Revelation

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Al-Humaydi, Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, narrated to us. He said: Sufyan narrated to us. He said: Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Ansari narrated to us. He said: Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Taymi informed me that he heard Alqama ibn Waqqas al-Laythi say: I heard Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) on the pulpit say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘Actions are only according to intentions, and each person will have only what he intended. So whoever's emigration is for some worldly gain he seeks, or for a woman he wishes to marry, his emigration is for that for which he emigrated.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abdullah ibn Yusuf narrated to us. He said: Malik informed us, from Hisham ibn Urwa, from his father, from Aisha, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), that Al-Harith ibn Hisham (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: ‘Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell—and that is the hardest of it for me. Then it leaves me after I have retained what it said. And sometimes the angel appears to me as a man and speaks to me, and I retain what he says.’ Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘I saw him when the revelation came down upon him on a very cold day; then it left him, and his forehead was streaming with sweat.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Yahya ibn Bukayr narrated to us. He said: Al-Layth narrated to us, from Uqayl, from Ibn Shihab, from Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, from Aisha, Mother of the Believers, who said: The first thing with which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) began to receive revelation was true dreams in sleep. He would see no dream except that it came like the breaking of dawn. Then seclusion was made beloved to him, and he would withdraw to the cave of Hira and devote himself there to worship—that is, devotional practice—for a number of nights before returning to his family. He would take provisions for that, then return to Khadija and take provisions for another such stay, until the Truth came to him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and said, ‘Read!’ He replied, ‘I am not one who reads.’ He said: ‘Then he seized me and pressed me until I reached the limit of my strength, then released me and said, “Read!” I said, “I am not one who reads.” He seized me and pressed me a second time until I reached the limit of my strength, then released me and said, “Read!” I said, “I am not one who reads.” He seized me and pressed me a third time, then released me and said: “Read in the name of your Lord who created; He created the human being from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous.”’

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) returned with it, his heart trembling. He went in to Khadija bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, ‘Cover me, cover me!’ They covered him until the alarm had left him. He told Khadija what had happened and said, ‘I feared for myself.’ Khadija said: ‘Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You maintain ties of kinship, bear the burden of those in need, provide for those who have nothing, host the guest, and help people through the hardships that arise in the cause of what is right.’

Khadija set out with him and brought him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal ibn Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza. He had become a Christian in the pre-Islamic period; he wrote in Hebrew and copied from the Gospel in Hebrew whatever Allah willed him to write. He was an old man who had gone blind. Khadija said to him, ‘Cousin, listen to your nephew.’ Waraqa said, ‘Nephew, what have you seen?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told him what he had seen. Waraqa said: ‘This is the Namus that Allah sent down to Moses. If only I were a young man then! If only I were alive when your people drive you out!’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Will they drive me out?’ He replied, ‘Yes. No man has ever brought anything like what you have brought without being treated with hostility. If I live to see your day, I will support you with all my strength.’ Waraqa soon died, and revelation paused.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn Shihab said: Abu Salama ibn Abd al-Rahman informed me that Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari said—while he was speaking about the pause in revelation, he said in his report: ‘As I was walking, I heard a sound from the sky. I raised my eyes, and there was the angel who had come to me at Hira, seated on a chair between heaven and earth. I was terrified by him. I returned and said, “Cover me!” Then Allah Most High revealed: “O you wrapped up in your garments! Arise and warn”—up to His words—“and shun defilement.” Then revelation intensified and came in succession.’ Abdullah ibn Yusuf and Abu Salih also transmitted it this way. Hilal ibn Raddad also transmitted it from al-Zuhri. Yunus and Ma'mar said: ‘its first manifestations.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Musa ibn Ismail narrated to us. He said: Abu Awana narrated to us. He said: Musa ibn Abi Aisha narrated to us. He said: Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrated to us, from Ibn Abbas, concerning His, the Most High's, words, ‘Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it.’ He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) found the receiving of revelation arduous, and he would move his lips. Ibn Abbas said: ‘I will move them for you just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to move them.’ Sa'id said: ‘I will move them just as I saw Ibn Abbas move them.’ Then he moved his lips. Then Allah Most High revealed: ‘Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it. Indeed, its gathering and its recitation are incumbent upon Us.’ He said: ‘Its gathering for you in your breast, and that you recite it.’ ‘When We recite it, follow its recitation.’ He said: ‘Listen to it and be silent.’ ‘Then its clarification is incumbent upon Us.’ Then it is incumbent upon Us that you recite it. Thereafter, when Gabriel came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he listened; and when Gabriel departed, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited it just as Gabriel had recited it.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abdan narrated to us. He said: Abdullah informed us, from Yunus, from al-Zuhri. And Bishr ibn Muhammad narrated to us. He said: Abdullah informed us, from Yunus and Ma'mar, from al-Zuhri, with a similar report. He said: Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah informed me, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous in Ramadan, when Gabriel met him. Gabriel would meet him every night of Ramadan, and they would review the Qur'an together. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more generous in doing good than a wind sent forth.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu al-Yaman al-Hakam ibn Nafi narrated to us. He said: Shu'ayb informed us, from al-Zuhri, who said: Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Mas'ud informed me that Abdullah ibn Abbas told him that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb told him: Heraclius sent for him while he was with a caravan of Quraysh—who were merchants in al-Sham—during the period in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had made a truce with Abu Sufyan and the unbelievers of Quraysh. They came to Heraclius while he was in Ilya. He summoned them to his court, with the leading Romans around him. Then he summoned them and called for his interpreter. He said: ‘Which of you is closest in kinship to this man who claims that he is a prophet?’ Abu Sufyan said: ‘I am the closest of them to him in kinship.’ He said: ‘Bring him near me, and bring his companions close, placing them behind him.’ Then he said to his interpreter: ‘Tell them: I am going to question this man about that man. If he lies to me, contradict him.’ By Allah, had I not been ashamed that they would report a lie from me, I would have lied about him. The first thing he asked me about him was: ‘What is his lineage among you?’ I said: ‘He is of noble lineage among us.’ He asked: ‘Has anyone among you ever made this claim before him?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Was any of his forefathers a king?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Do the noble people follow him, or the weak among them?’ I said: ‘Rather, the weak among them.’ He asked: ‘Are they increasing or decreasing?’ I said: ‘Rather, they are increasing.’ He asked: ‘Does anyone among them turn away from his religion in resentment after entering it?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Did you accuse him of lying before he made this claim?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Does he betray?’ I said: ‘No. We have a truce with him, and we do not know what he will do during it.’ I could find no opening to insert anything against him except that remark. He asked: ‘Have you fought him?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He asked: ‘How has your fighting against him gone?’ I said: ‘The war between us and him alternates: he has the better of us at times, and we have the better of him at times.’ He asked: ‘What does he command you?’ I said: ‘He says: Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him; abandon what your fathers say; and he commands us to pray, to speak truthfully, to be chaste, and to maintain ties.’

