Seerah | Lecture 6 | The First Revelation

The Prophet Muhammad’s physical appearance and character are described as possessing unparalleled beauty and moderation, with a natural gait that was notably fast. Before his prophethood, he was widely recognized in Makkah for his absolute honesty and integrity, earning the titles Al-Amin (the Trustworthy) and As-Sadiq (the Truthful). His conduct in business was marked by extreme reliability; he would wait for days at a designated meeting spot if a transaction remained incomplete, never showing anger over worldly affairs. His anger was reserved exclusively for matters concerning the rights of Allah.

Following his marriage to Sayyida Khadija, the Prophet continued his life as a merchant until approximately age 35. During the reconstruction of the Kaaba, he participated in manual labor, carrying stones until he was divinely prevented from exposing his satr (private areas). When a dispute arose among the tribes regarding the placement of the Hajare-Aswad (Black Stone), he resolved the conflict by placing the stone on a shawl and having representatives from each tribe lift it together, thereby preventing potential bloodshed. As he approached age 40, he ceased trading to focus on meditation and worship, frequently secluding himself in the Cave of Hira. The first revelation occurred there, where the angel Jibril commanded him to recite, leading to the initial verses of Surah al-Alaq. Upon returning home, he sought comfort from Sayyida Khadija, who reassured him of his divine protection based on his history of virtuous deeds.

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Key topics & takeaways

Physical and moral character

• Physical appearance — the Prophet was neither tall nor short, possessing a moderate build and a face that appeared as though the sun were roaming within it ▸0:56
• Walking speed — he was naturally the fastest in walking, moving with such pace that others found it difficult to keep up, yet he walked without stress ▸2:42
• Temperament — he never took revenge for worldly matters and never became angry over worldly affairs, reserving anger only for violations of the rights of Allah ▸6:16
• Integrity in business — he was known to wait for days at a transaction site for a partner who had forgotten to return, showing no anger upon their arrival ▸4:50
• Innate purity — he was kept free from all faults and defects, both before and after the declaration of prophethood, to ensure his mission would attract rather than repel people ▸15:12

Marriage to Sayyida Khadija

• Proposal — Sayyida Khadija initiated the marriage proposal after inquiring about the Prophet's character and receiving confirmation of his exemplary nature ▸2:42
• Marriage contract — the nikah was finalized with a mahr of 20 camels and a quantity of gold provided by Abu Talib ▸6:16
• Virtues of Sayyida Khadija — she is considered the best of all women, and the Prophet loved her deeply, often praising her and sending gifts to her friends even after her passing ▸9:28
• Support — she was the first to accept the Prophet, supporting him when no one else would and speaking positively of him when others spoke negatively ▸11:01

The Kaaba and the Hajare-Aswad

• Reconstruction — following flood damage, the tribes of Makkah agreed to rebuild the Kaaba, with the Prophet actively participating in lifting stones ▸12:28
• Conflict resolution — when tribes nearly broke into war over who would place the Black Stone, they agreed to accept the first person to enter the Haram at dawn as their arbitrator ▸16:32
• Arbitration — the Prophet resolved the dispute by placing the stone on his own garment and having all tribal representatives lift the garment together, after which he placed the stone himself ▸18:03

The first revelation

• Seclusion — the Prophet spent his time in the Cave of Hira engaging in ta'abbud (worship) and contemplation, avoiding the vices of Makkah ▸22:06
• The encounter — at age 40, Jibril appeared and commanded him to recite, which the Prophet initially declined by saying he was not a reciter ▸29:12
• The physical embrace — Jibril embraced and squeezed the Prophet three times with such intensity that the angel's own strength was exhausted ▸33:26
• Initial reaction — after receiving the first verses, the Prophet returned home feeling cold and asked to be covered with a shawl ▸36:36
• Fear and reassurance — the Prophet expressed fear regarding the revelation, which scholars interpret as concern for the ummah (community) he was to lead, but Sayyida Khadija reassured him that Allah would never let him down due to his history of helping the poor and resolving disputes ▸37:58
• Waraqa bin Nawfal — Sayyida Khadija took the Prophet to her cousin Waraqa, an expert in the Bible who translated it into Arabic, to seek his understanding of the event ▸39:22