The First Revelation||THE ADVENT OF DIVINE REVELATION

 

The First Revelation||THE ADVENT OF DIVINE REVELATION

The advent of divine revelation.

The First Revelation

Coming back to the events of the blessed Night of Honor, he had just come out of the cave; more than half the night had already passed. Standing alone on Mount Hira, he was looking at the shining stars when he saw the large figure of a light being near the horizon. It was approaching towards him slowly. Obviously afraid and perplexed, he kept standing and watched it come closer. Suddenly he heard him say, "Read!" He said, "I cannot read."  The voice commanded again, Read!" He said, "I cannot read." By this time, the Light Being was just before him. He embraced him tightly and a third time told him more forcefully to "Read!"" What should I He asked: The Light Being said:

"Read: In the Name of Your Sustainer, who created everything

"Read: For Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One, "Who taught (man) the use of pen."

"(By that) taught man which he knew not.".

This was the first revelation. The command "Read-IIqra instead of "Say was very significant. It laid down the foundation of a "New World Order,"  signified by the words "Read and Read,"  whose hallmarks would be the "Pen and Book,"  the supreme instruments of knowledge. With their use,

 The followers of the Messenger of Allah were soon to unveil the secrets of nature. Robert Briffalut (14) says in his well-known book "The Making of History,"  "The debt of our science to the Arabs (the Muslims) does not consist of startling discoveries or revolutionary theories. Science owes a great deal more to the Arab culture (Islam): it owes its existence" (14).

Obviously, it was a mind-shaking experience. The Light Being told him that he was angel Gibraeel assigned to transmit the Message of Allah to His Prophets. He also told me that it was his last assignment since Muhammad (PBUH) was the last prophet. The words of Revelation remained "as if inscribed upon his heart."  He went out of the cave on to the hillside and heard the same awe-inspiring voice say, "O Muhammad! You are Allah's Messenger, and I am Gibraeel."  Then he raised his eyes and saw the angel, in the likeness of a man, standing above the horizon. And again the strange voice said, "O Mohammad! You are Allah's messenger, and I am Gibraeel."  The Prophet (PBUH) stood quite still, turning away his face from the brightness of the vision, but wherever he might turn his face, there always stood the angel confronting him.

This state lasted a long while, till at last the angel vanished. Early in the morning, in distress of mind, he returned home to his wife Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her). He was worried and perplexed at what had happened. The words of the Revelation were ringing in his ears (PBUH). He (PBUH) asked her, "Wrap me, wrap me."  So he covered himself with a blanket, toe to head. As he became calm, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "O Khadijah! What has happened to me?" and related the whole episode to her, adding, "I am afraid of this happening.".

She did her best to console him, saying that his conduct had been such that Allah would not let a harmful spirit come to him and that it was her hope that he could be the last Prophet of

Allah to mankind, foretold in the golden books, and being awaited by the Jews, Christians, and followers of other religions.

 The next day Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) took him to her cousin Warga Bin Naufal, who had renounced idolatry and became a Christian. He had grown very old and blind but knew the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians by heart. He declared his belief that the heavenly Messenger who came to Moses had come to Mohammad (PBUH) and that he was chosen as the Prophet (PBUH). As for his vision of the light being, he said that it was the same angel whom Allah had sent to Moses. " Then Warqa added, "I wish I could live to the day when your people will turn you out!". "Will my people expel me?" inquired the Prophet (PBUH). "Yes,"  said Warqa. "There has been no man who brought what you will bring, and he was not opposed. If I survive till that time, I shall help you.".

Not long afterwards, however, Warga Bin Naufal died. May Allah have mercy on him for his righteousness?

Reasons for His Distress of Mind

To understand the reasons for the Prophet's diffidence and his distress of mind after the vision at Mount Hira, Marmaduke Pickthal (11) says, "He was a man of humble and devout intelligence, a lover of silence and solitude. He had never thought that he would be the Prophet of Allah. The very idea of being chosen out of all mankind to face them alone with such a message appalled him at the first encounter with the angel Gabriel. The Divine nature of the call involved a change in his whole life, sufficiently disturbing to a sensitive and honest mind.". 

After that began the period of great mental tension for him. What next was the question that bothered him the day and

 night?   He anxiously waited for Gibraeel to come and guide him. But he did not visit. He was no longer the cheerful person he was. Under the burden of responsibility for peace of mind, he would cover himself fully under a cloak with eyes closed for hours on his bed. It must have been a difficult period for Khadija (RAH), who always gave him confidence and was the first to say, "I believe in you.".

The Prophet (PBUH) also resumed his meditations in the heart of Hira. In frustration, he would walk on the peaks to win that he may fall and die. The burden on his mind was inching unbearable, as one can read from Surah Alam-Nashrah.

"Have we not expanded for you, your breast? And removed from you your burden that galled your back and raised high your esteem." Abdullah Yousaf Ali

This situation lasted for about six months. One benefit that occurred from this interval was that the awe of the first revelation on his heart wore off and he became eager for it. After some time, Gibraeel began to pay consolation visits to him off and on, assuring him that he had been chosen as the last of the Messengers of Allah to all mankind. Continuous visits of Gabriel and the conviction that was brought with it helped him to prepare for the tremendous task imposed on him. Overwhelmed with the feeling of obedience to Allah, he felt pride in being called "The Slave of Allah (Abdullah)." 

However, the experience of receiving Revelation was not an easy task. It is reported that at the moments of revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) used to feel tremendous pressure on him. Even in cold weather he would begin to perspire, and his face would become red. It used to be a semi-conscious state, and generally he covered himself with a piece of cloth. Due to this change in the physical state of the Prophet (PBUH), those near him used to

recognize that angel Gibraeel had come with revelation from Allah.