The Dawn of Islam
- Updated On Sunday, 27 July 2014
- Written by Allamah Qurashi
- Editor Faisal Shaheen
- Supervisor Sayyed Roohullah Musavi
- Published on Wednesday, 07 May 2014
- Hits: 603 views
- Hits: How was revelation revealed to the Prophet and how did he take his first steps in accepting the invitation to Islam?
In the cave of Hara' The Prophet's missionary and intellectual life began in the Cave of Hara' near Mecca. What caused him pain was the deviation, ignorance, and foolishness of his people. They were preoccupied in the worship of idols, which kept them away from Allah the Almighty. He was distressed and sad for his people and Allah announced This in the Qur'an by saying, (It may be that you fret yourself with grief because they do not believe).1 Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) stayed in the Cave of Hara'. worshipping and glorifying Allah the Almighty. The revelation The beginning of his encounters with Divine revelation took place in that blessed cave of Hara, when Muhammad (a.s.) was forty years old. Hazrat Gabriel brought down the holy mission to Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) beginning with the Sura Iqra'.2 When instructed by the angel to read, the Prophet (a.s.) declared that he could not read. Gabriel repeated the command for the second and the third time and then the Prophet (a.s.) said: "What shall I read?" Gabriel revealed: (Read in the name of your Lord Who created. He created man from a clot. Read and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught by the pen. Taught man what he knew not.)3 Muhammad (a.s.) read it as it was engraved inside his heart, and then the Angel left.4 The Prophet (a.s.) returned to Mecca, awe struck and shaken and hastened to his loyal wife Khadijah. As he was trembling, he called to her: "Wrap me! Wrap me!" As Lady Khadijah wrapped him, she was overcome by great fear, for what had happened to her contemplative husband. The Prophet (a.s.) slept for a time, but suddenly he trembled and broke into a sweat. It was Gabriel that came down revealing to him, (O you who are wrapped up, arise and warn, and your Lord do magnify, and your garments do purify, and uncleanness do shun, nor expect in giving any increase (for yourself), and for the sake of your Lord, be patient.)5 Allah ordered him to rise and invite people to monotheism. Lady Khadijah asked him to return to his bed, but he replied: "O Khadijah, the time of sleep and rest has gone. Gabriel has ordered me to warn people and invite them towards Allah and towards His worship. Khadijah believed and embraced Islam, and was soon followed by Imam Ali (a.s.) who also embraced Islam. They were the first ones who became Muslims.6 The Prophet's prayer in the Kaaba On the second day of the revelation and prophethood, the Prophet (a.s.) went to the Kaaba and offered the prayer in it.7 Khadijah and Imam Ali (a.s.) offered the prayer behind him, and this was the first prayer in Islam offered in the Holy Kaaba. Secret invitation The Prophet (a.s.) concealed his invitation to Islam with much secrecy and subterfuge . There was no place for this mission to be openly preached in a fanatic, ignorant society that worshipped idols. Then the Prophet (a.s.), simply invited people to monotheism. He began his mission with this golden word: "Say: "there is no god but Allah. and you will be successful"". The weak, the disabled, and slaves believed in that new mission Along with some persons of understanding and reason. Nevertheless, the mission remained secret, covered and with much concealment. Publicity of the mission Three years passed and the Islamic mission remained a secret. Soon thereafter, Allah ordered the Prophet (a.s.) to openly preach it by revealing to him this verse, (And warn your nearest kin).8 The Prophet (a.s.) invited his relatives to have a meal. They ate and drank, and then the Prophet (a.s.) got up making speech before them saying, "O children of Abdul Muttalib, by Allah, I do not know that a young man among the Arabs has brought to his people a thing better than what I have brought to you. I have brought to you the good of this life and of the afterlife, and Allah the Almighty has ordered me to invite you to it. Which of you shall support me in this matter to be my brother, guardian, and successor among you?" All of them kept silent except Ali who said zealously: "I, O prophet of Allah, will be your vizier on it." The Prophet (a.s.) put his hand on Ali's neck and addressed the attendants saying: "This is my brother, guardian, and successor among you. You should listen to and obey him." They began mocking saying to Abu Talib: "He orders you to listen to and obey your son!"9 In any event, these people lent the Prophet (a.s.) deaf ears and no one of them responded save his uncle Abu Talib and his son Ali (a.s.).
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References: 1 Qur'an, 26:3. 2 Iqra' means "read" in imperative form. 3 Qur'an, 96:1-5. 4 As-Seera an-Nabawiyyah by ibn Hisham, vol. 1 p. 154. 5 Qur'an, 74:1-7. 6 Sahih of at-Termithi, vol. 2 p. 301, at-Tabaqat al-Kubra by ibn Sa.d, vol. 3 p. 12, Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 4 p. 17, Kanzol Ummal, vol. 6 p. 400, Tareekh at- Tabari, vol. 2 p. 55, Tareekh Baghdad, vol. 2 p. 18, and others. 7 Tahthib al-Kamal, vol. 20 p. 185. It is mentioned that "the Prophet became a prophet on Monday and offered the prayer in the Kaaba on Tuesday". 8 Qur'an, 26:214. 9 Tareekh at-Tabari, vol. 2 p. 63, Tareekh ibn al-Atheer, vol. 2 p. 24, Musnad of Ahmed bin Hanbal, vol. 1 p. 159, As-Seera an-Nabawiyyah by ibn Katheer, vol. 1 p. 457-459. It is odd that ibn Katheer mentioned the event but he distorted some information in it. Please, refer to his Tafsir.