CHAPTER 9: MENTION OF HIS AGE AT THE TIME WHEN HE WAS SENT AND THE HISTORY OF IT
MENTION OF HIS AGE AT THE TIME WHEN HE WAS SENT AND THE HISTORY OF IT
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘Amir Ash-Sha‘bi that the Prophethood came on the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he was forty years old. For three years, Angel Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood and he taught him words and things, but the Qur’an was not revealed. Then, after three years, Angel Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood and the Qur’an was revealed over a period of twenty years in Makkah and three years in Madinah. He died when he was sixty-three years old. This chain of narrators is authentic up to Ash-Sha‘bi. This necessitates that Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood for three years after he reached the age of forty years and then Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.
Abu Shamah said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to witness miraculous things before the start of his Prophethood, including that which has been narrated in Saheeh Muslim, on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘I know a stone in Makkah which used to greet me with salutations of peace before I was sent as a Prophet; indeed, I know it now’.”
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) only liked seclusion and solitude from his people because of the clear error in which he saw them, i.e., the worship of idols and prostration to graven images. His love of solitude increased as the time approached when Allah, the Almighty, began sending down the Revelation to him – Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported on the authority of ‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala’ Ibn Jariyah that he said, “It was preserved from one of the scholars that he said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to make a sojourn to the Cave of Hira’ every year for a month, during which time he would devote himself to Allah, the Almighty. One of the practices of Quraish during the Jahiliyyah was that they used to feed any poor person who came to them and after finishing their hospitality, they would not enter their homes until they performed circumambulation of the Ka‘bah’.” This is how it was narrated on the authority of Wahb Ibn Kaisan, who said that he heard ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair telling ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair something like this. This proves that it was the custom of the worshippers from Quraish to remain in the vicinity of Hira’ for the purpose of worship, which is why Abu Talib said in his famous Qasidah (Ode) (Al-Bahr At-Taweel):
By Thawr and Him Who anchored Thabeer in its place,
And one who ascended to Hira’ and descended from it.
And the saying in the Hadith (in Saheeh Muslim): “Tahannuth is worship…” is an explanation of the meaning, but the literal meaning of Tahannuth is to reach the age of mental and physical maturity, according to As-Suhaili. But I have heard a few expressions in language which indicate that its meaning is to abandon sin and refrain from evildoing, while Tahajjud means to forsake Al-Hujood, i.e. sleep, in order to pray; and Tanajjus (to do something that removes one from a state of impurity) and Taqadhdhur (meaning to deem something impure or sinful). These meanings were cited by Abu Shamah. Ibn Al-A‘rabi was asked about Tahannuth meaning worship and he said, “I do not know this; I only know it as being from the Hanifiyyah, the Religion of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him).” Ibn Hisham said, “The Arabs say ‘At-Tahannuth’ and ‘At-Tahannuf’; they replace the letter Tha’ with the letter Fa’.”
As for the words: “…until the Truth came upon him suddenly, while he was in Hira’ Cave,” the meaning is that it came upon him unexpectedly, as Allah, Most High, says, “And you were not expecting that the Book (this Qur’an) would be sent down to you, but it is a Mercy from your Lord.” (Soorah Al-Qasas 28:86) The opening Verses of this Soorah: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen (the first person to write was Prophet Idrees, peace be upon him), has taught man that which he knew not” – were the first Verses revealed to him, as we confirmed in the Tafseer. And we shall also show that they were revealed on a Monday, as it was confirmed thus in Saheeh Muslim, on the authority of Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which the Qur’an was revealed to me.”
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa‘, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Scriptures of Ibrahim were revealed on the first night of Ramadan, the Tawrah was revealed on the sixth day of Ramadan, the Injeel was revealed on the thirteenth night of Ramadan and the Qur’an was revealed on the twenty-fourth day of Ramadan.”
