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."
Some of the gifts Allah (S.W.T.) gave to Prophet (S.A.W.) as a preparation for Prophethood
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.
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AUTHORThanks brother for additional info.
- AUTHOR
thanks Nia for commenting.
"The Divine Inspiration" is an excellent and informative hub.
The events tell that there is wisdom in gradual process. Allah Almighty is All Powerful and all his words and actions are true and well balanced, full of knowledge and awareness of all kinds and dimensions. Creator and creation can never equal. God is God and ever kind and merciful to His creations. The greatest favour of God on mankind is the sending of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
How grreat is the dignity of women as the first revelation was first told to a woman Hadrat Khadijah (Allah's pleasure be in her). She was titled as the Ummul-Mu`minin by God Himself.
Truthful persons in other religions also know the true as true and they are ever ready to accept it. Warqa bin Naufal's behaviour proved that fact.
The animate and in animate creation is also blessed to appreciate the truth. The glorification by the mountains, the bowingof the trees, the fearing of the animals, the coming down of the angels, no doubt miraculous and extra ordinary but they show that Allah is all powerful and those who are true to Him they are hnoured all around.
The Message of the Holy Qur'an is not human oriented. It is the word of God. It has its own superiority and excellence and the light emanating from it is never ending. It is a blessing and source of healing all sorts of sufferings. It is unparralleled in its programmes and it can never be undone by any power as it is the word of Allah All Powerful, the Life giver to all and Death giver ot all. All it contains is all true. Falsity cannot enter in to it. It is committed to the memory of the millions, male, female, children, young and old persons. It invites to reason, it appeals to reason, in shows the right direction to the reason. Nothing is unresonable in it. If their is any difficulty faced by any intellect or reason or logic or any other philosophy it is the lack of knowledge and awareness about it. The moment the light comes on eis to admit ones own fallacy and truth of the Holy Qur'an. Why all people are not beleiving in the maessage? The choice has been given to them to see the right from the wrong with the clear wanring that when you are convinced of the truth by all your standards and even then insist or persist in your unbeleif then their is accountablity, open and transparent of which the evidence will be given by your own limbs.Who will make them speak on the Day of Reckoning will be the Creator who creator them.
Door of embracing islam has been kept open before the last breath. Those who have embrced islam are not unbridled. They are also accountable as to how they behaved with mankind. What improvement they showed in their mutual dealings? Commission of wrong by a person who is unaware and by a person who is fully aware will not be taken equally. Peace, Mercy and blessings must reflect from the behaviour of every Muslim and the whole mankind should feel safe and secure from his words and actions. By embracing Islam a Muslim creates a confidence in the hearts of all besides him that his belhaviour shall not be with any vested interest or malfide. His whole conduct becomes for the sake of Allah and bonafide for the upkeep of the truth in all circumstances. No enmity or hostitlity is to come in his way in despensation of justice. He has been commanded to do justice as it is nearer to good conduct (piety/taqwa/obervance of the Law). He is to keep the measure straight between the rich and the poor, the high and the low,without any fear or favour, temptation or greed. He is to become a true man in the real sense of the term.
The Qur'an is a book of reading, re-reading and go on reading and every time with a new flavour available tot he reader. One does not become bore, the pondrence deep into it brings new pearls. The heart and sould feel real satisfaction.
Great hub!
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