The first revelation in the cave of Hira

When the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was forty years old, his life changed forever. His wife Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, later described how revelation began, in a long and authentic report recorded by both al-Bukhari and Muslim. This lesson follows her account closely.

Seeking solitude

It began with true dreams: every dream he saw came true, as clear as the break of dawn. Then he came to love being alone. He would go to the cave of Hira, in a mountain near Makkah, and spend several nights there in worship, taking food with him. Then he would return to his wife Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, and take provisions for another stay.

"Read!"

While he was in the cave of Hira, the truth came to him. Aisha said:

The Angel came to him and said: Read! He said: "I do not know how to read."

Sahih al-Bukhari 3 and Sahih Muslim 160 (agreed upon)

The angel's command was Iqra', "Read!" The angel took hold of him and pressed him hard, then released him and said again: "Read!" This happened three times. Then the angel recited the first verses of the Quran ever revealed, the opening of Surah Al-Alaq:

The very first word of the Quran was Iqra': read, recite. The first message was about knowing your Lord, who created you, who is the Most Generous, and who teaches people what they did not know, bringing them from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge.

Khadijah's comfort

The Prophet returned home with his heart trembling and said: "Cover me! Cover me!" His family covered him until his fear left him. He told Khadijah everything and said: "Indeed, I feared for myself." Khadijah answered with words Muslims still remember:

No, by Allah, Allah will never fail you. Verily, you maintain kinship ties, help those in need, support the destitute, provide the guests with food and shelter, and assist those affected by calamities.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3 and Sahih Muslim 160 (agreed upon)

She did not panic, and she did not doubt him. She looked at his character and knew that Allah would not abandon a man like this. Scholars of the seerah (the Prophet's biography) count her as the first person to believe in him.

Waraqah's words

Khadijah then took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, an old, blind man who had become a Christian before Islam and used to write from the Gospel in Hebrew. When Waraqah heard what had happened, he said:

This is the same Nāmūs (i.e., the angel) whom Allah had sent to Moses.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3 and Sahih Muslim 160 (agreed upon)

Waraqah also told him that his own people would drive him out, because no one had ever come with a message like his without facing hostility. He wished he could live long enough to support him, but he died soon after.

Revelation then paused for a while. Later the Prophet saw the same angel again, and Allah revealed the opening of Surah Al-Muddaththir, commanding him to arise and warn. After that, as the Prophet's companion Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, reported, revelation came strongly and continuously.

Next: how he began to call people to Islam in Makkah, and the hardships the early Muslims faced with patience.

Sources

• Quran 96:1-5 (Saheeh International translation) (opens in a new tab)

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3 and Sahih Muslim 160 (agreed upon) (opens in a new tab)

• Sahih al-Bukhari 4 and Sahih Muslim 161 (agreed upon) (opens in a new tab)

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3902 and Sahih Muslim 2351 (agreed upon) (opens in a new tab)