The Beginning of Revelation (Iqra)
*Iqra* in the Cave of Hira, c. 610 CE; the mission begins.
Hijri year 1 of the mission CE c. 610 CE
The descent of the first revelation upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the Cave of Hira — the start of prophethood, when he was ~40.
What happened (EP 010; hadith of Aisha, Bukhari)
- It began with six months of true dreams (“as clear as daybreak”) and a love of seclusion; stones would greet him with salam.
- In Ramadan, on a Monday (marking Laylat al-Qadr), Jibril (as) came and said “Iqra” (“Recite”). Thrice the Prophet ﷺ said “I cannot read,” each time pressed hard, until Jibril revealed Surah al-Alaq 96:1–5: “Recite in the Name of your Lord who created…”
- He rushed home trembling to Khadijah — “Cover me!” — who reassured him and took him to Waraqa ibn Nawfal, who identified the visitor as “al-Namus (Jibril), who came to Musa,” and foretold the Prophet’s ﷺ people would expel him.
- Revelation then paused (fatrah, some months). It resumed with Surah al-Muddaththir 74:1–2 — “O you wrapped up, arise and warn!” With Iqra he became a nabi; with qum fa-andhir a rasul.
Significance
The very first command is to read/recite in Allah’s Name — knowledge, religious and worldly, traced back to Allah (from iqra comes the word Quran, preserved in both memory and writing). His fear and spontaneity attest the message was unpremeditated.
Reliability
Anchored in the long, authentic hadith of Aisha (rha) in Sahih Bukhari. The precise length of the fatrah and the “1/46 of prophethood” dream-ratio are interpretive.
Cross-references
Cave of Hira (Ghar Hira) · Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (rha) · Waraqa ibn Nawfal · Muhammad ﷺ · Seerah (and why we study it)
Sources
- S003 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 010.