The First Revelation

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

Hadeeth No. 3

ا بُدِيءَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الْوَحْيِ الرّؤْيَا الصالِحَةُ فِي النّوْمِ, فَكَانَ لاَ يَرَى رُؤْيَا إِلاّ جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصّبْحِ, ثُمّ حُبّبَ إِلَيْهِ الخَلاَءُ, فَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ, فَيَتَحَنّثُ فِيهِ وَهُوَ التّعَبّدُ اللّيَالِيَ ذَوَاتِ الْعَدَدِ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَنْزِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ, وَيَتَزَوّدُ لِذلِكَ, ثُمّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَيَتَزَوّدُ لِمِثْلِهَا, حَتّى جَاءَهُ الْحَقّ وَهُوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ, فَجَاءَهُ المَلَكُ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ, قَالَ: (مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىءٍ). قَالَ: (فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطّنِي حَتّى بَلَغَ مِنّي الْجهْدَ, ثُمّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ, قُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىءٍ, فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطّنِي الثّانِيَة حَتّى بَلَغَ مِنّي الْجهْدَ, ثُمّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ, فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىءٍ, فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطّنِي الثّالِثَةَ, ثُمّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ:(اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبّكَ الّذِي خَلَقَ. خَلَقَ الإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ. اقْرَأْ وَرَبّكَ الأَكْرَمُ)). فَرَجَعَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَرْجُفُ فُؤَادُهُ, فَدَخَلَ عَلى خَدِيجَةَ بِنْتِ خُوَيْلِدٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْها فَقَالَ: (زَمّلُونِي زَمّلُونِي). فَزَمّلُوهُ حَتّى ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الرّوْعُ, فَقَالَ لِخَدِيجَةَ وَأَخْبَرَهَا الْخَبَرَ: (لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي). فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: كَلاّ وَاللهِ مَا يُخْزِيكَ اللهُ أَبَدًا, إِنّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرّحِمَ, وتَحْمِلُ الْكَلّ, وَتَكْسِبُ المَعْدُومَ, وَتَقْرِي الضّيْفَ, وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقّ

فَانْطَلَقَتْ بِهِ خَدِيجَةُ حَتّى أَتَتْ بِهِ وَرَقَةَ بْنَ نَوْفَلِ ابْنِ أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزّى, ابْنَ عَمّ خَدِيجَةَ, وكَانَ امْرَءًا تَنَصّرَ في الْجاهِلِيّةِ, وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْكِتَابَ الْعِبْرَانِيّ, فَيَكْتُبُ مِنَ اِلإِنْجِيلِ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ, وَكَانَ شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ عَمِيَ, فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: يَا ابْنَ عَمّ, اسْمَعْ مِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي مَاذَا تَرَى فَأَخْبَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَبَرَ مَا رَأَى, فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ: هذَا النّامُوسُ الّذِي نَزّلَ اللهُ عَلَى مُوسَى, يَا لَيْتَنِي فِيهَا جَذَعًا, لَيْتَنِي أَكُونُ حَيّا إِذْ يُخْرِجُكَ قَوْمُكَ, فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: (أَوَ مُخْرِجِيّ هُمْ). قَالَ: نَعَمْ, لَمْ يَأْتِ رَجُلٌ قَطّ بِمِثْلِ مَا جِئْتَ بِهِ إِلاّ عُودِيَ, وَإِنْ يُدْرِكْنِي يَوْمُكَ أَنْصُرْكَ نَصْرًا مُؤَزّرًا. ثُمّ لَمْ يَنْشَبْ وَرَقَةُ أَنْ تُوُفّيَ, وَفَتَرَ الْوَحْيُ. رواه البخاري: ٣

3. Narrated 'Aisha رضى الله عنها , the mother of the faithful believers: The commencement of the (Divine) Inspiration to Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was in the form of righteous good (true) dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hirâ where he used to worship (Allâh Alone) continuously for many nights before returning to (or his desire to see) his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hirâ'. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, I do not know how to read. The Prophet added, Then the angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read'. Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then 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.' (V. 96:13) Then Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid رضى الله عنها and said, Cover me! Cover me! They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told Khadija رضى الله عنها everything that had happened (and said), I fear that something may happen to me. Khadija رضى الله عنها replied, Never! By Allâh, Allâh will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamityafflicted ones. KhadIja رضى الله عنها then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the Period of Ignorance became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allâh عزوجل wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija رضى الله عنها said to him, O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew, Waraqa asked, O my nephew! What have you seen? Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, This is the same one (who keeps the secrets i.e. angel Jibrael (Gabriel)) whom Allâh had sent to Musa (Moses). I wish I were young and could live upto the time when your people would turn you out. Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم asked, Will they drive me out? He replied in the affirmative and said, Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought, was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day (when you will be turned out) then I would support you strongly. But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while. (1:3 (A)O.B.)

Before the commencement of revelation Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to receive righteous dreams. He spent a great deal of time in the Cave of Hira, and this practice is known as Tahannuth (fleeing from sin). The revelation started with the opening verses of Surah Alaq on Monday 17^th of Ramadhan.

The Returning of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to Khadijah (رضى الله عنها)

The Hadeeth goes on to mention the returning of Rasulullah to Khadijah (رضى الله عنها). He returned in such a state of shock and awe after receiving the revelation and seeing Jibra’eel (as) and being crushed by him. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to her "Cover me! Cover me!" To console the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), Khadijah (رضى الله عنها) mentioned five great qualities of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم):

· Keeps ties with those that wish to break them

· Helps people in need

· Is generous to guests

· Provides for the destitute

· Helps those who are afflicted by calamity

We learn a great lesson from this, a lesson for all as well as husband and wife, that is if someone is in shock, frightened we should comfort them calm them and console them rather than question them further which increases the discomfort of the person who has been frightened. The other important lesson is that it is permissible to praise someone in front of them in certain occasions.

An interesting point here is in the life of Abu Bakr (رضى الله عنه) a situation arose when the mushrikeen of Makkah hounded Abu Bakr (رضى الله عنه) out of Makkah. He was leaving and an individual who was a disbeliever asked where he was going. Abu Bakr (رضى الله عنه) explained how the Mushrikeen had hounded him out of Makkah and he had no option but to leave as life was becoming untenable. The individual replied with the same five qualities that Khadijah (رضى الله عنها) had mentioned to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) on his return from the cave after the initial revelation.

The Visit To Waraqa bin Nawfal

The next part of the Hadeeth mentions the visit to Waraqa, many scholars are of the opinion that Waraqa was a Muslim. There is mention in this part of the Hadeeth of Al Namoos which is the carrier of secrets and good and refers to Jibra’eel (عليه السلام).

The final part of the Hadeeth mentions the period of the ceasing of the Wahy and this stopped for about three years, however in this period Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did see Jibra’eel (عليه السلام) but there was no revelation.