This series will be about the life story of the greatest person in the world, Prophet Muhammad. In this episode of the Seerah series, we are going to enter the period of his prophethood. Possibly, this is the most significant event in the history of the whole world, from beginning to end. Because of this event, Allah has made us Muslims, and we have been fortunate to be part of the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah, Alhamdulillah. The first incident of Wahi (revelation) was described by Ummul Mu’minin Aisha (R.A.). Although she was not born at that time, she narrated it exactly as she heard from the Messenger of Allah, Rasulullah.
This narration from Aisha (R.A.) is very miraculous. When she heard a Hadith, she would remember it as if she were present at that time and had seen everything herself. Anyway, let us first read the Hadith of the first revelation in Sahih Bukhari. Then, we will talk about the previous days of first Wahi. After that, we will discuss the reaction of Prophet Muhammad (SW) after the first revelation. Aisha (R.A.) says, the first revelation that came to Prophet Muhammad (SW) was in the form of true dreams. Whatever dream he would see, it would come true the same way in the morning.
Then, Loneliness became his favourite, and he started spending time by himself in the Cave of Hira. In the Cave of Hira, he spent many nights alone in worship. Then he would return to his family and go back to the Cave of Hira with some food. He would come back to Khadija (R.A.) and then return to the cave with his food again. This continued until one day, Wahi came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira. Angel Jibril (A.S.) came to him and said, “Iqra,” which means “Read.” Rasulullah replied, “I don’t know how to read.”
According to Rasulullah, Jibril then held him tight and pressed him so hard that he suffered greatly. Then Jibril released him and said again, “Iqra.” Rasulullah said, “I don’t know how to read.” Jibril held him tight again and pressed him so hard that he suffered a lot. After releasing him, Jibril said, “Iqra,” and Rasulullah replied, “I don’t know how to read.” For the third time, Jibril held him tight and pressed him hard, then released him. The Jibril said that Allah said in the Quran,
“Read, O Prophet, in the Name of your Lord Who created. Created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen. Taught humanity what they knew not”
(Quran 96: 1-5)
Then the Prophet returned with these verses. He was shaking as he was too afraid. He said to Khadija (R.A.), “Cover me with a blanket. Cover me with a blanket.” She covered him with a blanket until his fear was gone. Then he told Khadija about all the incidents. He said, “I am concerned for myself.” She replied, “Never, by Allah. Allah will never let you down. You do good deeds for the sake of Allah. You take responsibility for helping the weak, you are hospitable to your guests, and you assist those in need.”
Then Khadija (R.A.) took him to her cousin, Waraka ibn Naufal ibn Asad ibn Abdul Uzza. Waraka ibn Naufal had adopted Christianity during the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic) era and knew how to write in Hebrew. He had learned Hebrew from the Bible because Allah had given him great knowledge. At that time, Waraka was very old and had gone blind. Khadija (R.A.) said to him, “Listen to your nephew.” Waraka asked the Prophet, “Nephew, what have you seen?” The Prophet told him everything he had experienced.
Then Waraka said to him, “He is An-Namus. This is the Messenger that Allah sent to Prophet Musa (Moses). If I had been alive on the day when your people drive you out, I would have supported you.” The Messenger of Allah asked, “Will they drive me out?” Waraka replied, “Yes, anyone who has brought a message like yours in the past was treated as an enemy. If I live to see that day, I will support you in the best way.” After a few days, Waraka passed away and Wahi stops coming for a while. The Hadith ends here.
Now, we will try to discuss this Hadith in different parts. First, let’s discuss the days before the first revelation. The days before the first revelation of the Holy Prophet were different from his other days. This revelation is undoubtedly one of the most significant events in the world. Before this great event, some changes in the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet took place, which affected him deeply. From the beginning of the Prophet’s life, some signs of his future prophethood were revealed. For example, a stone once greeted the Prophet. This amazing incident happened before he became a prophet. In the Hadith narrated by Zubair ibn Samurah, the Prophet said, “I can remember a stone that greeted me before I became a prophet. I can still recognize that stone.”
