Listening in Silence

۱. كتاب بَدء الوَحي إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

The Book of Revelation

Hadeeth No. 4

٤. عَنْ جَابِر بْن عَبْدِ اللهِ الأَنْصَارِيّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُما: وَهُوَ يُحَدّثُ عَنْ فَتْرَةِ الْوَحْيِ, فَقَالَ في حَدِيثِهِ: (بَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السّمَاءِ, فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسي, فَإِذَا المَلَكُ الذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ جَالِسٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيّ بَيْنَ السّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ, فَرُعِبْتُ مِنْهُ, فَرَجَعْتُ فَقُلْتُ: زَمّلُونِي زَمّلُونِي, فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: (يَا أَيّهَا المُدّثّرُ. قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ. وَرَبّكَ فَكَبّرْ. وَثِيابَكَ فَطَهّرْ. وَالرّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ). فَحَمِيَ الْوَحْيُ وَتتَابَعَ). رواه البخاري: ٤

4. Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullâh Al Ansâri رضى الله عنهما while talking about the period of pause in revelation, reported the speech of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم : While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel, who had visited me at the cave of Hirâ, sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got scared of him and came back home and said, 'Wrap me (in blankets).' And then Allâh تعالى revealed the following Holy Verses (of the Qur'ân): 'O you (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم )! Enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn'....up to... 'and keep away from Ar Rujz (the idols)!' (V.74:15). After this, the revelation started coming strongly and frequently in succession one after the other. (1:3(B)O.B.)

This Hadeeth describes how Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would see Jibra’eel (عليه السلام). A point of note is that after the initially revelation the Wahy stopped for about three years, however in this period Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would see Jibra’eel (عليه السلام), as is described in this Hadeeth.

Hadeeth No. 5

٥. عَنِ ابْنِ عَبّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُما في قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: (لاَ تُحَرّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ). قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَالِجُ مِنَ التّنْزِيلِ شِدّةً, وَكَانَ مِمّا يُحَرّكُ شَفَتَيْهِ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبّاسٍ: فَأَنَا أُحَرّكُهُمَا كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحَرّكُهُمَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: (لاَ تُحَرّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ. إِنّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ). قَالَ: جَمْعَهُ لَكَ في صَدْرِكَ وَتَقْرَأُهُ: (فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتّبعْ قُرْآنَهُ). قالَ: فاسْتَمِعْ لَهُ وَأَنْصِتْ: (ثُمّ إِنّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ). ثُمّ إِنّ عَلَيْنَا أَنْ تَقْرَأَهُ, فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ ذلِكَ إِذَا أَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ اسْتَمَعَ, فَإِذَا انْطَلَقَ جِبْرِيلُ قَرَأَهُ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَمَا قَرَأَهُ. رواه البخاري: ٥

5. Narrated Ibn 'Abbâs رضى الله عنهما in the explanation of the Statement of Allah تعالى : Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’an, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ), to make haste therewith. (V.75:16) said, Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to bear the revelation with great stress and hardness, and used to move his lips (quickly with the Inspiration). Ibn 'Abbâs moved his lips saying, I am moving my lips (in front of you) as Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to move his. So Allah عزوجل revealed, Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’an O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) the ability to recite it (the Qur’an) (V.75:16,17,) (which means that Allah عزوجل will make him (the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ) remember the portion of the Qur’an which was revealed at that time by heart (and recite it)). The Statements of Allah عزوجل : And when We have recited it to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم through Jibrael (Gabriel)) then follow you its (the Qur’an’s) recital (V.75:18) (means 'listen to it and be silent'). Then it is for Us (Allah) to make it clear to you (V.75:19) (means then it is (for Allah) to make you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your tongue)). Afterwards, Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to listen to Jibrael (Gabriel) whenever he came and after his departure he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite it as Jibrael (Gabriel) had recited it. (1: 4O.B.)

In this Hadeeth we learn that in the earliest period of revelation Jibra’eel (عليه السلام) used to come and recite the Qur’an to Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and in his eagerness to preserve the Wahy, Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to move his lips –in an attempt to memorize the Wahy i.e. the Qur’an. It is in this context that the verses of Surah Qiyamah were revealed

The verses mentioned in this Hadeeth are verses from Surah Qiyamah and the Hadeeth is an explanation to these verses. The Hadeeth explains to us the etiquette of listening to the Qur’an when it is been recited. As Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions in the Qur’an That when the Quran is recited remain silent and listen to it attentively so that Allah may have mercy upon you. And also highlighted to us is the etiquette of gaining knowledge, that one has to been fully attentive, listening with intent and silence to ones teacher.