Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) began to experience powerful inward signs, besides those of which he had already been conscious. When asked about these he spoke of "true visions" that came to him in his sleep and he said that they were "like the breaking of the light of dawn". He would go for spiritual retreats to a cave in Mount Hirah.

Ramadan was the traditional month of retreat, and it was one night towards the end of Ramadan, in his fortieth year, when he was alone in the cave, that there came to him an Angel looking like a man.

Before Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), his grandfather Abdul Muttalib used to spend a month every year in the Cave of Hirah.

In ancient India, when a person became a father, he used to isolate himself from his family. He would seclude himself in the jungle and ponder over the mysterious creation. Likewise, in Makkah, when some men were married or later had children, they used to isolate themselves from their families and go to the caves near Makkah to spend one month in solitude.

Makkah is a city surrounded by several sand dunes and hills. The Arabs call hills ‘Jabal’. One of these hills is named Jabal-i-Noor, on which the cave Hirah is situated. The distance from Hirah to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)’s house was about one and a half kilometre.

The Cave of Hirah seems to have been formed by the falling of huge stone slabs on three sides, which by their arrangement constitute the ceiling of the cave as well. The cave is high enough to easily allow a person to stand without his head touching the ceiling. The length of the cave is such that a person can lye there easily. The mouth of the cave is facing towards the Holy Ka’bah, therefore, the Holy Ka’bah can be seen from the cave. From here Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) could also view his house which was near the Holy Ka’bah. Contrary to the walls and ceiling, the floor of the cave is almost uniform and by laying a sheet or mat, one can easily sit or lie here. To enter the cave today, one has to climb the steps carved out of stone alongside the hill. The Arabs hold that in the period of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) these steps were not present.

It was the habit of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to go to the cave of Hirah in the month of Ramadan because this was considered a holy month and Arabians by tradition used to refrain from tribal fights and battles during this month. No one knows on what particular matters Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) pondered over in these periods of seclusion.

One night Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was lying in the Cave of Hirah wearing his robe. He was drowsy, neither awake nor asleep, but rather drowsy when the angel Jibril masking in a human form woke him up and showed him a piece of cloth.

When Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) woke up, that person, brought the silk cloth before his eyes, and said, "Iqraa", i.e. "Read"! Ibn-e-Hasham has written that the silk cloth had six words inscribed on it and the person who had woken Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had light radiating from his body.

The pressure of the hands of Jibril caused such a pain to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he felt faint; however he replied, "I cannot read" or "I shall not read".

According to some Islamic scholars that the person who had woken Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) from sleep repeated what he said three times. He received the same reply from Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) till he finally said;

It is not imperative for one to be in the Cave of Hirah to discern the effects of this sentence. If one is well versed in Arabic, the impact of these words is even greater. Without acquiring a command over the Arabic language, it is difficult to appreciate Allah’s oration and effect of this and other Holy Quranic verses.

The Holy Quranic texts translated in English, French, German, Italian and many other languages do not move the hearts of their respective readers to the same degree as does Arabian version. Like the other Revealed Books, the Holy Qur’an also has a particular eloquence. Some verses have been repeated several times. Whereas to a French or an English reader repetition of various sentences introduces redundancy. Any one who understands Arabic and listens to or reads after the first verse of the 96th Surah, Al-Alaq, of the Holy Qur’an, instantly understands how deeply efficacious these words are!

When Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) heard these words he learnt them by heart and repeated them after Jibril. All Muslim scholars unanimously agree that by the words: "Read (or proclaim) In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher", is meant that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) should take the name of Allah before reciting Allah’s words. Hence, all the Holy Quranic Surahs except Surah Tauba) begin by the words: "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful".

Surah Al-Alaq comprises of 19 verses. As affirmed by all the Muslim scholars, this is the first Holy Quranic Surah revealed upon the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The first few verses of the Surah go as:-

Islam from the very outset had stressed the need for acquisition of knowledge, which was to later become a nineteenth century western phenomenon. Some Muslim scholars have, even said that the acquisition of knowledge is one of the obligations of religion just as a person’s prayers and fasts.