As for the saying of Jibraeel, may Allah be pleased with him, “Read!” and the Prophet’s response: “I am not a literate,” the correct interpretation is that it is a negation, i.e., “I am not one of those who excel at reading.” Among those who favored this meaning were An-Nawawi and before him, Shaikh Abu Shamah. As for those who said that it is a question, it is unlikely, because the letter “Ba’ ” used in the Verse is not added excepted in negative statements. The former interpretation is also supported by the narration of Abu Nu‘aim from the Hadith of Al-Mu‘tamir Ibn Sulaiman, who reported on the authority of his father that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), who was in a state of fear and trembling, said: ‘I have never read a book, I do not excel at it and I can neither read nor write.’ Then Jibraeel seized him and pressed him hard, then released him and said to him, “Read!” And Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I do not see anything to read and I do not read or write.” It was also narrated as: ( )ﻏﻂ as in the Saheehain.” And it was narrated as:وﻗﺪ )ﻏﺘّﻨﻲ) i.e. “he throttled me.” – “until I was exhausted.” And he did this three times.
Abu Sulaiman Al-Khattabi said, “He only did this in order to test his patience, to improve his self-discipline and to train him to bear the burdens of Prophethood with which he had been entrusted. This is why he was afflicted with the feeling similar to that of a feverish person, i.e., shaking and sweating.
As for the words “then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) returned with it (the Inspiration) to Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, with his heart pounding,” in another version, it was stated: “his ‘Bawadir’,” which is the plural of ‘Badirah’. Abu ‘Ubaidah said, “the flesh between the shoulder and the neck.”
As for Khadeejah’s saying, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you,” it was said that it means by causing him to be dishonored and it was also said that it means by causing him sorrow. And this was due to her knowledge of the fine attributes which Allah, the Almighty, had bestowed on him, and that anyone possessing such qualities
would not be disgraced in the life of this world or in the Hereafter. And her saying, “…assist the weak,” means that he used to give those who were responsible for feeding and maintaining their families the wherewithal to carry out those responsibilities. “…benefit those who have nothing,” i.e., you hasten to do good deeds by giving to the poor and you gain the reward of it before others. And a poor person is called ‘Ma‘doom’ because his life is deficient and it is the same to him whether he lives or dies.
Al-Khattabi said, “The correct interpretation of: “…and you benefit those who have nothing” by clothing them or giving them money with which to purchase the necessities of life.” Shaikh Abul Hajjaj Al-Mizzi said that the meaning preferred by him regarding “Al-Ma‘doom” here is: the money that is given. That is, he gives the money to those who have none. As for anyone who claims that what is meant is: You benefit by giving the leftover money from your trade, or by giving a little of that which is valuable, he has gone far astray and attempted to explain a matter of which he has no knowledge, for such a person is not deserving of praise in most cases. This opinion was declared weak by Al-Qadi Iyad, An-Nawawi and others. And Allah knows best.
“You serve your guests generously,” means: You are generous in the hospitality that you offer to them and you provide good accommodation for them. “…And support people afflicted by calamity.” That is, when calamity strikes a person, causing him to lose something good, you help him in it and you stand by the one so afflicted until he finds the means to live.
Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, then took him to her cousin Waraqah. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadeejah 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.”
He did not mention ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), even though he came after Moosa (Peace be upon him), because the Law given to the former was a completion and a perfection of that given to the latter (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both) and some of it was abrogated, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, as He, Most High, says,
“…and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to
you.” (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:50).
And this saying of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal is like the saying of the Jinn: They said, “O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Qur’an) sent down after Moosa, confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).” (Soorah Al-Ahqaf 46:30).
Then Waraqah said, “I wish I were young…” i.e., I wish that I was a young man today, firm of faith and possessing beneficial knowledge and able to perform righteous deeds. And his saying, “…and I wish that I could live up to the time when your people will drive you out…” – means so that I might depart with you and support you.
When he said this, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Will they drive me out?” As-Suhaili said, “He only said this because leaving one’s homeland is a great hardship for human beings. Waraqah then replied, “Yes. All those who brought something similar to what you have brought were treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out, then I would support you strongly.” That is, I would support you to the utmost of my ability, always. Then ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, added, “But Waraqah, did not remain, but died.” That is, he only lived for a few days after hearing this story, after which he died – may Allah have mercy on him and may He be pleased with him – for words such as those that emanated from him prove that he believed what he heard, had faith in the Revelation about which he was informed and had a righteous intention to support him in the future.
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) about Waraqah and he said: “I saw him and he was wearing.
white garments; and I think that if he had been one of the inhabitants of the Fire, he would not have been wearing white garments.”
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not malign Waraqah, for I have seen one or two Gardens for him.”
Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by ‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala’ Ibn Jariyah Ath-Thaqafi, who reported from one of the scholars, that when Allah, the Almighty, willed to honor the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and to commence the Prophethood, whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, he would go far away, until the houses were hidden from his sight and he would proceed to the ravines of Makkah and the bottoms of its valleys and whenever he passed by a rock or a tree, it would say, “May Allah’s peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!” The narrator said, “And he would look around him, to the right and to the left and behind him, but would see nothing but trees and rocks. He continued to see and hear for as long as Allah, the Almighty, willed, then Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Revelation with which Allah, the Almighty, had honored him while he was in Hira’, in the month of Ramadan.”
Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by Wahb Ibn Kaisan, the freed slave of the family of Az-Zubair: “I heard ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, say to ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair Ibn Qatadah Al-Laithi, ‘O ‘Ubaid! Tell us show Prophethood began for the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) when Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.’ He (Wahb) said, ‘ ‘Ubaid said to ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair and those people who were with him, while I was present, The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to remain in Hira’ for one month of every year, performing Tahannuth and this was something held to be obligatory by Quraish in the Jahiliyyah. Tahannuth means to perform acts of devotion and piety and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend that month every year in feeding the poor and needy who came to him. When he finished his sojourn in that month, the first thing that he would do was to go to the Ka‘bah before entering his house and he would circumambulate it seven times or as many as Allah, the Almighty, willed. Then he would return to his house and he continued this practice until the year when Allah, the Almighty, willed to ennoble him by bestowing Prophethood on him.
That month was the month of Ramadan, when he set out for Hira’, just as he did every year. His family was with him until the night when Allah, the Almighty, ennobled him with the Message and bestowed Mercy on the slaves through him. Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Commandment of Allah, the Almighty. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to me while I was sleeping, with a rug of silk brocade on which there was writing, 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. He said again: ‘Read!’ And I said: ‘What shall I read?’ Then he pressed me until I felt that I was dying, then he released me. He said again: ‘Read!’ I said: ‘What shall I read?’ I only said this because I feared that he would do the same thing to me again. Then he 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 the manurial which he know not’.” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1-5).”
He said: “So I recited it and then he desisted and left me and I got up from my bed and it was as if he had written something in my heart.”
He added: “Then I departed and when I was halfway down the mountain, I heard a voice from the sky saying, ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel’.”
The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I raised my head to the sky to look and I saw Jibraeel in the form of a man whose feet were on the horizon. He said: ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel.’ I stopped and looked at him. His sight distracted my attention from what I had intended to do. I stood in my place transfixed. I tried to shift my eyes away from him, but he was in every direction I looked at. I stopped in my place without any movement until Khadeejah sent someone to look for me. He went down to Makkah and came back while I was standing in the same place. Jibraeel then departed and I went back home.
I found Khadeejah at home, so I sat very close to her. She said, ‘O Abul-Qasim! Where have you been? I sent someone to look for you. He went to Makkah and returned to me.’ I told her of what I had seen. She replied, ‘Be of good cheer, O my cousin and be strong. For by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be a Prophet for this
nation’.”
Then she stood up and went to Waraqah and informed him. Waraqah said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Waraqah, if you have told me the truth, O Khadeejah, he has received the same great Namoos who was sent to Moosa. He is the Prophet of this nation. Tell him to be strong.”
She returned to him and told him of Waraqah’s words. When the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) finished his sojourn and had done what he always did: he began by circumambulating the Ka‘bah, where he was met by Waraqah, who was also circumambulating the Ka‘bah, and he said to him, “O my nephew! Inform me of what you saw and heard.” So the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) did so and he said, “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you are the Prophet of this nation and you have received the same great Namoos who was sent to Moosa.
And they will certainly believe you, harm you, expel you and fight you.
If I live to see that day, I would certainly help in Allah’s Cause to the utmost of my ability.” Then he lowered his head to him and kissed the crown of his head. Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) departed and returned to his house.”
Imam Muslim narrated in his Saheeh on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I know a rock in Makkah that used to give salutations of peace to me before I was sent (as a Messenger); I know it even now.”
Al-Bukhari said in the narration which we mentioned earlier, “…and the Divine Inspiration was 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 top of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Jibraeel (Peace be upon 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.”
