Jabal Amel or
Jabal 'Amil (
jabal ʿāmil) is a mountainous region of
Southern Lebanon. The
Shi'i community in Jabal Amil, according to local Shia legend, is one of the oldest in history, second only to the Shi'i community of
Medina, having been converted to Shi'ism by
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, a companion of the Islamic prophet,
Muhammad and early supporter of
Ali. The frequent occurrence of this account in many religious sources make it a credible belief. However, other historical sources suggest Shiism largely developed in Jabal Amel around the 3rd century A.H.