Jibril vanished soon after this revelation. Tibri has quoted Khadijah^R.A in his book that according to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace);

Khadijah^R.A narrates;

It all happened one night during the month of Ramadan. The feeling of distress that over-powered Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) should not be looked at with surprise. Listening to the word of Allah is surely a tremendous incident in itself. Anything that exceeds one’s endurance makes one distressed. Nature has delineated perimeters for man. Human muscles and bones cannot endure stress beyond certain limits. So is the case with the spirit as well.

To listen to an Omnipotent existence Who is beyond time and space; knows neither beginning nor end. It is far beyond all capabilities and potential of man. When we hear the rumble of an earthquake or thunder of lightening, we shudder with fear, although these are the noises of our surroundings and we are well versed by their physical laws. Thus we should not be surprised that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) trembled when he heard the voice of Jibril relaying Allah’s message or that he was taken over by great fatigue after Jibril left.

When Khadijah^R.A saw Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in this condition, she assisted him by holding his hand and asked,

Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrated the whole incident and said,

Khadijah^R.A asked;

There are two traditions about his (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) reply. Some scholars of Islam say that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) told Khadijah^R.A, "I am over powered by fear because the voice I heard has left me in this state. I find no calm, thus hide me some where or cover me with something".

Some other historians including Ibn-e-Hasham and Saheeli write that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to spend his time in Hirah in contemplation. He was worried; whether the voice he heard had been his imagination.

However, both groups agree that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked Khadijah^R.A to cover him with something. She put a "Dithar" a mantle called Galeem on him so that he could rest and calm his fears. However, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) could neither rest nor sleep.

It should not be surprising, if Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was later taken over by doubt in this situation. All those who have heard the voice of Allah for the first time have experienced the same.

Some Arab historians say that Jibril reappeared the same night and brought the Message of Allah to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). While some others hold that Jibril reappeared three days after this incident and revealed the 74^th Surah, Al-Muddaththir, of the Holy Qur’an upon Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The first verse of the Surah says;

The verses brought by Jibril were memorised by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He was then convinced that the words he was listening to had been from Allah.

Afterwards, Waraqah bin Nawfal addressed Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), "Whatever you have brought to the people will make them your enemies. If I live long enough to help you against your enemy I shall gladly help. However, I fear you will be exiled or rejected when you proclaim your religion".

What Waraqah bin Nawfal feared for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was indeed deadly fears. To be banished by a tribe in Arabia was a serious and severe action. Whenever one was rejected by his tribe, one’s blood was deemed lawful. If he was murdered, the murderer would not be held accountable for it. Whosoever wished could take the banished person for a slave. The status of such a banished person was not different from a stone that could be picked up by anyone or thrown away. Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not fear banishment or the repercussions that would accompany it.

After that fateful night, he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) set off for the cave of Hirah again but Jibril did not appear. It became a custom for Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to go to the cave at nightfall but the Jibril did not turn up. Gradually, an unknown aura of sadness and grief began to overcome him. Khadijah^R.A, in spite of all her efforts, could not alleviate or console him.

One night when Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was in the cave of Hirah, gloomy neither asleep nor awake, heard the familiar voice of Jibril utter;

Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sat up waiting for Jibril to say more: but heard nothing. On his return the next morning, Khadijah^R.A saw Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) very invigorated. He told her that previous night he had heard the voice of Jibril. He added that he was happy for not having been deprecated before Allah.

Afterwards, for three years Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) continued to stay at the cave of Hirah at nights deep in contemplation till morning. Sometimes he used to hear the voice of Jibril saying;

Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) kept on contemplating about Allah and every night he kept reciting the verses that had been revealed upon him. This three years period has been named as the duration of "Fitrat" or "Fitrat-al-wahi", i.e. the period when the revelation of the Surahs (verses) of Holy Qur’an in the life of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had stopped.

Here it is important to clarify a point often mis-understood by Western scholars. It is often assumed that the Arabic words ‘Nabuwat’ and ‘Risalat’ have the same meanings. Both words have been translated into English as Prophethood. In reality a ‘Nabi’ is a person who by Divine knowledge delivers news and tidings to his people. A ‘Rasul’ on the other hand is the one who conveys the law of Allah to the people through His Divine Book. Thus it is contended by Arabian scholars that before the appearance of Jibril at Hirah, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was a ‘Nabi’. After the Call he became a ‘Rasul’ since the Holy Qur’an was being revealed upon him.