He then said to his interpreter: ‘Tell him: I asked you about his lineage, and you said that he is of noble lineage among you. Such is the case with messengers: they are sent from among the noble lineage of their people. I asked you whether anyone among you had made this claim before him, and you said no. I said: Had someone made this claim before him, I would have said that this is a man following a statement made before him. I asked you whether any of his forefathers had been a king, and you said no. Had one of his forefathers been a king, I would have said that this is a man seeking his father's kingdom. I asked you whether you had accused him of lying before he made this claim, and you said no. I know that he would not refrain from lying about people only to lie about Allah. I asked you whether the nobles followed him or the weak among them, and you said that the weak followed him. They are the followers of the messengers. I asked you whether they were increasing or decreasing, and you said that they were increasing. Such is the matter of faith: it continues until it is complete. I asked you whether anyone turns away from his religion in resentment after entering it, and you said no. Such is faith when its delight mingles with hearts. I asked you whether he betrays, and you said no. Such is the case with messengers: they do not betray. I asked you what he commands you, and you said that he commands you to worship Allah and not associate anything with Him, forbids you to worship idols, and commands you to pray, speak truthfully, and be chaste. If what you say is true, he will soon possess the ground beneath these two feet of mine. I already knew that he would emerge, but I did not think that he would be from among you. If I knew that I could reach him, I would take on the hardship of meeting him. If I were with him, I would wash his feet.’

He then called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), which Dihya had carried to the ruler of Busra, who passed it on to Heraclius. He read it, and it said: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of the Romans. Peace be upon whoever follows guidance. To proceed: I call you with the call of Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe; Allah will grant you your reward twice over. If you turn away, then upon you is the sin of the Arisiyyin. “O People of the Book, come to a word common between us and you: that we worship none but Allah and associate nothing with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.”’ Abu Sufyan said: When Heraclius had said what he said and finished reading the letter, there was much commotion around him and voices rose. We were taken out. When we were taken out, I said to my companions: ‘The matter of Ibn Abi Kabsha has become great; the king of the Banu al-Asfar fears him.’ I remained certain that he would prevail until Allah brought me into Islam.

Ibn al-Natur was the governor of Ilya, and Heraclius was a bishop over the Christians of al-Sham. He related that when Heraclius arrived in Ilya, one morning he was in a foul mood. Some of his bishops said: ‘We find your appearance changed.’ Ibn al-Natur said: Heraclius was a soothsayer who observed the stars. When they asked him, he said: ‘Last night, when I looked at the stars, I saw that the king of the circumcised had appeared. Which people in this community practice circumcision?’ They said: ‘Only the Jews practice circumcision, so do not let their affair trouble you. Write to the cities of your kingdom so that they may kill every Jew in them.’ While they were occupied with this, a man whom the king of Ghassan had sent was brought to Heraclius to inform him about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When Heraclius questioned him, he said: ‘Go and see whether he is circumcised.’ They examined him and told Heraclius that he was circumcised. He asked him about the Arabs, and he said: ‘They practice circumcision.’ Heraclius said: ‘The rule of this community has appeared.’ Then Heraclius wrote to a friend of his in Rome, who was his equal in knowledge, and set out for Homs. He did not leave Homs until a letter from his friend came to him, agreeing with Heraclius's view that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had emerged and was indeed a prophet. Heraclius then gave permission for the leading Romans to gather in a hall of his at Homs. He ordered its doors closed, then came out and said: ‘O Romans, do you want success and right guidance, and for your rule to endure? Then pledge allegiance to this Prophet.’ They rushed like wild asses toward the doors, but found them locked. When Heraclius saw their aversion and despaired of their faith, he said: ‘Bring them back to me.’ He said: ‘What I just said was only to test how firmly you held to your religion, and I have seen it.’ They prostrated to him and were pleased with him. That was the end of Heraclius's affair. Salih ibn Kaysan, Yunus, and Ma'mar also narrated it from al-Zuhri.