Then, a few days before the first revelation, Rasulullah started to have dreams. He started to see these dreams almost six months before receiving prophethood. These dreams were true or good dreams. True dreams were a type of revelation or good news. In the words of Aisha (R.A.), whatever dream he saw, it would manifest as clearly as the morning light. This means the dreams that Allah showed him became true. The way he saw them in his dreams, they happened the same way in real life.
Furthermore, in the days before the first revelation, Allah caused him to enjoy solitude or loneliness. Aisha (R.A.) said that being alone became his favourite. He started staying by himself in the Cave of Hira. He stayed alone in the Cave of Hira for many nights, spending his time in worship. Then he would return to his family and come back to the cave with some food. This continued until one day, Wahi came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira.
The Cave of Hira was located a few kilometers away from Makkah. At that time, the Kaaba could be seen from the cave in Mount Hira. There, he sat alone for several days, worshipping Allah. This means that even before receiving prophethood, the Prophet used to worship Allah. He knew Allah. This time was an opportunity for Rasulullah to reflect on the creation of Allah. During this period, he was away from the distractions of the world. This time was spent thinking about the purpose of creation and reflecting on Allah’s worship, which we call Tafakkur. In this way, Allah was preparing him because worship and deep reflection purify the heart. True dreams had prepared the mind of the Messenger of Allah for a special event.
The first experience of receiving Wahi was a very frightening event for the Messenger of Allah. If Jibril had immediately delivered the revelation without any prior true dreams, it would have been much more difficult for him to accept. Good dreams, beautiful dreams, and the reality of those dreams made the whole experience of Wahi easier. It created a sense of familiarity. And a good dream was a kind of Wahi. That’s why the main events of the revelation and the dreams were a kind of mental preparation for the Messenger of Allah. He was being prepared for something great.
The next part of the Hadith mentions Jibril (Aw) coming and saying “Iqra” to Rasulullah. There are two meanings of the word “Iqra.” One of them is “to read,” and the other is “to recite” or “proclaim.” In this context, the meaning was “to recite” or “proclaim.”
The Prophet Muhammad (SW) said, “I don’t know how to read.” Then Jibril pressed him hard on his chest and released, and said, “Read.” The Prophet replied, “I don’t know how to read.” Jibril pressed him hard on his chest and released, and said “Read.” In this way, after doing it three times, the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed. These were the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq. Can we imagine how significant this event is? In the words of Ustad Sayyed Qutb’s book, this event involving Jibril and the first revelation to the Prophet is a huge, miraculous event.
We can hardly imagine the impact of this event has had on the entire human race. Without a doubt, we can say this was the most significant incident in the world. Imagine the reality of that incident. Allah, who is all-powerful, who has created everything that exists, who is the master of everything, who is the Lord of all, focused on a planet named Earth. In the vast universe, this Earth is nothing more than a tiny speck. And on this Earth, there lives a race called humans. This human race was honoured by him. Allah the Almighty honoured this race by choosing one of the greatest person among them who would receive Wahi (revelation) from him, who will fulfil the wish of Allah SWT.
What was the reaction of the Prophet in this incident? When the Messenger of Allah was sitting peacefully and quietly, at that moment, the presence of Jibril occurred. Jibril came to the Messenger of Allah at different times and in different shapes. Sometimes he came dressed in black and white. Sometimes he appeared as the Companion Dihya al-Kalbi. But on that very first day, Jibril did not appear in human form but revealed himself to Muhammad as his actual form.
His presence was unrecognisable huge and powerful. That immense being, an overwhelming presence, covered the horizon with hundreds of wings. Adorning it were countless unknown jewels and crystal. And this powerful being came and said, “Read.” What was the reaction of the Prophet in this incident? How was his mental state? When Jibril held him in his hand, how did he feel? Allah said in the Quran about that, “We will surely reveal a heavy word upon you.” The words of Allah are not to be taken lightly. The first experience of revelation left a deep impression on the mind of the Prophet. He felt the weight of this burden very strongly. It clearly indicate that the burden placed upon him was very significant and precious. The difficult situation in which the Prophet found himself conveyed a message to the Muslims, and that is: Muslims have endured a lot hardship and suffering to get this religion.
