Fath al-Rabbani

Narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she says: The beginning of revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was in the form of true dreams during sleep. Whatever dream he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw, it would come true like the break of dawn. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) began to prefer seclusion and would go to the Cave of Hira and worship there for several nights, taking provisions for those days. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would return to Sayyida Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and take provisions again for as many days, until suddenly the truth came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) one day while he was in the Cave of Hira. The angel came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Read." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am not one who reads." So he took hold of me and pressed me so hard that I felt great difficulty, then he released me and said: "Read." I said: "I am not one who reads." He took hold of me again and pressed me until I felt great difficulty, then he released me and said again: "Read." I said: "I am not one who reads." He took hold of me and pressed me a third time until I felt great difficulty, then he said: {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّکَ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَ … … مَا لَمْ یَعْلَمْ} Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) returned home, while the flesh of his shoulders was trembling. He (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Sayyida Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "Cover me!" So they covered him until his fear subsided. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Khadijah! What has happened to me?" Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated the whole incident to her and said: "I fear for myself." But she said: "Never! Be happy. By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you, for you maintain ties of kinship, speak the truth, bear the burdens of others, host guests, and help in matters of truth." Then she took him (peace and blessings be upon him) to Waraqah bin Nawfal, who was the son of her paternal uncle and had adopted Christianity during the time of ignorance. Since he could write in Arabic, he used to write the Gospel in Arabic. He was an old man and had become blind. Sayyida Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him: "O son of my uncle! Listen to your nephew." Waraqah said: "Nephew! What do you see?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated everything in detail. Waraqah said: "This is the same Namus (angel) who was sent down to Musa (peace be upon him). Would that I were strong when your people will drive you out." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Will they drive me out?" Waraqah said: "Yes, no man has ever come with what you have brought except that he was opposed, and if I live to see that day, I will support you strongly." But soon after, Waraqah passed away and the revelation ceased. Now the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was grieved, and indeed it reached us that his grief became so intense that he (peace and blessings be upon him) several times intended to throw himself from the tops of mountains. Whenever he (peace and blessings be upon him) climbed to the top of a mountain to throw himself down, Jibreel (peace be upon him) would appear before him and say: "O Muhammad! Indeed, you are truly the Messenger of Allah." At this, his (peace and blessings be upon him) heart would become calm and his soul would be at peace, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) would return. When the period would become prolonged and the revelation would remain suspended, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would do the same again, and when he reached the top of the mountain, Jibreel (peace be upon him) would appear to him and repeat the same words as before.

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Then the revelation stopped, so one day I was walking when I heard a voice from the sky. When I looked up, I saw that the same angel who had come to me in the cave of Hira was now sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I began to tremble with fear of him, until I bent towards the ground. Then I came to my family and said: Cover me with a blanket, cover me with a blanket, cover me with a blanket. So they covered me with a sheet. Then Allah Almighty revealed the verses: {یَا أَ یُّھَا الْمُدَّثِّرْ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّکَ فَکَبِّرْ وَثِیَابَکَ فَطَھِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاہْجُرْ} O you who are wrapped in a blanket, arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your garments, and shun uncleanliness. Abu Salamah said: By uncleanliness is meant idols. After that, the revelation began to come frequently and in abundance.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I secluded myself in the Cave of Hira for a month. When I completed this period and descended to the open area of the valley, I was called. I looked ahead, behind, to my right and to my left, but I saw nothing. Then I was called again. I looked in the same way, but could not see anyone. Then I was called again. This time, when I raised my head, I saw that the angel was sitting on a throne in the air. In another narration: He was sitting on a throne between the heaven and the earth. This caused me to tremble severely. I went to Khadijah and said: Cover me with a blanket. So they covered me with a blanket and poured water over me. Then Allah the Exalted revealed these verses: {یَا أَ یُّھَا الْمُدَّثِّرْ قُمْ فَأَ نْذِرْ وَرَبَّکَ فَکَبِّرْ وَثِیَابَکَ فَطَھِّرْ} O you who wraps himself [in a cloak], arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your garments.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I secluded myself in the Cave of Hira for a month. When I completed this period and descended to the open area of the valley, I was called. I looked ahead, behind, to my right and to my left, but I saw nothing. Then I was called again. I looked in the same way, but could not see anyone. Then I was called again. This time, when I raised my head, I saw that the angel was sitting on a throne in the air. In another narration: He was sitting on a throne between the heaven and the earth. This caused me to tremble severely. I went to Khadijah and said: Cover me with a blanket. So they covered me with a blanket and poured water over me. Then Allah the Exalted revealed these verses: {یَا أَ یُّھَا الْمُدَّثِّرْ قُمْ فَأَ نْذِرْ وَرَبَّکَ فَکَبِّرْ وَثِیَابَکَ فَطَھِّرْ} O you who wraps himself [in a cloak], arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your garments.

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Then the revelation stopped, so one day I was walking when I heard a voice from the sky. When I looked up, I saw that the same angel who had come to me in the cave of Hira was now sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I began to tremble with fear of him, until I bent towards the ground. Then I came to my family and said: Cover me with a blanket, cover me with a blanket, cover me with a blanket. So they covered me with a sheet. Then Allah Almighty revealed the verses: {یَا أَ یُّھَا الْمُدَّثِّرْ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّکَ فَکَبِّرْ وَثِیَابَکَ فَطَھِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاہْجُرْ} O you who are wrapped in a blanket, arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your garments, and shun uncleanliness. Abu Salamah said: By uncleanliness is meant idols. After that, the revelation began to come frequently and in abundance.