Wakim Harra

Harra refers to volcanic plains covered with black basalt masses or fragments that appear to have been burned in fire in Arabic. There are many harra in the Arabian Peninsula, especially in the Hijaz region. Wakim Harra is a vast basalt lava plateau that forms the eastern boundary of Medina. This volcanic terrain naturally prevented attacks on Medina from the east due to its rugged and difficult-to-access structure. The trench dug by the Prophet Muhammad during the Battle of the Trench was also positioned partly taking advantage of the natural protection provided by this harra. The Battle of Harra (Waq'at al-Harra) that took place in 63 AH (683 CE) also takes its name from this region. The army sent during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya fought a major battle against the Ansar who rebelled in Medina in this harra land. The Muslims suffered a heavy defeat; this defeat went down in history as the "Harra catastrophe." [Source: "Harra", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/harre; "Waq'at al-Harra", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/vakatul-harre]