height about eighty metres. Its width is between three hundred and eight hundred metres and it extends from the north to the south, with segments branching out from its mid-section. It has short inclines, going east and west. The mountain is composed of basalt rock, its colour dark brown, inclining to black in some areas.

Mount Sila�a holds a distinguished place in history, as a number of important events occurred at its verdant, or close to it. During Ghazwah Al-Khandaq (the Battle of the Trench), Al-Mushrikoon (the Polytheists), gathered on its western side, but were separated from the Muslims by the trench that the Muslims had excavated, (in the year 5 A.H.). At its base were the headquarters of the Muslim leadership and on it was erected the tent of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), from where he positioned a number of the Sahaabah in different locations.

A number of tribes have resided at the bottom of the mountain since the time of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). During the Al-�Uthmaani period, a number of military structures were erected upon it, the ruins of which remain to this day. Currently, the mountain is surrounded by buildings which run in all directions. Jabal Sila�a has become part of the boundary demarcating the Central District of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah.

Mount Silee'a

Mount Silee'a is a small mountain situated to the east of Mount Sila'a. Specifically, between the two is a small area that was called ' Thaniyah 'Ath'ath ', (the versant of the mountain and the area around it) in which resided Banu Aslam, who were of the emigrants.

Some of the governors of Madinah, during the period of Al-Mamalooki (Jamaaz bin Shayhah 657 - 700 A.H.), built upon the mount especially fortified palaces and his headquarters. During the period of the Al-'Uthmaani Sultaanate, the Sultaan, Suleimaan Al-Qaanooni, extended the wall of Madinah from behind it and built upon it some of the walls' watchtowers and a fortress.

It is now included in the new plan of the central district surrounding the Haram, however a portion of the mountain's base has been removed, leaving a towering piece as evidence of its historical presence.

Mount Thawr

Mount Thawr is a small mountain which is located behind Mount Uhud to the north. It is the limit from which begins the northern boundry of the Haram of Madinah, that stretches southerly to Mount 'Ayr. This is from the words of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), ' The Haram of Madinah is what is between 'Ayr to (and) Thawr '. Some historians describe it as circular, close to red, behind Uhud and to its left. Its constitution is silvery and is demarcated as being amidst a group of mountains, which are close together in the area.

Mount Uhud

Mount Uhud is one of the most important natural features appearing in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and is located on the northern side of the city. It is actually a chain of contiguous mountains extending from east to west, inclining a little towards the north, from the latter. Its length reaches seven kilometres, with a width of between two and three kilometres. Its distance from the Prophet's Mosque ranges approximately five kilometres. Its composition is mainly red granite, with part of its colour varying from dark green to black. It is permeated with natural apertures and hollows which gather rain water that remains most days of the year because they are shielded from the sun. This natural screen is called Al-Muhaarees.

Spread out close to Mount Uhud are several smaller mountains, the most important amongst them being Mount Thawr to the northwest, and Mount 'Aynain to the southwest. Crossing its westerly base is Wadi Qunaah, which empties into a complex of streams.

The name of this mountain is also attached to a historic site and to a battle which occurred in the third year of the hijrah, (Ghazwah Uhud - the Battle of Uhud). The battlefield extended from the southwestern base of Mount Uhud to Mount 'Aynain (also known as Mount Roomaah), approximately one kilometre.

The Quraish and their confederates marched on Madinah to take revenge on the Muslims. They pursued them for their dead in the Battle of Badr, which had occurred in the year prior, the second year of the hijrah and confronted them in this place. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) placed his archers on Mount 'Aynain, explicitly ordering them not to leave their posts, under any circumstances, unless he himself gave the order. The battle flared with the Muslims predominating. The polytheists (the Quraish) began to take flight. Most of the bowmen seeing this assumed that the battle was over due to the competence of their brethren. They came down from the mountain, abandoning their posts. They did not turn around and heed the appeals of their leader. Instead they pursued the polytheists and began to collect the spoils of the battle. The commander of the enemy cavalry, Khaalid bin Al-Waleed, (he had not yet accepted Islam), took the opportunity and quickly circled around the mountain with his horsemen. They took the rest of the archers unawares, killing them, then attacked the rest of the Muslims from behind, scattering their ranks, dispersing them and making seventy of them martyrs. One of the martyrs was Hamzah bin 'Abd Al-Mutalib (Allah be pleased with him), the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him). The polytheists then retreated, leaving the Muslims to bury their martyrs at the battleground, which was between the base of Mount Uhud and Mount 'Aynain. These graves are a place of importance to Muslims, who head to them in order to follow the example of Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him), who used to visit the site and supplicate to Allah, the Almighty, for those interred within.

Mount Uhud holds a big place in the hearts and minds of the Muslims. Its benefits are mentioned in several hadith, one of them (from the words of the Prophet {Peace be upon him}), ' Truly a mountain that loves us and is loved by us '.