Jabl Ayr (Mount Ayr) is the second largest mountain in Medina after Uhud and marks the southern boundary of Medina. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) described it as a mountain of Hell.
- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) declared, “
Uhud is a mountain which loves us and which we love, it is upon the Gate of Heaven”
adding, “
And Ayr is a place which hates us and which we hate, it is upon the Gate of Hell.”
- ‘
Ayr’
means a ‘
wild ass’
, whereas Uhud is derived from Ahad, meaning ‘
one’
, —
so called because it is fated to be the place of victory to those who worship one God. The very names, say Muslim sages, make it abundantly evident that even as the men of Al-Medina were of two parties, friendly and hostile to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), so were these mountains.