It would not be wrong to say that the incident with Jibril was very overwhelming for the Prophet. The intensity of the event left him so deeply affected that he could not speak a word. He just kept saying, “Wrap me up, wrap me up.” He asked to be covered in his cloak. When someone is very afraid, they feel cold even in the middle of the heat. It is likely for the same reason that the Holy Prophet was wanted him wrapped up. The Holy Prophet was a human being. He was not a superhuman who rose above human feelings and instincts. If he had been a liar, he might have boasted or entertained others with his first experience of revelation. But he didn’t do that, when he first received the revelation, he was scared, ran to his home, and went straight to his wife. This incident reflects the human nature of the Prophet and shows why he did not lie about the revelation.
Now the question arises: why did the Prophet feel fear? Why was he feeling worried about his own life? The main reason for the Prophet’s fear was his concern about being possessed by jinn, affected by spells, or experiencing something similar which he hate most. He was worried perhaps because he thought what happened to him was similar to the magic of sorcerers. Or perhaps he was worried that he had gone mad. He may have been concerned for his own life because Jibril had pressed him so hard. It was a very intense experience for him. The Prophet was being prepared for this event but he had no idea that an angel will come to him from the sky as Wahi.
The Prophet Muhammad (SW) was completely unprepared for such an event. Allah said in the Quran
“And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration of Our command [i.e., the Qur’ān]. You did not know what is the Book or [what is] faith, but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, [O Muḥammad], you guide to a straight path”
(Quran 42:52)
In this difficult moment, the one who stood beside the Prophet during his time of fear was his wife, Khadija (R.A.). What happened in the Cave of Hira was a miracle. But what did Khadija say to him as his wife? She did not react with doubt towards her husband nor said anything negatively.
She did not laugh at him, nor did she think he was crazy or look at him with disbelief. She did not panic or show fear. Instead, she remained very calm and composed. She told her husband, “Never, Allah will never let you down. You treat your relative the best and help the needy.” This was the reason why the Prophet needed someone like Khadija at that time and Allah had kept Khadija by his side. Khadija Ra knew Prophet Muhammad not from just one or two days but for many days. She knew that Allah would surely protect him and guide him for the great task that he does. Allah would never humiliate or disgrace someone like the Prophet.
Perhaps Allah would test him, but He would not shame him. But where did Khadija find this strength? How did Khadija remain calm when she saw the Prophet so afraid of the incident? How did she listen to everything with such calmness? The reason was her faith and her pure nature. Undoubtedly, Khadija deserves praise for her wisdom, maturity, and understanding. She knew the right words to say to her husband. She did not start questioning the Prophet like a fool. If she were a typical person, she might have asked, “Tell me what happened first.” But no, she wrap him with a blanket then made him sit down, and then she listened to his words with calmness.
And then he told him, there is nothing to be afraid of. She made him understood why there was nothing to be afraid of. She reminded his best character and good deeds toward others. And at that moment, these words were needed. The fear was removed from the mind of Rasulullah. His mind was at peace. But it doesn’t solve the mystery. Because what had happened with him, neither Rasulullah nor Khadija can understand. None of them could understand who had come to the Prophet. Khadija was able to understand from his pure nature that there was nothing wrong with the Prophet because Allah does not forget His righteous servants. But who had come to this cave? Why had they come? None could understood
Here again, we can see the value of Khadija Radallahu Anha’s knowledge and devotion. Although she could not understand the incident of the Cave of Hira, she knew exactly who could explain this incident. And so, she took Rasulullah to her cousin, Waraka ibn Nawfal. So who was this Waraka? Why did Rasulullah get surprised when he heard him? Waraka ibn Nawfal was a Christian in the time of Jahiliyyah. But he was a scholar. He also had some books of the Bible with him. He used to study them. When Khadija told him the whole story of Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam openly, Waraka said that the one who had come was the greatest angel, Jibrail Alaihissalam. This same angel had also come to Prophet Musa (Moses). Waraka had knowledge about Wahi (revelation).
