The beginning of the revelation to the messenger of Allah ﷺ

A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah ﷺ, reported: The first (form) with which was started the revelation to the Messenger of Allah was the true vision in sleep. And he did not see any vision but it came like the bright gleam of dawn. Thenceforth solitude became dear to him and he used to seclude himself in the cave of Hira', where he would engage in tahannuth (and that is a worship for a number of nights) before returning to his family and getting provisions again for this purpose. He would then return to Khadija and take provisions for a like period, till Truth came upon him while he was in the cave of Hira'. There came to him the angel and said: Recite, to which he replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me [the Apostle said] and pressed me, till I was hard pressed;
thereafter he let me off and said: Recite. I said: I am not lettered. He then again took hold of me and pressed me for the second time till I was hard pressed and then let me off and said: Recite, to which I replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me and pressed me for the third time, till I was hard pressed and then let me go and said: Recite in the name of your Lord Who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite. And your most bountiful Lord is He Who taught the use of pen, taught man what he knew not (al-Qur'an, xcvi. 1-4). Then the Prophet returned therewith, his heart was trembling, and he went to Khadija and said: Wrap me up, wrap me up! So they wrapped him till the fear had left him. He then said to Khadija: O Khadija! what has happened to me? and he informed her of the happening, saying: I fear for myself. She replied: It can't be. Be happy. I swear by Allah that He shall never humiliate you. By Allah, you join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people's burden, you help the destitute, you entertain guests, and you help against the vicissitudes which affect people. Khadija then took him to Waraqa b. Naufal b. Asad b. 'Abd al-'Uzza, and he was the son of Khadija's uncle, i. e., the brother of her father. And he was the man who had embraced Christianity in the Days of Ignorance (i. e. before Islam) and he used to write books in Arabic and, therefore, wrote Injil in Arabic as God willed that he should write. He was very old and had become blind Khadija said to him: O uncle! listen to the son of your brother. Waraqa b. Naufal said: O my nephew! what did you see? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then, informed him what he had seen, and Waraqa said to him: It is namus that God sent down to Musa. Would that I were then (during your prophetic career) a young man. Would that I might be alive when your people would expel you! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Will they drive me out? Waraqa said: Yes. Never came a man with a like of what you have brought but met hostilities. If I see your day I shall help you wholeheartedly.

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْىِ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةَ فِي النَّوْمِ فَكَانَ لاَ يَرَى رُؤْيَا إِلاَّ جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصُّبْحِ ثُمَّ حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلاَءُ فَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ يَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ - وَهُوَ التَّعَبُّدُ - اللَّيَالِيَ أُولاَتِ الْعَدَدِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ وَيَتَزَوَّدُ لِذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَيَتَزَوَّدُ لِمِثْلِهَا حَتَّى فَجِئَهُ الْحَقُّ وَهُوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ . قَالَ " مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجَهْدَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ . قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي الثَّانِيَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجَهْدَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ . فَقُلْتُ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي الثَّالِثَةَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجَهْدَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي . فَقَالَ { اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ * خَلَقَ الإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ * اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الأَكْرَمُ * الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ * عَلَّمَ الإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ} " . فَرَجَعَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرْجُفُ بَوَادِرُهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَقَالَ " زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي " . فَزَمَّلُوهُ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الرَّوْعُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِخَدِيجَةَ " أَىْ خَدِيجَةُ مَا لِي " . وَأَخْبَرَهَا الْخَبَرَ قَالَ " لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي " . قَالَتْ لَهُ خَدِيجَةُ كَلاَّ أَبْشِرْ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا وَاللَّهِ إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ وَتَصْدُقُ الْحَدِيثَ وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ وَتَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ . فَانْطَلَقَتْ بِهِ خَدِيجَةُ حَتَّى أَتَتْ بِهِ وَرَقَةَ بْنَ نَوْفَلِ بْنِ أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّ خَدِيجَةَ أَخِي أَبِيهَا وَكَانَ امْرَأً تَنَصَّرَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْكِتَابَ الْعَرَبِيَّ وَيَكْتُبُ مِنَ الإِنْجِيلِ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ وَكَانَ شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ عَمِيَ . فَقَالَتْ لَهُ خَدِيجَةُ أَىْ عَمِّ اسْمَعْ مِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ . قَالَ وَرَقَةُ بْنُ نَوْفَلٍ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي مَاذَا تَرَى فَأَخْبَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَبَرَ مَا رَآهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ هَذَا النَّامُوسُ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُوسَى ﷺ يَا لَيْتَنِي فِيهَا جَذَعًا يَا لَيْتَنِي أَكُونُ حَيًّا حِينَ يُخْرِجُكَ قَوْمُكَ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " أَوَمُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ " . قَالَ وَرَقَةُ نَعَمْ لَمْ يَأْتِ رَجُلٌ قَطُّ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ إِلاَّ عُودِيَ وَإِنْ يُدْرِكْنِي يَوْمُكَ أَنْصُرْكَ نَصْرًا مُؤَزَّرًا " .

