Part 3 of The Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): the First Revelation in the Cave of Hira
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| The Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) |
Muhammad (PBUH) was now 40 years old, and his retreats to the Cave of Hira had become more frequent. These times of seclusion allowed him to withdraw from the corruption, ignorance, and polytheism that surrounded Makkah. He longed for something pure and true, something that would guide him and his people away from the idols they worshiped and the injustices they committed. It was in these moments of deep reflection and meditation that the Prophet (PBUH) felt a stirring in his soul—a deep yearning for truth and the desire to understand his purpose in life.
The Cave of Hira, with its stillness and solitude, became his sanctuary. High on the rugged cliffs of Jabal al-Noor, far from the chaos of Makkah, Muhammad (PBUH) would sit in quiet contemplation, pondering over the signs of creation, the stars that illuminated the night sky, the winds that whispered through the mountains, and the vastness of the desert. All these natural signs pointed to something far greater than the lifeless idols that his people bowed to. There was an undeniable sense that the world was governed by a higher power, a single, omnipotent force that controlled all things.
The weight of the world’s moral decay burdened him deeply. He witnessed the injustices, the oppression of the poor, the neglect of the orphan, and the selfishness of the rich. The noble qualities that once defined the Arabs—hospitality, generosity, and honor—were being replaced by greed and arrogance. Muhammad (PBUH) knew, deep in his heart, that mankind needed guidance, and he prayed for the truth to be revealed. Then, one fateful night during the month of Ramadan, everything changed.
It was a night like no other. As Muhammad (PBUH) sat in the stillness of the Cave of Hira, a presence suddenly filled the air around him, unlike anything he had ever experienced. His heart raced, and the atmosphere became charged with a profound energy. Out of the silence, he heard a voice—commanding yet gentle, powerful yet calm. It was the voice of the archangel Jibril (Gabriel).
“Iqra’!” the voice commanded, meaning, “Read!”
Muhammad (PBUH), startled and overwhelmed, replied, “I cannot read.” He was unlettered, never having learned to read or write.
Again, the command came: “Iqra’!”
And again, he responded, “I cannot read.”
A third time, Jibril (AS) commanded, “Iqra’!,” and then he embraced Muhammad (PBUH) tightly, squeezing him so forcefully that he felt as though the life was being pressed out of him. The embrace was brief but intense, and as Jibril released him, the words that would change the course of history were revealed:
“Read in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is the most Generous—who taught by the pen—taught man that which he knew not.” (Surah Al-‘Alaq 96:1-5)
As the revelation poured into his heart, Muhammad (PBUH) was overwhelmed. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend the magnitude of what had just occurred. The presence of Jibril, the words of Allah, the weight of the responsibility he suddenly felt—it was all too much for him to bear.
Drenched in sweat and trembling, Muhammad (PBUH) rushed out of the cave, his heart pounding with a mixture of awe, fear, and confusion. The vast darkness of the night surrounded him, but there was a light within him now, the light of divine guidance that had been placed in his soul.
He hurried down the steep mountainside, making his way back to his home in Makkah, where his beloved wife, Khadijah (RA), waited. His thoughts were in turmoil as he tried to process what had just happened. Had he gone mad? Was he imagining things? But the experience was too real, too profound to be anything but the truth.
When he finally reached his home, he burst through the door, pale and shaken. “Cover me, cover me!” he pleaded to Khadijah (RA). She immediately wrapped him in a blanket, holding him close as his trembling body began to calm.
Once his breathing had slowed and he was able to speak, Muhammad (PBUH) recounted everything that had transpired in the cave. He told Khadijah (RA) about the angel, the command to read, and the words that had been revealed to him. His voice wavered as he expressed his fear, “I am afraid for myself,” he confessed.
But Khadijah (RA), with her unwavering faith and wisdom, reassured him. “By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you,” she said. “You maintain family ties, you bear the burdens of others, you give to those who have nothing, you honor guests, and you stand with the truth in times of hardship.”
Seeking further reassurance, Khadijah (RA) took Muhammad (PBUH) to her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, a learned Christian who had studied the scriptures and was familiar with the prophecies of old. When Muhammad (PBUH) recounted his experience to Waraqa, the elderly man’s eyes filled with recognition.
“This is the same one who was sent to Moses,” Waraqa said. “I wish I could live to support you when your people drive you out.”
“Will they drive me out?” Muhammad (PBUH) asked, surprised that his own people would reject him.
“Yes,” Waraqa replied. “No one has ever brought a message like yours without facing hostility. But know this—you are the Messenger of Allah.”
These words, though confirming the immense challenge that lay ahead, also affirmed what Muhammad (PBUH) now knew deep in his heart: he was the chosen Prophet of Allah, and his mission had begun.
With the first revelation in the Cave of Hira, Muhammad (PBUH) was now the bearer of Allah’s final message to humanity. Though the path ahead would be fraught with hardship and resistance, he would remain steadfast in his mission, knowing that he had been chosen by the Most High to guide mankind out of the darkness and into the light of Islam