And it was reported in the Saheehain on the authority of Jabir Ibn Abdullah that he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) describe the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration, and in his description he said: ‘While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up toward the sky, and behold! I saw the same angel who came to me in the Cave of Hira’, sitting on a chair between the sky and the Earth. I was so terrified by him that I fell down on the ground. Then I went to my wife and said: ‘Wrap me in garments! Wrap me in garments!’ They wrapped me, and then Allah revealed: ‘O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!’ (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-5). After that, the Divine Inspiration started coming more frequently and regularly.”
So this was the first thing revealed from the Qur’an after the pause in Revelation, not the very first thing to be revealed from the Qur’an; that was: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists) ” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). And it has been confirmed on the authority of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, that the first thing
revealed was: “O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1). And what is most befitting is to understand his words in the light of what we have said, because in the context of his words is that which indicates that when the angel came to him on the second occasion, he recognized him due to him being in the same form as when he saw him on the first occasion. And his saying: “…describing the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration,” is a proof that Inspiration had come to him before this Revelation.
It has been confirmed in the Saheehain – by Al-Bukhari, on the authority of ‘Ali Ibn Al-Mubarak and by Muslim and Al-Awza‘i, on the authority of Yahya Ibn Abi Katheer – that he said, “I asked Abu Salamah Ibn ‘Abdur Rahman what part of the Qur’an was revealed first, and he said, “O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1).” I said, “What about: Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) He replied, “I asked Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah, ‘which part of the Qur’an was revealed first?’ And he said, ‘O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!’ (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1) I asked, what about: ‘Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)’.” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) he said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: I stayed in Hira’ for one month and when my sojourn was completed, I came down and went into the heart of the valley. Somebody called me aloud. I looked in front of me, from behind me, on the right of my side and on my left, but I did not see anybody. I was again called and I looked about but saw nothing. I was called again and raised my head, and there he was, on a throne, in the air. He, i.e. Jibraeel was sitting. I began to tremble
on account of fear. I came to Khadeejah and said, wrap me up. They wrapped me up and threw water on me and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent down this: Then, O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! – up to His Words: And your garments purify (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-4) was revealed.”
In another narration he said: “The angel who came to me in Hira’ was sitting on a throne between the heaven and the Earth and I was terrified of him.”
This is a clear proof that the angel had already come to him and brought down Revelation to him from Allah, the Almighty. And Allah knows best. Some claim that the first thing revealed to him after the pause in Revelation was: “By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord (O, Muhammad) has
neither forsaken you nor hated you” (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3) – up to the end of the Soorah. This was the opinion of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq.
Some say that this is why the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) made Takbeer at the beginning of it, due to his happiness and this is a very strange opinion that is rejected by the authentic narration of a Companion which we have already mentioned. This narration states that the first thing from the Qur’an to be revealed after the pause in Revelation was: “O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1,2), but Soorah Ad-Duha was revealed after another pause, which lasted for a few nights, as confirmed i
MENTION OF HIS AGE AT THE TIME WHEN HE WAS SENT AND THE HISTORY OF IT
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘Amir Ash-Sha‘bi that the Prophethood came on the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he was forty years old. For three years, Angel Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood and he taught him words and things, but the Qur’an was not revealed. Then, after three years, Angel Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood and the Qur’an was revealed over a period of twenty years in Makkah and three years in Madinah. He died when he was sixty-three years old. This chain of narrators is authentic up to Ash-Sha‘bi. This necessitates that Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood for three years after he reached the age of forty years and then Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.
Abu Shamah said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to witness miraculous things before the start of his Prophethood, including that which has been narrated in Saheeh Muslim, on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘I know a stone in Makkah which used to greet me with salutations of peace before I was sent as a Prophet; indeed, I know it now’.”
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) only liked seclusion and solitude from his people because of the clear error in which he saw them, i.e., the worship of idols and prostration to graven images. His love of solitude increased as the time approached when Allah, the Almighty, began sending down the Revelation to him – Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported on the authority of ‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala’ Ibn Jariyah that he said, “It was preserved from one of the scholars that he said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to make a sojourn to the Cave of Hira’ every year for a month, during which time he would devote himself to Allah, the Almighty. One of the practices of Quraish during the Jahiliyyah was that they used to feed any poor person who came to them and after finishing their hospitality, they would not enter their homes until they performed circumambulation of the Ka‘bah’.” This is how it was narrated on the authority of Wahb Ibn Kaisan, who said that he heard ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair telling ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair something like this. This proves that it was the custom of the worshippers from Quraish to remain in the vicinity of Hira’ for the purpose of worship, which is why Abu Talib said in his famous Qasidah (Ode) (Al-Bahr At-Taweel):
By Thawr and Him Who anchored Thabeer in its place,
And one who ascended to Hira’ and descended from it.
