Chapter 13 : A Tranquil First Revelation Flashcards
What is Tahannuth
- Tahannuth ( Spending time in seclusion ) in the Cave of Hira was a tradition begun by Abdul Muttalib
- Some scholars have said that the word Tahannuth comes from the word Hinth which means violation of an oath and so more generally sin
- Tahannuth is accordingly said to mean doing some work so as to escape from sin or crime
- The Prophet would go in the month of Ramadhan sometimes with family and at other times alone
- He used to provide himself with barley porridge and water and then directly head for the hills
- The reason he used to do this is because :-
1) This would allow him the opportunity to separate himself from worldly distraction, contemplate signs and favours of God and praise God while gazing at the Kaabah
2) The Prophet felt deeply distressed by the corruption he witnessed and needed some time to contemplate over how to bring about the necessary social reforms
When was The Quran revealed to The Prophet
- Imam Ali narrates :-
” Every year he used to go in seclusion to the Hill of Hira where I saw him but no one else saw him. In those days, Islam did not exist in any house except that of The Prophet of God ( Peace and Blessings of God be upon him and his descendants ) and Khadijah, while I was the third after these two. I used to see the light of the revelation and message and smell the fragrance of Prophethood. “
- Nahjul Balagha [ Sermon 192 ]
- When he was 43, he received the First Revelation in the Cave of Hira in the Month of Ramadhan, 613 CE :-
” Read in the name of your Lord who created - created man from a dangling clot. Read, for your most gracious Lord who taught the use of the pen, has hereby taught man what he did not know. “
- Al Quran [ 96 : 1 - 5 ]
- The entire Quran was revealed at this time
- It was revealed instantaneously on the Night of Decree / Destiny / Determination / Power [ Laylatul Qadr ] in the year 613 CE :-
” The Month of Ramadhan, in which was sent down The Quran, a guidance for the people and clear evidence of guidance and discrimination [ Between right and wrong ]. So whosoever of you witnesses the month, he shall fast therein and whosoever is sick or on a journey [ He shall fast ] the same number of other days. Allah desires ease for you and He desires not hardship for you. And so that you may complete the [ Prescribed ] number and that you may glorify Allah for his guiding you and so that you may be thankful to Him. “
- Al Quran [ 2 : 185 ]
” Indeed We sent it down on a blessed night, and indeed We have been warning “
- Al Quran [ 44 : 3 )
” Indeed We sent it down [ Anzalnahu, from inzal ] on The Night of Destiny / Decree / Power “
- Al Quran [ 97 : 1 ]
Where was The Quran revealed to The Prophet on The Night of Decree [ Laylatul Qadr ]
1) Al Bayt Al Ma’mur [ Kaabah for the inhabitants in Heaven ]
” Hafs Ibn Ghiyath said ‘ I asked Abu Abd Allah Al Sadiq about God’s statement [ The designated days of the fast are ] the month of Ramadhan in which the Quran was revealed ‘ when it was actually revealed over 20 years from its beginning to its end. He replied ‘ The Quran came down as a whole in the month of Ramadhan to Al Bayt Al Ma’mur, then it came down across twenty years … ‘ “
- Al Kafi [ Volume 2, Page 269
2) The Prophet’s Heart
” And most surely this is a revelation [ Tanzilu ] from the Lord of the worlds. The Faithful Spirit has descended with it, Upon your hearth that you may be of the warners, In plain Arabic language. “
- Al Quran [ 26 : 192 - 195 ]
- Then it was revealed gradually over a span of 20 years :-
” And it is a Quran which We have revealed in portions [ Faraqnahu ] so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees [ Mukhtin ], and We have revealed it, revealing in portions. “
- Al Quran [ 17 : 106 ]
” Do not move your tongue with it [ O Muhammad ] to hasten it. Indeed its collection and its recitation are upon Us. And when We have recited it [ Through Gabriel ], then follow its recitation “
- Al Quran [ 75 : 16 - 18 ]
Regarding the myth of the bewildered and confused Prophet
- There is a narration in Sahih Al Bukhari which is as follows :-
” The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to the Messenger of God was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the Cave of Hira where he used to worship continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to [ His Wife ] Khadija to take his food likewise again until 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 replied ‘ I do not know how to read. ‘ The Prophet added ‘ The angel caught me [ Forcefully ] and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. ‘ He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied ‘ I do not know how to read. ‘ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied ‘ I do not know how to read [ Or what shall I read ] ? ‘ Thereupon he caught 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 ], created man from a clot. Read ! And your Lord is the Most Generous … ‘ Then the Messenger of God returned with the inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija Bint Khuwaylid and said ‘ Cover me ! Cover me ! ‘ They covered him until his fear was over and after that he told her everything that happened and said ‘ I fear that something may happen to me. ‘ Khadija replied ‘ Never ! By God, God will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and 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 Preislamic 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 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. ‘ Waraqa asked ‘ O my nephew ! What have you seen ? ‘ The Messenger of God described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said ‘ This is the same one who keeps the secrets [ Angel Gabriel ] whom God had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out. ‘ The Messenger of God asked ‘ Will they drive me out ? ‘ Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said ‘ Anyone [ Man ] who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility and if I should remain alive until 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 and The Prophet became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say ‘ O Muhammad ! You are indeed God’s Messenger in truth ‘ whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before … “
- Sahih Al Bukhari
- There are certain problems with this narrative :-
1) Most of the traditions that are the source of this narrative come through the House of Zubayr which has family ties to Khadijah and Waraqah :-
- Urwah Ibn Al Zabayr from Aisha [ Whose sister Asma was marrie to Zubayr ]
- Ismail Ibn Abi Hukaym, an ally of the House of Zubayr
- Wahb Ibn Kaysan, al ally of the House of Zubayr from Abd Allah Ibn Zubayr from Ubayd
- Zubayr Ibn Al Awwaim Ibn Khuwaylid Ibn Asad was the nephew of Khadijah and of Waraqah
- The House of Zubayr were contenders for the caliphate after Karbala
- They were likely trying to aggrandize [ Increase the power, status and or wealth ] the role of their kinsfolk in The First Revelation
2) This narrative portrays The Prophet as being uncertain and doubtful about his own mission
- It contradicts what we rationally know about Prophets
- How can we be expected to be certain if The Prophet himself was not certain
- The Quran explicitly states that The Prophet was endowed with insight and certainty with regards to his mission
” Say. This is my path. I call to God. I and those who follow me are with insight … “
- Al Quran [ 12 : 108 ]
” Say. I am with proof from My Lord … “
- Al Quran [ 6 : 57 ]
3) It contradicts what the Imam’s tells us about the nature of revelation
” Zurarah asked Imam Al Sadiq ‘ How is it that The Messenger of God did not fear what came to him from God might be insinuations from Satan. ‘ The Imam replied ‘ When God makes a person a Messenger, he sends down tranquility and certainty to him. Thereafter, what comes to him from God is as certain as what he sees. ‘ “
- Tafseer Al Ayyashi [ Muhammad Ibn Masoud Ayyashi - Shia Scholar ]