And so, hearing the details of the incident that happened in the Cave of Hira, he understood that Jibrail had actually come to the Prophet. And then, just as he had brought revelation to Musa, in the same way, he had also brought the message to the Prophet Muhammad. At that time, Musa was able to find the truth of the incident with the Prophet. He came to understand that the Prophet Muhammad had entered a new phase of his mission as Prophet. And having understood that, he said, “If I had been there at that time when your people would leave you?” After hearing this, the Prophet was very shocked. He was deeply affected. He thought, “Will my people leave me? How could this happen?”
In the previous chapter, we discussed the social structure of the Arab people. In that society, the tribes were based on family or linage. At that time, it was believed that if anyone was expelled from a tribe means he/she kicked out from his family. In a society where lineage and family status are everything, no one could even think of expelling someone from their tribe. The social situation of the people of Makkah was such that the exile of someone from his tribe was considered the worst outcome. At that time, the tribe-based society was the only protection in the face of desert. And so, there was a strong bond of trust between the people of the tribe.
There were many more reasons for the Prophet’s concern. The reason was that Prophet Muhammad (SW) was a respected and noble person. He was from the tribe of Banu Hashim and was the grandson of Abdul Muttalib. He never fought with anyone, nor was there any dispute. He had helped almost everyone, and everyone respected him and liked him. It was unthinkable to imagine such a person being driven out of Makkah. In the 40 years of his life, no one had ever questioned his character. He was known as Al-Ameen, the Trustworthy.
Then Waraka made a statement, which is a timeless statement, a sincere expression of his loyalty. He said, “Those who have achieved the same Wahi as you, they all faced opposition. They have been driven out of their homes.” This single comment gives an idea of the profound knowledge of Waraka. He knows the history. He could understand very well what the effects of the struggle between truth and falsehood could be. He knew that the conflict between monotheism and disbelief is an eternal reality. No matter how much praises he deserve, when he starts to call people to Islam, he will face the same opposition. It was the same with every prophet. The power of falsehood never accepts the truth easily.
So it must happen. Enemies will rise, and the whole country will be divided. This conflict will begin with an ideological and psychological struggle over beliefs and end with a bloody battle. This is the reality of the fight between monotheism and ignorance (Jahiliyya). Allah says about Prophet Lut:
“But his people’s only response was to say, “Expel Lot’s followers from your land! They are a people who wish to remain pure!”
(Quran 27:56)
Allah said about Prophet Shu’ayb’s people said,
“The arrogant chiefs of his people threatened, “O Shu’aib! We will certainly expel you and your fellow believers from our land, unless you return to our faith.” He replied, “Even if we hate it?”
(Quran 7: 88)
Allah also mentioned,
“The disbelievers then threatened their messengers, “We will certainly expel you from our land, unless you return to our faith.” So their Lord revealed to them, “We will surely destroy the wrongdoers”
(Quran 14:13)
At this time, we have seen many Islamic preachers who want to avoid opposition at any cost. They do not want to face the challenges of society. They believe that all problems can be solved by inviting people to Islam with kind words. Therefore, they do not hesitate to ignore some parts of Islam. They always blame Muslims for any kind of opposition from anti-Islamic groups. But reality and history show that when there is a call to monotheism in a society based on ignorance, the situation becomes challenging, and conflict is inevitable. The forces of disbelief never submit to the truth without resistance.