And the saying in the Hadith (in Saheeh Muslim): “Tahannuth is worship…” is an explanation of the meaning, but the literal meaning of Tahannuth is to reach the age of mental and physical maturity, according to As-Suhaili. But I have heard a few expressions in language which indicate that its meaning is to abandon sin and refrain from evildoing, while Tahajjud means to forsake Al-Hujood, i.e. sleep, in order to pray; and Tanajjus (to do something that removes one from a state of impurity) and Taqadhdhur (meaning to deem something impure or sinful). These meanings were cited by Abu Shamah. Ibn Al-A‘rabi was asked about Tahannuth meaning worship and he said, “I do not know this; I only know it as being from the Hanifiyyah, the Religion of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him).” Ibn Hisham said, “The Arabs say ‘At-Tahannuth’ and ‘At-Tahannuf’; they replace the letter Tha’ with the letter Fa’.”
As for the words: “…until the Truth came upon him suddenly, while he was in Hira’ Cave,” the meaning is that it came upon him unexpectedly, as Allah, Most High, says, “And you were not expecting that the Book (this Qur’an) would be sent down to you, but it is a Mercy from your Lord.” (Soorah Al-Qasas 28:86) The opening Verses of this Soorah: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen (the first person to write was Prophet Idrees, peace be upon him), has taught man that which he knew not” – were the first Verses revealed to him, as we confirmed in the Tafseer. And we shall also show that they were revealed on a Monday, as it was confirmed thus in Saheeh Muslim, on the authority of Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which the Qur’an was revealed to me.”
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa‘, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Scriptures of Ibrahim were revealed on the first night of Ramadan, the Tawrah was revealed on the sixth day of Ramadan, the Injeel was revealed on the thirteenth night of Ramadan and the Qur’an was revealed on the twenty-fourth day of Ramadan.”
As for the saying of Jibraeel, may Allah be pleased with him, “Read!” and the Prophet’s response: “I am not a literate,” the correct interpretation is that it is a negation, i.e., “I am not one of those who excel at reading.” Among those who favored this meaning were An-Nawawi and before him, Shaikh Abu Shamah. As for those who said that it is a question, it is unlikely, because the letter “Ba’ ” used in the Verse is not added excepted in negative statements. The former interpretation is also supported by the narration of Abu Nu‘aim from the Hadith of Al-Mu‘tamir Ibn Sulaiman, who reported on the authority of his father that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), who was in a state of fear and trembling, said: ‘I have never read a book, I do not excel at it and I can neither read nor write.’ Then Jibraeel seized him and pressed him hard, then released him and said to him, “Read!” And Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I do not see anything to read and I do not read or write.” It was also narrated as: ( )ﻏﻂ as in the Saheehain.” And it was narrated as:وﻗﺪ )ﻏﺘّﻨﻲ) i.e. “he throttled me.” – “until I was exhausted.” And he did this three times.
Abu Sulaiman Al-Khattabi said, “He only did this in order to test his patience, to improve his self-discipline and to train him to bear the burdens of Prophethood with which he had been entrusted. This is why he was afflicted with the feeling similar to that of a feverish person, i.e., shaking and sweating.
As for the words “then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) returned with it (the Inspiration) to Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, with his heart pounding,” in another version, it was stated: “his ‘Bawadir’,” which is the plural of ‘Badirah’. Abu ‘Ubaidah said, “the flesh between the shoulder and the neck.”
As for Khadeejah’s saying, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you,” it was said that it means by causing him to be dishonored and it was also said that it means by causing him sorrow. And this was due to her knowledge of the fine attributes which Allah, the Almighty, had bestowed on him, and that anyone possessing such qualities
would not be disgraced in the life of this world or in the Hereafter. And her saying, “…assist the weak,” means that he used to give those who were responsible for feeding and maintaining their families the wherewithal to carry out those responsibilities. “…benefit those who have nothing,” i.e., you hasten to do good deeds by giving to the poor and you gain the reward of it before others. And a poor person is called ‘Ma‘doom’ because his life is deficient and it is the same to him whether he lives or dies.
