Mount Thawr (Mecca): Difference between revisions

The name of the mountain is deeply rooted in historical context. According to resources, Thawr bin Abd Manat, a distinguished figure in local lore, was born at the base of this mountain. In reverence to this significant individual, the area was originally known as Thawr Atahl. Over time, the name was abbreviated to Thawr<ref>Ḥamawī,  ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 2, p.86-87; Dīyārbakrī, ''Tārīkh al-khamīs'', vol. 1, p. 324.</ref>

The mountain is sometimes called Abu Thawr.<ref>Ibn Jubayr, ''Riḥla Ibn Jubayr'', p. 83.</ref> Several factors likely contributed to the mountain's naming. One theory suggests that the mountain's southern landscape bears a resemblance to a cow, referred to as Thawr in regional tradition<ref>Bilādī, ''Muʿjam al-Maʿārif al- Jughrāfīyya'', p. 72.</ref> Another possibility is the presence of the Bani Thawr tribe, who established settlements near the mountain and its surrounding areas.<ref>Āl-i Basām, ''Khazānat al-tawārīkh al-najdīyya'', vol. 9, p. 218.</ref> These elements, intertwined with the cultural and religious heritage of the region, have collectively shaped the mountain's nomenclature, reflecting its historical significance and symbolic importance.