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DiğerOther·Medina

Vebere Harresi

Vebere Harresi (Harretü Vebere) is a large basalt lava plain located to the west of Medina, forming the city's western natural boundary. Together with Vâkım Harresi, it constitutes one of the two major natural defense elements of Medina, delimiting the sacred area of Medina 'between the two harres'.

Diğer

Vebere Harresi

Location

Medina, Saudi Arabia

Map

History

The Prophet Muhammad defined the boundaries of the Medina sanctuary using the phrase 'the area between the two harres'. One of the two harres mentioned in this phrase is Vâkım Harresi to the east, and the other is Vebere Harresi to the west. Vebere Harresi is one of the most prominent examples of volcanic geology in Arabia. With its black basalt masses and rugged structure, it serves as a natural barrier separating agricultural lands and residential areas from the west. The distance between the two harres represents the approximate actual width of Medina and the geographical area defined by the Prophet Muhammad as the sanctuary boundary. Hunting of game animals and cutting down trees within this area has been prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad. During the Battle of the Trench, this harre on the western bank served as one of the natural obstacles that made it difficult for the polytheist army to approach Medina from the west. [Source: 'Harre', TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/harre; 'Medina', TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/medine]

Importance and Narrations

The Prophet Muhammad said: 'Ibrahim declared Mecca a sanctuary and prayed for me. I also declare the area between the two harres of Medina a sanctuary.' [Source: Muslim, 'Hajj', 466; Bukhari, 'Virtues of Medina', 1]