Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … From this hadith, it is understood that the very first five verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed: {اِقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّکَ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَ۔ خَلَقَ الْاِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ۔ اقْرَئْ وَرَبُّکَ الْاَکْرَمُ۔ الَّذِیْ عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ۔ عَلَّمَ الْاِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ یَعْلَمْ} The meaning of “the break of dawn” is that the dream would appear to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as being fulfilled clearly in wakefulness. The sequence of dreams served as a prelude for the angel and for revelation; due to this sequence, human faculties become prepared to bear the burden of revelation. The mention by Sayyidah Khadijah radi Allahu anha of the noble character and qualities of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and her comforting him, shows that noble morals and virtuous qualities are a means of safety from a bad end.

The descent of revelation was to grant the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the greatest rank among humanity, yet the trembling of the flesh on his shoulders, Sayyidah Khadijah radi Allahu anha covering him with a garment at his request, then his saying, “Khadijah! What has happened to me? I fear for myself,” and then, when revelation paused for a while, his falling into the state described at the end of the hadith—all these matters contain nothing that would allow for objection against the blessed hadiths or their trustworthy narrators. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was granted the ability to go to the Cave of Hira’ and the sequence of dreams was started for him in order to lighten such states. In reality, in the beginning, bearing the burden of prophethood is a rather difficult stage for human faculties; later, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would become anxious due to the delay of Jibril alayhis salam, though this is our estimation—truly, only the Prophets and Messengers know best what it is like to receive the burden of prophethood. During the descent of revelation, even in severe cold, sweat would drip from the blessed forehead of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself said that when revelation comes in the sound of a bell, he faces great hardship and severity at that time. The noble Companions did not ask the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about the nature of this severity. Consider: when Musa alayhis salam saw the mountain shattered to pieces due to the manifestation of Allah Ta‘ala, he fell unconscious, even though moments before he was insisting on seeing Allah Ta‘ala.

The anxiety of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam described at the end has also been explained as follows: when the sequence of revelation was interrupted for about three years, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam began to fear that perhaps he had committed some act or cause for which he was being punished, or perhaps this state was due to the grief that overtook him because of the delay in revelation, while he had not yet been informed that he was Allah’s Messenger and had been sent to the people. Reflect: what was the status of Waraqah ibn Nawfal compared to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, yet he was the one consoling him, because he knew that such things happen with the Prophets.

It is better to understand the feelings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam described in this blessed hadith as his natural disposition. When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had taken up the burden of prophethood and attained full access to his station, then he became capable of receiving the entire Qur’an in various sessions of revelation, of receiving Allah Ta‘ala’s messages through other types of revelation besides the Qur’an, of witnessing the scenes of Paradise and Hell, of journeying through the heavens in the event of Isra’ and Mi‘raj, of hearing the sound of stones falling in Hell and the opening of the gates of the heavens, of witnessing the state of punishment of those being tormented in their graves, of perceiving his physical nourishment even in the abundance of worship, and so on. And Allah knows best what is correct.