To understand what transpired in the cave of Hira on a Monday night; August the 10th, 610 C.E. one must take into account the reason why Muhammad* was there. From adolescence Muhammad had developed a yearning for solitude and seclusion over the crowded streets of Makkah which then comprised mostly of drunkards, fornicators and idol worshippers.
Muhammad thus refrained from all such festivals and gatherings that "revolved around idol worship and drinking", as reported by Safiur Rahman in his book When the Moon Split. He began to meditate over the purpose of his life; the impending destruction he thought would come to his people and about his Creator in solitude.
The First Revelation
The account of the first revelation of Quran, conveyed by the angel Gabriel unto Muhammad, is best detailed by Aishah who was the beloved wife of Muhammad and the daughter of Abu Bakr – the first Caliph of Islam. The following version is thus summarized from her words.
It was in the cave of Hira that the angel Gabriel came to Muhammad and remarked: "Read!"
"I cannot read," replied Muhammad who was an illiterate man, unable to read or write. To this reply of Muhammad, the angel took hold of him and pressed him until he could not endure any longer. Gabriel then let go of Muhammad and remarked for a second time: "Read!"
"I cannot read," was the reply of Muhammad. The angel then held him again and pressed him to the limits of his endurance and then let go. Gabriel remarked yet again: "Read!"
"I cannot read," replied Muhammad for the third time. The angel took hold of him again and pressed him until he could not bear it any longer. Then the angel released him and said:
- Read! In the name of your Lord, Who has created. (Al Alaq; The Clot, Verse # 1)
- Has created man from a clot. (Al Alaq; The Clot, Verse # 2)
- Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, (Al Alaq; The Clot, Verse # 3)
- Who has taught by pen, (Al Alaq; The Clot, Verse # 4)
- Has taught man that which he knew not. (Al Alaq; The Clot, Verse # 5)
Muhammad's Reaction
Muhammad was thirty nine years, three months and twenty two days old (according to the solar calendar) at the time of the first revelation. He had been seeking answers to questions no one amongst his fellow men had ever thought of, and God had replied.
Muhammad was shaken and terrified by this experience. He hurried home directly to Khadija and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" Khadija helped him calm down and comforted him. The Prophet then explained to her what had taken place in the cave of Hira and how God had chosen him as a messenger.
This is how Allah had revealed Himself to Muhammad. This is how He chose Muhammad to be the seal of prophets. This is how Allah had chosen His prophet to be a mercy for all mankind. After this revelation, began a series of revelations which were preserved in the form of Quran. Muhammad, an illiterate Arab merchant, was to deliver the very words of God.
* It is incumbent on all those who believe to say "peace be upon him", when ever the name of Muhammad or of any other prophet is mentioned.
Source
Philip K Hitti, History of Arabs, (London, 1989), P.4.
Higgins, Godfrey. An Apology for The Life of Muhammad. Kessinger Publishing, 2003.
Allama Saiyid Sulaiman Nadwi. The Life and Message of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Trans. Mohiuddin Ahmad. Begum Aisha Bawany Waqf, 1925.
Smith, Bosworth. Mohammad and Mohammadanism. Book Tree, 2002.
Muhammad Zakariyyah Kandalvi, Fazail-e-Amaal, Kutub Khana Faizi.
Al Quran, Alaq, 1-5.
Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, When The Moon Split (A Biography of Prophet Muhammad), Trans. Tabassum Siraj, Michael Richardson and Badr Azimabadi. Darussalam, 1998.
"The Beginning of the Revelation." Islamic Occasions. Accessed 13 September 2011.
Junaid Ali - Junaid Ali got his start in the writing business as an academic writer in the freelance commerce. After realizing that the field was too ...
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