Al-Khattabi said, “The correct interpretation of: “…and you benefit those who have nothing” by clothing them or giving them money with which to purchase the necessities of life.” Shaikh Abul Hajjaj Al-Mizzi said that the meaning preferred by him regarding “Al-Ma‘doom” here is: the money that is given. That is, he gives the money to those who have none. As for anyone who claims that what is meant is: You benefit by giving the leftover money from your trade, or by giving a little of that which is valuable, he has gone far astray and attempted to explain a matter of which he has no knowledge, for such a person is not deserving of praise in most cases. This opinion was declared weak by Al-Qadi Iyad, An-Nawawi and others. And Allah knows best.
“You serve your guests generously,” means: You are generous in the hospitality that you offer to them and you provide good accommodation for them. “…And support people afflicted by calamity.” That is, when calamity strikes a person, causing him to lose something good, you help him in it and you stand by the one so afflicted until he finds the means to live.
Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, then took him to her cousin Waraqah. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadeejah 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.”
He did not mention ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), even though he came after Moosa (Peace be upon him), because the Law given to the former was a completion and a perfection of that given to the latter (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both) and some of it was abrogated, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, as He, Most High, says,
“…and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to
you.” (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:50).
And this saying of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal is like the saying of the Jinn: They said, “O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Qur’an) sent down after Moosa, confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).” (Soorah Al-Ahqaf 46:30).
Then Waraqah said, “I wish I were young…” i.e., I wish that I was a young man today, firm of faith and possessing beneficial knowledge and able to perform righteous deeds. And his saying, “…and I wish that I could live up to the time when your people will drive you out…” – means so that I might depart with you and support you.
When he said this, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Will they drive me out?” As-Suhaili said, “He only said this because leaving one’s homeland is a great hardship for human beings. Waraqah then replied, “Yes. All those who brought something similar to what you have brought were treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out, then I would support you strongly.” That is, I would support you to the utmost of my ability, always. Then ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, added, “But Waraqah, did not remain, but died.” That is, he only lived for a few days after hearing this story, after which he died – may Allah have mercy on him and may He be pleased with him – for words such as those that emanated from him prove that he believed what he heard, had faith in the Revelation about which he was informed and had a righteous intention to support him in the future.
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) about Waraqah and he said: “I saw him and he was wearing.
white garments; and I think that if he had been one of the inhabitants of the Fire, he would not have been wearing white garments.”
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not malign Waraqah, for I have seen one or two Gardens for him.”
Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by ‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala’ Ibn Jariyah Ath-Thaqafi, who reported from one of the scholars, that when Allah, the Almighty, willed to honor the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and to commence the Prophethood, whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, he would go far away, until the houses were hidden from his sight and he would proceed to the ravines of Makkah and the bottoms of its valleys and whenever he passed by a rock or a tree, it would say, “May Allah’s peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!” The narrator said, “And he would look around him, to the right and to the left and behind him, but would see nothing but trees and rocks. He continued to see and hear for as long as Allah, the Almighty, willed, then Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Revelation with which Allah, the Almighty, had honored him while he was in Hira’, in the month of Ramadan.”
Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by Wahb Ibn Kaisan, the freed slave of the family of Az-Zubair: “I heard ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, say to ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair Ibn Qatadah Al-Laithi, ‘O ‘Ubaid! Tell us show Prophethood began for the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) when Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.’ He (Wahb) said, ‘ ‘Ubaid said to ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair and those people who were with him, while I was present, The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to remain in Hira’ for one month of every year, performing Tahannuth and this was something held to be obligatory by Quraish in the Jahiliyyah. Tahannuth means to perform acts of devotion and piety and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend that month every year in feeding the poor and needy who came to him. When he finished his sojourn in that month, the first thing that he would do was to go to the Ka‘bah before entering his house and he would circumambulate it seven times or as many as Allah, the Almighty, willed. Then he would return to his house and he continued this practice until the year when Allah, the Almighty, willed to ennoble him by bestowing Prophethood on him.