We have seen stories in the Qur’an that praise the dawah (invitation) of the Prophets. Sometimes Allah tests the believers through trials and struggles or grants them victory. This path of dawah (preaching) is not easy; it requires patience and perseverance. There is no shortcut on this path. One famous Islamic scholar, Tariq Mehannabhai, who said, “The issue of struggle and sacrifice in Islamic dawah is extremely important. This is the only way for Islamic dawah to succeed.” If someone thinks that bringing the message of the Prophet to people is a simple task while dreaming of an easy and peaceful life, then he is deluded. As we explore the life of the Prophet (Seerah), we will see that every word of Waraka bin Nawfal will come true. Every warning he gave foreshadowed the challenges that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) would face in the future. Waraka had explained to the Prophet that this mission was not an easy one. But a few days after this incident, Waraka passed away. He died as a believer and had faith in Allah’s Messenger.
When Waraka expressed his faith, even Rasulullah did not know that he is the Messenger of Allah. Later, referring to Waraka’s faith, Rasulullah said, “Do not speak ill of Waraka. I have seen him in paradise.” This hadith is narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and is recorded in Mustadrak Al-Hakim. Another narration by Aisha mentions that once Khadija (Ra) ask Rasulullah about Waraka. He then said, “I definitely saw him. When I saw him, he was dressed in white. If he had been a resident of Hell, he would not have been dressed in white.” Abu Ya’la narrates a hadith from Jabir ibn Abdullah that when the Prophet was asked about Waraka, he said, “I saw him in the silk dress.”
After the initial revelation, there was a period of silence (known as fatrah). It is not known exactly how many days passed between the first and second revelations. It may have been several days. Some say it lasted for about two and a half to three years, but this is incorrect. This period likely lasted only a few days, not more than that.
Ibn Hajar says that the reason for the pause in revelation was to give the Prophet a few days to return to a normal state from the state of fear. What do we understand by Wahi (revelation)? Wahi is a message from Allah. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziya discussed different types of Wahi. He was an extraordinary scholar and a famous student of Imam Ibn Taymiyya (may Allah have mercy on him). He said the first type of Wahi was through true dreams. Rasulullah began receiving Wahi in this way. For six months before the angel Jibril brought the revelation, Rasulullah regularly saw true dreams. Whatever he saw at night would come true the next day. It was like this for about six months. Let’s discuss about different kinds of Wahi .Rasulullah said, “All true dreams are one part of the 46 parts of prophethood.” The life of the Prophet as a messenger was almost 23 years, and he saw true dreams for six months. If you divide the 23-years which is 276 month by 6 month, then it comes 46. Though we all see dreams but the different is the dream of prophet is a kind of Wahi.
Prophet Muhammad (SW) mentioned three types of dream that ordinary people see.
1. True dreams: These dreams are that actually true and happen. Whatever explanation is given of that dream. It’s come true. According to Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him), Rasulullah said, “True dreams come from Allah, and bad dreams come from the Shayatin (Devil).”
2. Dreams from the devil: Rasulullah said, “These dreams are from the devil, and he wants to harm you.” He advised that if you see such a dream, pray and seek refuge to Allah and do not tell anyone about it because the devil wants us to worry about bad dreams and tell everyone. The Prophet said not to share these dreams and to try to forget them. Abu Sayyid al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said, “If anyone sees a dream they like and feel good about it, they should thank Allah for it and tell others. But if they see a dream they don’t like and feel good, it is from the devil. They should Pray and seek refuge to Allah about it and don’t tell anyone, because it can harm you.”
3. Ordinary dreams: These dreams are often a reflection of one’s own thoughts during the day and at night.
The second type of Wahi: This type of Wahi is revealed to the Prophet through angels, but Jibril does not appear directly in front of him.
The third type of Wahi: During this revelation, the angel would appear in human form. For example, in the hadith of Jibril, Jibril came in human form, and Muhammad saw him, along with others.
The fourth type of Wahi: Angel Jibril would come with a sound like that of a bell, which was the hardest type. When Jibril (Gabriel) would embrace the Prophet tightly, even on a cold day, sweat would pour from the Prophet’s body. Jibril would sit over him, causing the Prophet to feel an unusual heavy weight. Along with this, he would hear the sound of a ringing bell. Perhaps it is the sound of Jibril’s wings. There is a hadith that says when Allah makes a command, the angels feel so humble in front of Allah that their wings shake, and the sound of those wings is like a chain being pulled on a stone.
