Chapter 20: A discussion on which Aayaat were revealed first, and the

two periods of cessation of al-Wahi (Revelation) In the Saheehain, on the authority of Jaabir bin `Abdullaah Al-Ansari رضي اهلل عنهما narrated while talking about the period of pause in Revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet صلى اهلل عليه وسلم: ❝While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the cave of Hiraa’ sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said: ‘Wrap me (in blankets).’ And then Allaah revealed the following Aayaat (of Qur’aan): ﴿ي ا أ يـُّه ا ال م دَّثـِّر * ق م ف أ نذ ر﴾ إىل﴿ و الرُّج ز ف اه ج ر﴾ {O you (i.e. Muhammad)! Wrapped up in garments! Arise and warn (the people against Allaah’s Punishment)...} up to {and desert the idols.} [Surah al-Muddaththir (74):1-5] After this the Revelation started coming strongly, frequently and regularly.” This is what was first revealed from the Qur’aan after the period of pause in Revelation, 141 not which was first revealed in an absolute sense (i.e. the Aayaat of Surah al-`Alaq were revealed first and then the Aayaat from Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed after the period of pause). 142 From the hadith of Jaabir رضي اهلل عنه, what is confirmed is that the first Aayaah that to be revealed was: {O you (i.e. Muhammad)! Wrapped up in garments!}. What is more correct is to understand his statement in light of what we have mentioned, because in the context of this narration it is evident that the Angel had visited the Prophet ﷺ earlier, as he ﷺ was able to recognize him in his second visit because of what he saw 140 sahih al-Bukhaaree (4, 3238, 4925, 4926, 4954, 6214) and sahih Muslim (161-255, 256,) 141 [TN: Shaikh Ibn Baaz was asked: For how long did the revelations stop? He رمحه اهلل said: “There is a difference of opinion on this. Some say it stopped for 3 years and some say less than that.” [احللل اْلبريزية من التعليقات البازية على صحيح البخار ي] Ibn Hajar also mentioned the same in “Al-Fath” (1/27)] 142 (Shaikh al-Albaanee said): The hadith of `Aaishah رضي اهلل عنها, which was mentioned in the previous chapter, is clear about this.

during his first visit. Moreover, the statement: ❝while talking about the period of pause in Revelation❞, is further proof that something had been revealed before this (second) visit. And Allaah knows best. And it is reported in the Saheehain, that Yahya Ibn Abee Katheer narrated: I asked Abu Salamah Ibn `Abdul Rahmaan what was revealed first from the Qur’aan. He replied: “{O you (i.e. Muhammad)! Wrapped up in garments!}” (i.e. Surah Al-Muddaththir) I said: “They say it was: ‘{Read in the name of your Lord, who has created!}’ (i.e. Surah Al- `Alaq). On that, Abu Salamah said: “I asked Jaabir Ibn `Abdullaah about that, saying the same as you have said, whereupon he said: ‘I will not tell you except what Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ had told us. Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ said: ❝I was in seclusion in the cave of Hiram', and after I completed the limited period of my seclusion. I came down (from the cave) and heard a voice calling me. I looked to my right but saw nothing. Then I looked up and saw something. So I went to Khadeejah (the Prophet's wife) and told her to wrap me up and pour cold water on me. So they wrapped me up and poured cold water on me. Then: {O you (i.e. Muhammad)! Wrapped up in garments!} (i.e. Surah Al-Muddaththir) was revealed to me.❞ 143 And in the earlier narration, it is mentioned: ❝I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the cave of Hiraa’ sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him…❞, this is a clear statement that the Angel had visited him earlier, and brought to him something of the Revelation from Allaah like we had already mentioned. And Allaah knows best. Then there are those who claim that the first thing that was revealed after this period of pause was from Surah al-Dhuha: ﴿ و الضُّح ىى * و اللَّي ل إ ذ ا س ج ىى *م ا و دَّع ك ر بُّك و م ا قـ ل ىى﴾ {By the forenoon (after sun-rise); And by the night when it is still (or darkens); Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you.} [Surah al-Dhuhaa (93): 1-3] till its end. This is further from the truth, and opposes what has been authentically reported in the Saheehain (from the hadith of Jaabir), that the first thing that was revealed from the Qur’aan after the pause of Revelation was: ﴿ي ا أ يـُّه ا ال م دَّثـِّر * ق م ف أ نذ ر﴾ 143 sahih al-Bukhaaree (4922, 4923, 4924) and sahih Muslim (161-257)

{O you (i.e. Muhammad)! Wrapped up in garments! Arise and warn (the people against Allaah’s Punishment)...} [Surah al-Muddaththir (74):1-2] As for Surah al-Dhuhaa, it was revealed after the (second) period of pause of Revelation which was for a few numbers of nights, as has been authentically mentioned in the Saheehain and others, from the hadith of Jundub Ibn `Abdullaah رضي اهلل عنه: Once the Prophet ﷺ fell ill and did not offer the night prayers (Tahajjud) for a night or two or three. A woman (the wife of Abu Lahab) came to him and said: “O Muhammad! I do not see except that your Shaitaan has forsaken you.” Then Allaah revealed (Surah alDhuhaa): ﴿ و الضُّح ىى * و اللَّي ل إ ذ ا س ج ىى *م ا و دَّع ك ر بُّك و م ا قـ ل ىى﴾ {By the forenoon (after sun-rise); And by the night when it is still (or darkens); Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you.} 144 So, with Surah al-`Alaq he ﷺ received Prophethood, and with Surah al-Muddaththir he ﷺ received Messengership and the task of conveying the Message to the people. After that, the Divine Revelation started coming more frequently and regularly, i.e. one after the other. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ arose and conveyed the Message with complete perfection, and he ﷺ invited the near (i.e. his kinfolk) and the far (i.e. those who were not related), the free and the slaves. The wise and intelligent ones answered his call and believed in him, but the obstinate tyrants continued on their opposition and disobedience. The first one of the freemen, to believe and testify to the truth among the men, was Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq. 144 sahih al-Bukhaaree (1125, 4950, 4951, 4983) and sahih Muslim (1797-114, 115) In another narration, the wording is: ❝Jibreel did not come to the Prophet ﷺ (for some time) and so one of the Quraish women said: “His Shaitaan has deserted him.” So came the Divine Revelation: {By the forenoon (after sunrise); And by the night when it is still (or darkens); Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you.}

From the youth was `Alee Ibn Abu Taalib. From the women was Khadeejah bint Khuwailid, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ. And from the freed slaves was Zaid Ibn Haarithah. رضي اهلل عنهم وأرضاهم.