Malick Asghar Hashmi/New Delhi

Atop Jabal al-Nur in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, lies the cave of Hira, which forever changed the course of Islamic history. It is here that the first verses of the Quran, "Iqra," meaning "read," were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 609 CE. For centuries, this cave has remained a sacred place of worship and contemplation for Muslims.

However, recently, a video of the place has shaken the entire Muslim world. A vlogger known on social media as "Bike Mate PK" captured the heaps of garbage scattered inside and around the Hira Cave. This nearly one-and-a-half-minute video is not only disturbing but also raises a question: has devotion become limited to mere pilgrimage, and are we forgetting the Prophet's command to clean up?

Trash scattered in the cave, painful pictures

The video clearly shows plastic water bottles, empty juice tetra packs, food wrappers, and polythene bags scattered haphazardly around Gar-e-Hira. The place where the Prophet (peace be upon him ) used to retreat for prayer, and where the light of a new faith spread, now bears the dark marks of human negligence.

The vlogger says emotionally, "This isn't the government's fault. It's the pilgrims' own negligence." His anger is justified, as the route to the cave is difficult, with steep climbs and rocky paths. Yet, many pilgrims who come for Hajj and Umrah often leave behind a significant amount of trash.

This scene is all the more painful because cleanliness is considered a part of faith in Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) clearly commanded, "Allah is pure and loves purity. Therefore, keep your courtyards clean." Yet this very message of cleanliness appears to be buried in the form of garbage outside the cave.

Holiness vs. Practice: A Great Contradiction

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In Islam, cleanliness isn't limited to the body and clothing; it also places equal importance on the cleanliness of the home, environment, and society. This is why this altered scene at Gar-e-Hira raises serious questions about the conduct of pilgrims. People reach the cave after hours of hard work, take selfies, pray, and cry, but fail to take care of their trash when they leave.

The vlogger's comment, "Why would people defile such a holy place?"—is not a simple question, but a mirror for every Muslim who considers this place sacred but forgets to show respect for it in practice.