First Revelation in Cave Hira

The first revelation of the Quran came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during one of his annual Ramadan retreats in Cave Hira on Jabal al-Nur, when he was approximately forty years old — approximately 610 CE. The account is preserved in the opening hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated by Aisha: Jibril (the Archangel Gabriel) appeared and commanded "Iqra'" — Read, or Recite. The Prophet ﷺ responded, "I am not a reader." Jibril then embraced him with an overpowering embrace and released him, repeating the command — and this occurred three times. On the third release, Jibril recited the first verses of Surah al-Alaq (96:1-5): "Read in the name of your Lord who created — created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous — who taught by the pen — taught man that which he knew not." The Prophet ﷺ left the cave trembling with fear, descended the mountain, and went directly to Khadijah. "Cover me, cover me," he said. She wrapped him in a cloak and held him until the trembling eased. When he told her what had happened, he said: "I fear for myself." Khadijah's response — immediate, unqualified, and grounded entirely in her knowledge of his character — was the first declaration of faith in Islam: "By Allah, Allah will never humiliate you. You maintain family ties, you speak the truth, you bear others' burdens, you help the destitute, you are generous to guests, you assist every righteous cause." She then took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian scholar of the previous scriptures, who confirmed: "This is the same angel who came to Moses. I wish I were young and alive when your people drive you out." After the first revelation, there was a pause (al-fatra) during which no further revelation came — a period the Prophet ﷺ found deeply distressing. The second revelation came when he was walking and heard a voice; he looked up and saw Jibril seated on a throne between heaven and earth, went home trembling, and was revealed Surah al-Muddaththir (74:1-5): "O you who wraps himself in his cloak, arise and warn..." This second revelation was the command to begin the public mission. With it, the period of pause ended, and the twenty-three years of prophethood had truly begun.