When Jibril (peace be upon him) came close to the Messenger of Allah in this form, it felt as if a great weight was pressing down on him. During this type of Wahi (revelation), when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sitting on a camel, even the camel would sit down under the weight of Angel Jibril. Zaid bin Haritha said, “One day, the Prophet was sitting. His knee was on top of my leg. When the Wahi started to come down, I felt such pressure from his knee that my legs almost feel like breaking.”
The fifth type of Wahi: In this kind, the angel appeared in his own form, which happened twice. It is mentioned in Surah An-Najm: “And he certainly saw that angel descend a second time at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit in the seventh heaven” (Quran 53: 13-14). The presence of Jibril was so massive that it could cover the whole horizon. The Prophet said that when Jibril (Gabriel) would come in this manner, wherever he looked, he would see his wings.
The sixth type of Wahi: In this way, Allah spoke directly with the Messenger of Allah, without any intermediary. This happened during the time of Miraj. In a similar way, Allah spoke to Musa (Moses). Overall, revelation (Wahi) would come to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in these six ways, each time in a different manner. Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet in his own form only twice. Now, we will try to focus on the first word of the revelation, ‘Iqra’. The first word revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the Quran was ‘Iqra’ (Read). Its significance is that we, as Muslims, are the community that studies, researches, and above all, learns about religion and gains knowledge
This one word brought about a huge change among that illiterate nation. It creates world-renowned scholars. A world-renowned learned society was created among them. At that time, the followers of Prophet Muhammad were mostly illiterate, as described by the Prophet. But these words inspired them to write and read. In a short period of time, the Muslim Ummah became one of the most educated and knowledgeable communities in the world. The number of scholars produced within this Ummah is unmatched. If you look at the number of scholars in the Muslim Ummah, they are unique. There is no comparison between them and any other group. For example, take the story of Imam Bukhari. He had memorized over 200,000 Hadiths. Then there’s Imam Shafi, who said, “When I open a book, I keep one page of it covered, so I don’t mix it with other pages.”
They had extraordinary creativity, photographic memory, and the ability to remember pages like pictures. Or consider Sheikh al-Wafa bin Aqil, who wrote a 300-volume book. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Many of these works were looted from the Baghdad Library. This was the power of that one word “Iqra”, which brought about such a great change in the entire Ummah. The situation was a little different in the case of the Prophet. He did not know how to write or read. For him, this word meant to recite and preach the religion of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) wanted to keep His Prophet illiterate. This was a command from Allah. The verse is mentioned in Surah An-Kabut:
“You O Prophet could not read any writing even before this revelation, nor could you write at all. Otherwise, the people of falsehood would have been suspicious.”
(Quran 29:48)
Allah has said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had not read any book before the Quran. He did not have the ability to read or write; he was illiterate. For ordinary Muslims, learning to read is the key to gaining knowledge. However, for the Prophet, it was not essential to read or write. He was receiving direct knowledge from Jibril (Gabriel). For someone who is learning directly from Allah, there is really nothing to learn from books. So, for him, the meaning of “Iqra” was to recite. But for others, it meant to read. Muslims needed to learn to write and read. Allah said in the Quran,
“By the pen and what everyone writes!” (Quran 68: 1)
When Allah swears by something, it means the matter is very important. In the Battle of Badr, the Muslims captured prisoners, and the condition was whoever could teach writing and reading to ten Muslims were granted free from prison. From all this, it can be understood that Islam has placed a great emphasis on education. Sadly, today, this Ummah has fallen behind in its duty.
