The Deepening Retreats to Ghar-e-Hira
As the blessed years advanced beyond the age of thirty-five, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wa Aalihi Wasallam) turned his pure heart more and more away from the idolatry, injustice and moral darkness of the society of Makkah, and inclined ever more deeply towards solitary worship and remembrance of the One True Creator. For this sacred purpose he began to withdraw for longer and longer periods to the quiet cave of Ghar-e-Hira upon the mountain of Jabl-un-Noor, a short distance from the blessed Haram of Makkah.
Hadrat Syeda Khadija-tul-Kubra (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha) lovingly prepared modest provisions of water and simple food for these blessed retreats, and the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) would spend many days and nights together in Ibadah, reflection and remembrance of Almighty Allah, returning to his blessed home only to replenish his provisions before going back once more to the sacred stillness of the cave. This blessed practice continued year after year until the blessed age of forty was drawing near.
The Blessed Night of the First Revelation
In the sacred month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak, when the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) had completed forty blessed years of age, and was engaged, as was his blessed custom, in Ibadah within Ghar-e-Hira, the destined moment arrived which Almighty Allah had, from all eternity, appointed for the dawn of the final prophethood upon this world.
In the stillness of that blessed night, Angel Jibreel-e-Ameen — the noble angel of revelation — descended upon him in his true and magnificent form and, presenting himself before the Holy Prophet (SAWAW), commanded him with the sacred word: “Iqra!” — “Read!”
The Descent of Surah Al-Alaq
Upon receiving the blessed command, Angel Jibreel-e-Ameen recited unto him the first five blessed verses of Surah Al-Alaq, the very first verses of the Holy Qur’an to be revealed upon the blessed heart of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW):
“Read! In the Name of your Lord Who created — created man from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous — Who taught by the pen — taught man that which he knew not.”
With these blessed words, the sacred light of divine revelation shone upon the pure heart of the Holy Prophet (SAWAW), and the final and everlasting message of Almighty Allah to mankind was inaugurated upon the earth. Angel Jibreel-e-Ameen then withdrew, and the Holy Prophet (SAWAW), with the blessed verses firmly established upon his heart, descended from the mountain of Jabl-un-Noor and returned towards his blessed home in Makkah.
The Return to the Blessed Home and Hadrat Khadija (SA)
Upon reaching his blessed home, the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) related to Hadrat Syeda Khadija-tul-Kubra (SA) all that had come to pass in Ghar-e-Hira — the descent of Angel Jibreel-e-Ameen, the sacred command of “Iqra”, and the blessed verses of Surah Al-Alaq. Hadrat Khadija (SA), by the special favour of Almighty Allah, was the very first among all creation to affirm faith in the blessed prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW), declaring without hesitation that Almighty Allah would never allow any harm or dishonour to touch him, and bearing witness to the truth of his noble character, his unmatched honesty, his care for the orphan and the poor, his hospitality to the guest and his standing with the oppressed.
The Testimony of Hadrat Waraqa ibn Nawfal
Hadrat Khadija (SA) thereafter took the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) to her venerable cousin Hadrat Waraqa ibn Nawfal, a learned elder who had studied the earlier scriptures of the People of the Book and awaited the coming of the promised final Prophet. On hearing the blessed account of what had come to pass in Ghar-e-Hira, Hadrat Waraqa declared with certainty that the very same Namoos — the trusted angel who had descended upon Hadrat Musa (AS) — had now descended upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW), and openly bore witness that he was indeed the promised Prophet of the Last Age. He further foretold that the people of Makkah would rise against him and drive him from his blessed city, and expressed his sincere longing to be alive on that day to stand with him and support his blessed mission.
The Proclamation of Prophethood — The First Believers
With the blessed dawn of prophethood, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW) began the sacred mission of inviting the creation towards the Oneness (Tauheed) of Almighty Allah, the affirmation of his own blessed prophethood, and the purification of hearts and deeds from every form of shirk and corruption. In these earliest and most blessed days, the invitation was extended quietly and lovingly to those nearest to his blessed household.
The first among all women, and indeed the first among the entire creation, to affirm faith was Hadrat Syeda Khadija-tul-Kubra (Salam Allah-Ho Alaiha). The first among children, raised in the blessed lap of the Holy Prophet (SAWAW), was his noble cousin Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (Karram Allah-Ho Wajhahul Kareem), whose blessed acceptance of Islam in the earliest childhood and unshakeable attachment to the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) is a light of its own upon the pages of history. Among the freed servants of the blessed household, Hadrat Zaid ibn Harithah (Radi Allah-Ho Anhu) was among the very first to affirm faith, and from among the elders of Quraish, Hadrat Abu Bakr As-Siddique (RA) at once accepted the blessed invitation and himself became a means of guidance for several others.
The Silent Years of the Blessed Da’wah
For approximately the first three blessed years after the descent of the first revelation, the sacred invitation to Islam continued in a quiet and private manner. During this period, the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) and the earliest believers performed their Salah in secluded places, in the valleys and corners of Makkah, guarding the blessed community from the hostility of Quraish while the number of the faithful gradually increased through the grace of Almighty Allah. These blessed souls came to be known and honoured as the Sabiqoon al-Awwaloon — the foremost and first ones — whose acceptance of Islam in that dark and hostile age is a distinction beyond every measure.
The Open Proclamation from the Mount of Safa
When the blessed command of Almighty Allah descended for the open proclamation of the sacred message, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWAW) ascended the mount of Safa and called out to the tribes of Quraish by their names. When they had gathered before him, he first asked them whether, if he were to inform them that an enemy army was descending upon them from behind the mountain, they would believe him. With one voice they replied that never had they heard him utter anything but the truth. Upon this, he openly declared that he was the Messenger of Almighty Allah sent as a warner before a severe punishment, and invited them to affirm the Oneness of Almighty Allah and his own blessed prophethood, that they may find success in this world and in the Hereafter.
With this blessed proclamation, the sacred mission entered its open phase, and the final light of guidance began to shine openly upon the world — a light which, by the grace of Almighty Allah, no darkness of Makkah or of any age since has ever been able to extinguish.