That month was the month of Ramadan, when he set out for Hira’, just as he did every year. His family was with him until the night when Allah, the Almighty, ennobled him with the Message and bestowed Mercy on the slaves through him. Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Commandment of Allah, the Almighty. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to me while I was sleeping, with a rug of silk brocade on which there was writing, 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. He said again: ‘Read!’ And I said: ‘What shall I read?’ Then he pressed me until I felt that I was dying, then he released me. He said again: ‘Read!’ I said: ‘What shall I read?’ I only said this because I feared that he would do the same thing to me again. Then he 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 the manurial which he know not’.” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1-5).”
He said: “So I recited it and then he desisted and left me and I got up from my bed and it was as if he had written something in my heart.”
He added: “Then I departed and when I was halfway down the mountain, I heard a voice from the sky saying, ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel’.”
The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I raised my head to the sky to look and I saw Jibraeel in the form of a man whose feet were on the horizon. He said: ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel.’ I stopped and looked at him. His sight distracted my attention from what I had intended to do. I stood in my place transfixed. I tried to shift my eyes away from him, but he was in every direction I looked at. I stopped in my place without any movement until Khadeejah sent someone to look for me. He went down to Makkah and came back while I was standing in the same place. Jibraeel then departed and I went back home.
I found Khadeejah at home, so I sat very close to her. She said, ‘O Abul-Qasim! Where have you been? I sent someone to look for you. He went to Makkah and returned to me.’ I told her of what I had seen. She replied, ‘Be of good cheer, O my cousin and be strong. For by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be a Prophet for this
nation’.”
Then she stood up and went to Waraqah and informed him. Waraqah said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Waraqah, if you have told me the truth, O Khadeejah, he has received the same great Namoos who was sent to Moosa. He is the Prophet of this nation. Tell him to be strong.”
She returned to him and told him of Waraqah’s words. When the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) finished his sojourn and had done what he always did: he began by circumambulating the Ka‘bah, where he was met by Waraqah, who was also circumambulating the Ka‘bah, and he said to him, “O my nephew! Inform me of what you saw and heard.” So the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) did so and he said, “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you are the Prophet of this nation and you have received the same great Namoos who was sent to Moosa.
And they will certainly believe you, harm you, expel you and fight you.
If I live to see that day, I would certainly help in Allah’s Cause to the utmost of my ability.” Then he lowered his head to him and kissed the crown of his head. Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) departed and returned to his house.”
Imam Muslim narrated in his Saheeh on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I know a rock in Makkah that used to give salutations of peace to me before I was sent (as a Messenger); I know it even now.”
Al-Bukhari said in the narration which we mentioned earlier, “…and the Divine Inspiration was 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 top of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Jibraeel (Peace be upon 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.”
And it was reported in the Saheehain on the authority of Jabir Ibn Abdullah that he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) describe the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration, and in his description he said: ‘While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up toward the sky, and behold! I saw the same angel who came to me in the Cave of Hira’, sitting on a chair between the sky and the Earth. I was so terrified by him that I fell down on the ground. Then I went to my wife and said: ‘Wrap me in garments! Wrap me in garments!’ They wrapped me, and then Allah revealed: ‘O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!’ (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-5). After that, the Divine Inspiration started coming more frequently and regularly.”
So this was the first thing revealed from the Qur’an after the pause in Revelation, not the very first thing to be revealed from the Qur’an; that was: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists) ” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). And it has been confirmed on the authority of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, that the first thing
revealed was: “O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1). And what is most befitting is to understand his words in the light of what we have said, because in the context of his words is that which indicates that when the angel came to him on the second occasion, he recognized him due to him being in the same form as when he saw him on the first occasion. And his saying: “…describing the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration,” is a proof that Inspiration had come to him before this Revelation.
It has been confirmed in the Saheehain – by Al-Bukhari, on the authority of ‘Ali Ibn Al-Mubarak and by Muslim and Al-Awza‘i, on the authority of Yahya Ibn Abi Katheer – that he said, “I asked Abu Salamah Ibn ‘Abdur Rahman what part of the Qur’an was revealed first, and he said, “O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1).” I said, “What about: Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) He replied, “I asked Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah, ‘which part of the Qur’an was revealed first?’ And he said, ‘O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!’ (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1) I asked, what about: ‘Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)’.” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) he said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: I stayed in Hira’ for one month and when my sojourn was completed, I came down and went into the heart of the valley. Somebody called me aloud. I looked in front of me, from behind me, on the right of my side and on my left, but I did not see anybody. I was again called and I looked about but saw nothing. I was called again and raised my head, and there he was, on a throne, in the air. He, i.e. Jibraeel was sitting. I began to tremble
on account of fear. I came to Khadeejah and said, wrap me up. They wrapped me up and threw water on me and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent down this: Then, O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! – up to His Words: And your garments purify (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-4) was revealed.”
