The Divine Inspiration

A'ishah (the mother of the faithful believers ) said:

• "The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Messenger was in the form of righteous vision (good dreams) which would come as true as the breaking of the light of the dawn,
• And then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him, He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Mount Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) for many days before his return back to see his family. He used to take with him food for the stay and then come back to khadija (his wife) to take his food likewise again,
• Till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The prophet (S.A.W.) replied, "I am not reader."
• The Prophet (S.A.W.) added, "The angel embrace me forcefully and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I am not a reader."
• Thereupon he embraced me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I am not a reader (or what shall I read)?'
• Thereupon he embraced me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, "Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous."
• Then Allah's Messenger returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" She covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened
• And said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with you kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones."
• Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah (S.W.T.) wished him to write.
• He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, "Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Messenger described whatever he had seen.
• Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah (S.W.T.) had sent to Prophet Moses (S.A.W.) I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." The Prophet (S.A.W.) asked, "Will they drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have broght was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly."
• But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while.
• Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari narrated while talking about the period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet (S.A.W.) "While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the cave of Hira sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said, 'Wrap me (in blankets).'
• And then Allah (S.W.T.) revealed the following Verse (of Qu'ran) : O you (Muhammad)! wrapped up in garments!
• Arise and warn (the people against Allah's Punishment). And magnify your Lord. And cleanse your garments. And desert the idols.'
• After this the revelation started coming strongly, frequently and regularly."

Before the mission of Islam, Prophet (S.A.W.) had so many gifts from Allah (S.W.T.) as a preparation for the prophethood.

1. Allah (S.W.T.) guided him and protected him from the corrupted life style of his people.

• Ibn Katheer reported that before the mission of Islam, Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) used to dislike the corrupted life style of his people and not take part in it.
• He used to go for seclusion in the cave of Mount Hira according to the traditional old practices the Arabs inherited from the religion of their father Abraham. In his retreat in the cave of Mount Hira he used to worship Allah (S.W.T.) alone and contemplate His creation and signs in the universe.

2. The clouds that used to shade him in hot days.

3. The righteous visions which would always come true.

4. The greeting of trees and stones:

• Prophet (S.A.W.) said that before the mission he would pass by no stone or tree but he would hear them saying 'Peace be on you O Messenger of Allah'.
• Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "I verily know a stone in Mecca which used to salute me saying 'Peace be on you O Messenger of Allah' before the mission; I verily know it now".

5. Seeing angel Gabriel in his sleep

• Shortly before the beginning of the Divine Inspiration Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) saw in his sleep angel Gabriel giving him a book rapped in a piece of silk". And then his vision came true afterward.

Shortly after the mission of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.) the heavens were heavily guarded with stern guards and flaming fires in order to make them inaccessible to evil Jjinn as an extra precaution measure to keep Islam, the last message and religion of unity, clear from all mysteries, and falsehoods.