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'A'isha with another chain of narrators like one transmitted by Yunus, i. e. the first thing with which the revelation was initiated with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except the words: By Allah, Allah would never humiliate you, and Khadija said: O son of my uncle! Listen to the son of your brother.

وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، قَالَ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ وَأَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْىِ . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ . غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يُحْزِنُكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا . وَقَالَ قَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ أَىِ ابْنَ عَمِّ اسْمَعْ مِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ .

This hadith has been reported from 'A'isha by another chain of transmitters and the words are: He (the Holy Prophet) came to Khadija an his heart was trembling. The rest of the hadith has been narrated like one transmitted by Yunus and Ma'mar, but the first part is not mentioned, i. e. the first thing with which was started the revelation to the Holy Prophet was the true vision. And these words like those transmitted by Yunus are mentioned thus: By Allah, Allah would never humiliate you. And there is also a mention of the words of Khadija: O son of my uncle! Listen to the son of your brother.

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ سَمِعْتُ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ، يَقُولُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ زَوْجُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى خَدِيجَةَ يَرْجُفُ فُؤَادُهُ وَاقْتَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ وَمَعْمَرٍ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَوَّلَ حَدِيثِهِمَا مِنْ قَوْلِهِ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْىِ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ . وَتَابَعَ يُونُسَ عَلَى قَوْلِهِ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا . وَذَكَرَ قَوْلَ خَدِيجَةَ أَىِ ابْنَ عَمِّ اسْمَعْ مِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ .

Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-Ansari who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reportedThe Messenger of Allah ﷺ told about the intermission of revelation and narrated While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky, and raising my head I saw the angel who had come to me in Hira', sitting on a Throne between heaven and earth I was terror-stricken on that account and came back (to my family) and said: Wrap me up, wrap me up! So they wrapped me up, and the Blessed and Most Exalted Allah sent down:" You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse, and defilement shun," and" defilement" means idols;
and then the revelation was followed continuously.

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، - وَكَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ فَتْرَةِ الْوَحْىِ - قَالَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ " فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ جَالِسًا عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ " قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَرَقًا فَرَجَعْتُ فَقُلْتُ زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي . فَدَثَّرُونِي فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ * وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ * وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ} وَهِيَ الأَوْثَانُ قَالَ ثُمَّ تَتَابَعَ الْوَحْىُ .

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Abdullah that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ says: The wahi was intermitted for me for a small span of time and while I was walking, and then the hadith like the one narrated by Yunus was transmitted but with the exception of these words: I was terror-stricken till I fell on the ground. Abu Salama said: Defilement means idols. After this the revelation was speeded up and followed rapidly.

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَنِي جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " ثُمَّ فَتَرَ الْوَحْىُ عَنِّي فَتْرَةً فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي " ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مِثْلَ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " فَجُثِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَرَقًا حَتَّى هَوَيْتُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ " . قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ وَالرُّجْزُ الأَوْثَانُ قَالَ ثُمَّ حَمِيَ الْوَحْىُ بَعْدُ وَتَتَابَعَ

This hadith, the like of one narrated by Yunus has also been transmitted by Ma'mar on the authority of al-Zuhri who narrated: Allah the Most Glorious and Exalted revealed this:" You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse and defilement shun," before making the prayer obligatory. I felt terror-stricken as narrated by Uqail.

وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ يُونُسَ وَقَالَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ} قَبْلَ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ الصَّلاَةُ - وَهِيَ الأَوْثَانُ - وَقَالَ " فَجُثِثْتُ مِنْهُ " . كَمَا قَالَ عُقَيْلٌ

Yahya reported: I asked Abu Salama what was revealed first from the Qur'an. He said:" 0, the shrouded one." I said: Or" Recite." Jabir said: I am narrating to you what was narrated to us by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: I stayed in Hira' for one month and when my stay was completed, I come down and went into the heart of the valley. Somebody called me aloud. I looked in front of me, behind me, on the right of my side and on my left, but I did not see any body. I was again called and I looked about but saw nothing. I was called again and raised my head, and there on the Throne in the open atmosphere he, i. e. Gabriel ﷺ was sitting. I began to tremble on account of fear. I came to Khadija and said: Wrap me up. They wrapped me up and threw water on me and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent down this: you who are shrouded! arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse."

وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى، يَقُولُ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ . فَقُلْتُ أَوِ اقْرَأْ . فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ . فَقُلْتُ أَوِ اقْرَأْ قَالَ جَابِرٌ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ مَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ " جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءٍ شَهْرًا فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي نَزَلْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ بَطْنَ الْوَادِي فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ فِي الْهَوَاءِ - يَعْنِي جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ - فَأَخَذَتْنِي رَجْفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي . فَدَثَّرُونِي فَصَبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ * وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ} " .