It’s important to ensure that the current generation’s disinterest in acquiring knowledge does not extend to future generations. Once, there was a survey among children. The topic was who likes to study and who doesn’t. The main purpose of the survey was to find out who enjoys studying and who does not. The results showed that among those who like to study, there are a few common factors:
- Their parents also like to study. The early years of a child’s development are crucial in shaping their habits. When a child sees their parents studying, even if they don’t know how to read, they start playing with their own books or magazines. Children are fond of imitation, so if parents try to read in front of them at home, they can create a habit of reading for their children.
- They grow up in a place with access to a lot of books, such as a library, books are readily available to them.
- If they have their own library.
- If their parents take them to bookstores frequently.
- They are children who watch very little television or don’t watch it at all.
These factors are very important for parents to consider. It is important to note that encouraging children to read books does not mean they should read trivial storybooks or anything they like. Some books can be detrimental if read during crucial stages of mental development. For example, there was such an incident during the early days in Madinah. The Prophet saw that Umar ibn al-Khattab was reading from the Torah one night. Seeing this, he turned red with anger and scold him. At that time, this prohibition was temporary. When Muslims firmly adhere to their faith, such prohibitions were lifted. The Prophet said, “I had forbidden you from reading the books of Bani Israel (Torah), but now I allow you to read them. However, do not believe everything nor disbelieve everything from this book.”
In other words, there are things in these books that do not contradict the truth found in the Quran or Hadith. It is neither right to fully believe nor to completely disbelieve in them. A teacher should be prepared to teach students in a way that is not burdensome. The Prophet knew that if the Torah was given to the Muslims in the first generation, it would create confusion for them in their natural learning process. Ibne Ma’sud (Ra) said, “If you speak of matters that are beyond people’s understanding, it can be a source of chaos for them.” Some knowledge is beneficial, and some knowledge is not. The Prophet often prayed to Allah, saying, “O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge and seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit.”
We have two lessons from this chapter, which we will conclude with:
- Saeed Hawa said regarding loneliness in devotion that, at that time, some people seeking guidance would choose to spend time in loneliness. There, they would remember Allah and worship Him. The purpose was to immerse themselves in the remembrance of Allah and keep their hearts free from neglect and distractions. This clears the darkness from the heart, allowing the mind to focus on the path of guidance. Many believe that the journey of faith involves spending personal time away from worldly distractions. Because before and at the beginning of his mission, the Prophet used to spend time alone. Many wonder how to achieve devotion and inner peace in the present times.
Firstly, Muslims should spend time in the remembrance (Zikr) of Allah alone. For example, the early part of the morning, after Asr, or between Asr and Maghrib on Fridays. Scholars have described such solitary remembrance (zikr) as highly virtuous. However, this does not mean isolating oneself from society. One must interact with people while also setting aside some time for oneself. A balanced approach between these two aspects is necessary. For being alone and remembrance (Zikr) of Allah, Qiyam al-Lail (night prayer) is an excellent practice. When everyone else is asleep, getting up to pray to Allah alone is an invaluable opportunity for the servant to connect with Allah. At this time, a person’s sincerity and dedication are evident because no one is watching. Other acts of worship, like congregational prayers, may not have this level of privacy.
Another practice is Itikaf during Ramadan. This form of worship is necessary for everyone—scholars, students, businessmen, workers, leaders—to spend some time alone with Allah. Itikaf is a time to cleanse the soul from sin, free oneself from worldly pressures, and reflect on one’s relationship with Allah. “Where do I stand in the eyes of Allah? What is my condition?” These are questions to ponder during Itikaf, a time for personal reflection and connection with Allah.
- How should the wife of a devout man be? In this case, we learn from the story of Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her). Those who follow the path of Allah do not live like everyone else. Their lives are filled with challenges and they must be more supportive than others. They must be aware of their husband’s responsibilities. The wife must understand the demands on her husband’s time, effort, and wealth, and support him in his mission. It is natural that his dedication to his duties may cause delays in family time. Therefore, respecting the husband’s work, sacrificing some of her own rights, and supporting him wholeheartedly are all part of the wife’s role. The Prophet said, “The whole world is an asset, and the best asset is a righteous woman.”
