Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not mention the hadith of Uthman bin Umar in Sahih Bukhari.
However, Imam Muslim rahimahullah has mentioned this narration.
In it, it is stated that when I raised my head upwards, I saw the Angel of Revelation who was sitting on a throne, and the throne was between the earth and the sky. When I saw him, trembling overtook me.
I came to Khadijah radi Allahu anha.
After that, the same incident is narrated as in the previous hadith.
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Iman, Hadith: 410.
(161)
In this hadith, Allah Ta’ala conveyed to you that now the time for sleep has passed; warn them and the people of Makkah of their evil end when they do not believe.
Wallahu al-musta‘an.

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith):
[101۔ البخاري فى : 65 كتاب التفسير : 74 سورة المدثر : باب حدثنا يحييٰ، حديث: 4922]

Understanding the Hadith:
From these ahadith, it is understood that the first revelation sent down to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam were these initial verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq: «اِقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ * خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ * اِقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ». Then, due to the intense anxiety experienced by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the revelation was interrupted for a short period. Regarding the duration of this interruption, what Shaykh Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah has stated to be correct is that this interruption lasted only a few days; the opinions of it being three years or two years are not correct. [الرحيق المختوم، عربي ايڈيشن ص : 52]
Then, when the anxiety of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was removed, the second revelation was sent down in the form of these initial verses of Surah Al-Muddathir: «يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ * وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ * وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ *»

Hadith Commentary:
The first revelation was Surah ﴿Iqra’ bismi rabbika allathee khalaq﴾. After that, this sequence was discontinued for a period of time.
Then the first verse ﴿Ya ayyuhu al-muddaththir﴾ was revealed (as mentioned in the books of tafsir).

Hadith Commentary:
There are two well-known opinions regarding which verses of the Noble Qur’an were revealed first:

➊ The majority of scholars hold the view that the initial five verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed first.

➋ The first to be revealed was Surah Al-Muddathir, as is the position of Hazrat Jabir radi Allahu anhu.

The following reconciliations have been presented between these two opinions:

➊ Absolutely, the verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed first, but the first complete surah to be revealed was Al-Muddathir.

➋ Before the period of interruption (fatrah), the verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed, and after the period of interruption, the first to be revealed was Surah Al-Muddathir.

➌ There was no specific cause for the revelation of the verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq, whereas after a cause arose, the first to be revealed was Surah Al-Muddathir.

Nevertheless, preference is given to the first position, because in the hadith of Jabir it is mentioned that when I raised my head, I saw the same angel whom I had seen in Hira, sitting on a chair between the heaven and the earth.

From this, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had already seen the angel of revelation and had already met him.

And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
After Surah "Iqra’ bismi rabbika allathee khalaq" these are the first verses that were revealed to you, in which you were commanded to preach Islam.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
There are great rulers and their vast empires in the world. But in the face of Allah’s majesty, they hold no significance whatsoever. From the very first day, this message was given to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam): that great powers may stand in the way of your mission. Do not pay them any heed; rather, state clearly that my Lord is greater than all those who may stand to block the path of my call.

➋
In any case, when the impression of Allah’s majesty is firmly imprinted upon a person’s heart, he becomes ready, for the sake of Allah, to stand alone against the entire world. This is precisely why the declaration of Allah’s greatness—namely, the phrase “Allahu Akbar”—holds immense importance in Islam. Furthermore, this phrase is repeated six times in the call to prayer (adhan), and every prayer (salah) is inaugurated with this very phrase. Then, in every unit (rak‘ah) of the prayer, “Allahu Akbar” is recited multiple times. This is so that the concept of Allah’s majesty remains ever-present before a Muslim at all times.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The society to which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) brought the message of Islam was not only afflicted with impurities of beliefs and morals, but was also unfamiliar with even the basic concept of purity and cleanliness (taharah wa nazafah). The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had to teach these people the lesson of purity in every respect; therefore, it was instructed that you should establish a high standard of purity and cleanliness (taharah wa nazafah) in your outward life as well.
Moreover, for the purity of the soul, the cleanliness of the body and clothing is also extremely necessary.

➋
It is the fruit of this initial lesson that every book of our hadith and jurisprudence (fiqh) begins with “Kitab al-Taharah” (The Book of Purification), in which the distinction between purity and impurity and the methods of purification are described in great detail.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never engaged in idol worship. However, his people were idol worshippers. Thus, it was emphatically said to him that he should completely dissociate himself from the idol-worshipping people.

Hadith Commentary:
➊ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) never engaged in idol worship, but his people were idolaters. In reality, this command is being given to the people through you.

➋ Above, "al-rijz" has been explained as synonymous with punishment, because by worshipping them, a person reaches punishment. In other words, these are a cause of Allah's punishment; therefore, they have been considered synonymous with punishment.

And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Idolatry is a filthy act in Islam.
That is why idolaters have been referred to as ﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ﴾ (al-Tawbah: 28)
— meaning that those who commit shirk are impure.
Whether they are worshippers of idols or of graves, both hold the same status in the sight of Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Idolatry is a filthy act in the religion of Islam.
Allah, the Exalted, has declared idolaters to be impure and defiled.
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ﴾ “Indeed, the polytheists are impure, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram.” ()
Those who commit shirk are considered filthy and defiled in the sight of Allah, whether they are worshippers of idols or attendants at graves.
In the sight of Allah, both hold the same status.
➋
In any case, Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has used this hadith as evidence for the existence of angels,
and has described their activities.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Fatratu al-wahy:
The cessation of revelation,
interruption,
the continuity of its descent not being maintained.
(2)
Faju’ithtu:
I became overawed and frightened,
became anxious.
Derived from "ja’th."
(3)
Faraq:
Fear and dread.
Benefits and Issues:
After the cessation of revelation, the very first revelation to be sent down were the verses of Surah al-Muddathir.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
جَاوَرْتُ (Jāwartu):
I performed seclusion and i‘tikaf (spiritual retreat),
the root is jawār,
to reside as a neighbor,
to stay in a place.

(2)
اسْتَبْطَنْتُ (Istabtantu):
Derived from baṭn (belly),
to go inside,
I went inside the valley.

(3)
عَرْشٌ (Arsh):
Bedstead,
chair,
throne.

(4)
رَجْفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ (Rajfah Shadīdah):
Severe trembling,
intense shivering,
extreme anxiety.

Benefits and Issues:
From this hadith, it apparently seems that the very first revelation to descend were the initial verses of Surah al-Muddathir.
However, if all the ahadith are considered collectively, it becomes clear that the very first revelation to descend were the initial verses of Surah al-‘Alaq (Iqra’),
because in the narration of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha (252),
it is explicitly mentioned that the first revelation
descended in the cave of Hira, in which Jibril (Gabriel) alayhis salam pressed the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam three times,
and in the hadith of Jabir radi Allahu anhu (407 and 408),
it is clearly stated
that after the cessation of revelation, the first verses to descend were the initial verses of Surah al-Muddathir.

Thus, after the first revelation, the coming of revelation stopped,
then after some time, it began again,
but after the verses of Surah al-Muddathir, revelation became continuous.

Also, in this narration, it is explicitly mentioned that the angel who brought this revelation was the same
who “came to me in Hira” (“jā’anī bi-Hirā’”)—“had come to me in Hira”—and the verses of Surah al-Muddathir
were revealed after (the event of) the cave of Hira,
while the first revelation had already descended
in the cave of Hira.