In another narration he said: “The angel who came to me in Hira’ was sitting on a throne between the heaven and the Earth and I was terrified of him.”
This is a clear proof that the angel had already come to him and brought down Revelation to him from Allah, the Almighty. And Allah knows best. Some claim that the first thing revealed to him after the pause in Revelation was: “By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord (O, Muhammad) has
neither forsaken you nor hated you” (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3) – up to the end of the Soorah. This was the opinion of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq.
Some say that this is why the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) made Takbeer at the beginning of it, due to his happiness and this is a very strange opinion that is rejected by the authentic narration of a Companion which we have already mentioned. This narration states that the first thing from the Qur’an to be revealed after the pause in Revelation was: “O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1,2), but Soorah Ad-Duha was revealed after another pause, which lasted for a few nights, as confirmed in the Saheehain and other collections of Ahadeeth, on the authority of Al-Aswad Ibn Qais, who reported on the authority of Jundub Ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Bajali that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) fell ill and did not offer the prayers for one, two or three nights and a woman (the wife of Abu Lahab) came to him and said, “O, Muhammad! I do not see but that your devil has left you.” Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed: “By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord (O, Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you.” (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3)
In this way, the aim of sending the Message to the people was achieved and before it began the Prophethood. Some say that the period of the pause was around two and a half years. And it would appear – and Allah knows best – that it was the period when Mika’el (Michael) was associated with him, as Ash-Sha‘bi and others said. And this does not contradict the fact that Jibraeel brought to him first: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists).” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). Then Jibraeel became associated with him after the revelation of: “O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-5)
Then the Revelation increased in frequency after that and continued without interruption; and then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) began to disseminate the Message in the most complete manner, exerting himself to the utmost in calling upon all of mankind – including his close kith and kin and those more distant from him, the slaves and freemen. All those of understanding and those of superior character believed, while all those who were stubborn oppressors continued to disobey him and oppose him. The first of the freemen to hasten to affirm his belief was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq. The first of the young boys was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib; the first of the women to embrace Islam was Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, the wife of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him); and the first of the freed slaves to embrace Islam was his freed slave, Zaid Ibn Harithah Al-Kalbi – may Allah be pleased with all of them and may He please them. We have already spoken about the faith of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal because of the Revelation imparted to him; but he died during the pause in Revelation, may Allah be pleased with him.
n the Saheehain and other collections of Ahadeeth, on the authority of Al-Aswad Ibn Qais, who reported on the authority of Jundub Ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Bajali that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) fell ill and did not offer the prayers for one, two or three nights and a woman (the wife of Abu Lahab) came to him and said, “O, Muhammad! I do not see but that your devil has left you.” Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed: “By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord (O, Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you.” (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3)
In this way, the aim of sending the Message to the people was achieved and before it began the Prophethood. Some say that the period of the pause was around two and a half years. And it would appear – and Allah knows best – that it was the period when Mika’el (Michael) was associated with him, as Ash-Sha‘bi and others said. And this does not contradict the fact that Jibraeel brought to him first: “Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists).” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). Then Jibraeel became associated with him after the revelation of: “O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-5)
Then the Revelation increased in frequency after that and continued without interruption; and then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) began to disseminate the Message in the most complete manner, exerting himself to the utmost in calling upon all of mankind – including his close kith and kin and those more distant from him, the slaves and freemen. All those of understanding and those of superior character believed, while all those who were stubborn oppressors continued to disobey him and oppose him. The first of the freemen to hasten to affirm his belief was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq. The first of the young boys was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib; the first of the women to embrace Islam was Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, the wife of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him); and the first of the freed slaves to embrace Islam was his freed slave, Zaid Ibn Harithah Al-Kalbi – may Allah be pleased with all of them and may He please them. We have already spoken about the faith of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal because of the Revelation imparted to him; but he died during the pause in Revelation, may Allah be pleased with him.
By Ibn Katheer
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