CHAPTER 8: CHAPTER ON HOW THE REVELATION BEGAN
CHAPTER ON HOW THE REVELATION BEGAN TO COME TO THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH AND MENTION OF THE FIRST THING REVEALED TO HIM FROM THE QUR’AN
Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, “The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, was in the form of good dreams which came true like broad daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion to the Cave of Hira’ where he used to worship (Allah, the Almighty, Alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family overcame him. He used to take food with him on the journey, for the stay and then would come back to (his wife) Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, to take more food supplies, until suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the Cave of Hira’.
The angel came to him and asked him to read. He replied: ‘I do not know how to read.’ The Prophet said: ‘The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied: ‘I am not literate.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied: ‘I am not literate.’ Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me; then he released me and said: ‘Read in the Name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous who has taught (the writing) by the pen.
He has taught man that which he knows not’.’ (Surah Al-‘Alaq 96:1-5)
Then the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, returned with the Inspiration and with his heart pounding. He went to Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, may Allah be pleased with her, and said: ‘Cover me! Cover me!’ They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said: “I fear that something may happen to me.”
Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, replied, ‘Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, serve your guests generously, assist the weak, benefit those who have nothing and support people afflicted by calamity.’ Khadeejah then took him to her cousin Waraqah Ibn Nawfal Ibn Asad Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic period had become a Christian and used to write Hebrew. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah, the Almighty, wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight.
Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, said to Waraqah, ‘Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!’ Waraqah asked, ‘O my nephew! What have you seen?’ The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, described what he had seen. Waraqah said, ‘This is the same one who keeps the secrets (the Angel Jibraeel, peace be upon him) whom Allah sent to Moosa. I wish I were young and I wish that I could live up to the time when your people will drive you out.’ The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, asked: ‘Will they drive me out?’ Waraqah replied, ‘Yes. All those who have brought something similar to what you brought were treated with disdain and hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out, then I would support you strongly.’
Waraqah did not remain (alive); he died, and the Divine Inspiration also paused for a while; and the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, became so sad, as we have heard, that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains, and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Jibraeel, may Allah be plead with him, would appear before him and say, ‘O Muhammad! You are indeed the Messenger of Allah in truth, ‘ whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he reached the top of a mountain, Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) would appear before him and say to him what he had said before.”
The Mother of the Believers, ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight’.” This strengthens the narration related by Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Yasar on the authority of ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umar Al-Laithi, in which it was stated that the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Jibraeel came to me with a rug of silk brocade on which there was writing, while I was sleeping, and he said: “Read!” I asked: “What shall I read?” Then he pressed me until I felt that I was dying, then he released me.”
By Ibn Katheer
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