During ‘Fitrat-al-Wahi’ Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had experienced self-doubt. He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) feared that he was no longer approved by Allah. When Surah Al-Dhuha, was revealed, this put his fears to rest. The Surah begins as:-

Hence, the two things, which Allah vowed for His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) are the rising of the sun at dawn and the spreading of darkness at dusk. These two vows bear infinite subtlety, when one recites the above verse. The beginning brings the image of sublime beauty of a vast green land on a charming spring morning, when each bud has blossomed to witness the rise of the sun. Western readers who do not understand the Arabic language, would translate "Wa-Dhuha" for the rising of the Sun. In the Arabic language, words are impregnated with vast figurative meanings. Wa-Dhuha in Arabic means: "Assured is the time of dawn when the rays of sun appear and gradually spread in such a way that every corner of earth glows, and radiates the blinding resurgence of the Sun’s light".

This is the second oath of this Surah. Like the first, its metaphorical meanings are quite vast. Again literal translation of the second oath would be:

But the figurative meanings of this part of the verse;

would be like "Assured is the time when darkness spreads to devour the world and when silence permeating the world is so deep that the slightest of sounds from far away appears very close". Even this translation does not quite convey the complete meanings. When an Arab recites above oath, this brings to life before his very eyes a part of Arabian wilderness. He perceives through his imagination that the desert is in darkness and the sky that is tied over the horizons of earth as an immense tent is saturated with stars. Under such a starry sky when the desert is immersed in complete darkness, sometimes, a distant sound reaches the ears as if sprung from close quarters. The air is motionless and the atmosphere still. In such wilderness, one is so immersed in solitude that it seems nothing ever existed here since the Creation, except oneself and the silent wilderness.

The readers may take this as ideas of an image-worshipper. But whatever is elaborated upon is in explanation of these two oaths of the Surah.

In the third verse of the given Surah, Allah has addressed the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace);

Like the first, this verse also expresses far greater meanings than its literal counterpart. In this verse Allah has replied to the torment arising in the mind of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). These words were meant to appease the self-doubt that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had naturally felt.

The first thing Allah created was the pen. He created the tablet and said to the pen: "Write!" And the pen answered: "What shall I write?" He said: "Write My knowledge of My creation till the day of resurrection". The oath by the pen is followed by a second oath, by that which they write; and amongst what the Angels, write in Heaven with lesser pens on lesser tablets is the Holy Qur’an’s celestial archetype, as the mother of the book. The two oaths are followed by the divine reassurance:

Jibril came to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) one day on the high ground above Makkah, and struck with his heel the turf of the hillside, whereupon a spring gushed forth from it. He performed the ritual of ablution to show Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) how to purify himself for worship, and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) followed his example. He then showed him the postures and movements of the prayer, the standing, the inclining, the prostrating and the sitting, with the repeated magnification, that is, the words Allaho Akbar, Allah is Most Great, and the final greeting as - Salamo Alaikum. Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) returned to his house, and taught Khadijah^R.A all that he had learnt, and they prayed together.

The religion was now established on the basis of the ritual purification and prayer. Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) friend Abu Bakr^R.A of the clan of Taeem and Ali^R.A were the first to respond to his call. Many responses took place through Abu Bakr^R.A. The others to respond to the call were a man of Zuhrah, Abdu Amr, the son of Awf, a distant relative of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)’s mother, and Abu Ubaydah the son of al-Jarrah of the Bani Al-Harith.

Amongst the most striking features of the Revelation were the two Divine Names Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim. Name Ar-Rahman refers to the very essence or root of Mercy, that is, to the Infinite Beneficence or Goodness of Allah, and the Holy Qur’an expressly makes it an equivalent of Allah. His are the names most Beautiful.

Ar-Rahman is an attribute applicable to all creation, non-believers and believers while Ar-Rahim is the quality specially attributable to all Muslim believers.