The Pursuit of Knowledge

The Qur'an was revealed so that the People would have Taqwa and reflect After Allah, the Exalted, mentions that on the Day of Judgement both the good and the evil will be recompensed and there is no avoiding it, He then explains that the Qur'an was revealed as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner in the clear and eloquent Arabic language. There is no confusion or deficiency in it. وَصَرَّفْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ (And thus We have sent it down as a Qur'an in Arabic, and have explained therein in detail the warnings, in order that they may have Taqwa of,) This means: so that they will leave off sins, forbidden things and lewd abominations. أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ ذِكْراً (or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it.) This means: to produce acts of obedience and deeds that will bring one closer to Allah. فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ (Then High above all be Allah, the True King.) This means: Most Holy and Majestic is He, the True King, Who is Himself the Truth and His promise is true. Likewise, His threat is true, His Messengers are true, the Paradise is true, the Hellfire is true and everything from Him is true. His justice is that He does not punish anyone before warning them, sending Messengers to them and granting excuses to His creatures, so that no one will have any argument or doubt (on Judgment Day). The Command to the Prophet to listen to the Qur'an when it is revealed without making haste Concerning Allah's statement, وَلاَ تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْءانِ مِن قَبْلِ إَن يُقْضَى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ (And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is similar to Allah's statement, لاَ تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ - إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْءَانَهُ - فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَـهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ (Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it. And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).) 75:16-19 It is confirmed in the Sahih on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go through great pains to retain the revelation. In doing so he used to move his tongue rapidly with its recital. Then, Allah revealed this Ayah. This means that whenever Jibril would say an Ayah, the Prophet would say it with him due to his eagerness to memorize it. Then, Allah guided him to that which was easier and lighter in this matter, to relieve him of this difficulty. Allah said, لاَ تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ - إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْءَانَهُ (Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it.) 75:16-17 Meaning, "We will gather it in your chest, then you will recite it to the people without forgetting anything of it." فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَـهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْءَانَهُ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ (And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).) 75:18-19 And He said in this Ayah, وَلاَ تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْءانِ مِن قَبْلِ إَن يُقْضَى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ (And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is a command to the Prophet to listen quietly: `Then, when the angel (Jibril) completes reciting to you, you recite it after him.' وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْماً (and say: "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.") meaning, "Give me more knowledge from You." Ibn `Uyaynah said, "The Prophet did not cease increasing (in knowledge) until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, took him (i.e. he died)."

The Obedient and the Sinner are not equal Allah says, `is the one who is like this equal to one who associates others in worship with Allah and sets up rivals to Him' They are not equal before Allah, as He says: لَيْسُواْ سَوَآءً مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ (Not all of them are alike; a party of the People of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Ayat of Allah Ana'a Al-Layl, prostrating themselves (in prayer).) (3:113). And Allah says here: أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ ءَانَآءَ الَّيْلِ سَـجِداً وَقَآئِماً (Is one who is obedient to Allah, Ana'a Al-Layl prostrating and standing) meaning, one who is humble and fears Allah when he prostrates and stands (in prayer). It was reported that Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The obedient one is one who obeys Allah and His Messenger ." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, Ana'a Al-Layl means in the depths of the night. يَحْذَرُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ (fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord.) means, in his worship he feels both fear and hope. Both are essential in worship, and fear should be stronger during one's lifetime. Allah says: يَحْذَرُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ (fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord. ) At the time of death, hope is uppermost, as Imam `Abd bin Humayd recorded in his Musnad from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon a man who was dying, and said to him, «كَيْفَ تَجِدُكَ؟» (How do you feel) He said, `I am both afraid and hopeful.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَا يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْطِنِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِي يَرْجُو، وَأَمَّنَهُ الَّذِي يَخَافُه» (These do not co-exist in a person's heart at times such as this, but Allah will give him what he hopes for and protect him from that which he fears.)" This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn Majah from the Hadith of Yasar bin Hatim from Ja`far bin Sulayman. At-Tirmidhi said, "Gharib." Imam Ahmad recorded that Tamim Ad-Dari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «مَنْ قَرَأَ بِمِائَةِ آيَةٍ فِي لَيْلَةٍ كُتِبَ لَهُ قُنُوتُ لَيْلَة» (Whoever recites one hundred Ayat in one night, it will be recorded as if he prayed all night.) This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah. قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not") means, is this one equal with the one who sets up rivals to Allah to mislead (men) from His path إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ (It is only men of understanding who will remember. ) means, the only one who will understand the difference between them is the one who has understanding. And Allah knows best.

Manners for Assemblies Allah teaches His servants good manners and orders them to be kind to each other when they are sitting together, يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِى الْمَجَـلِسِ (O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies,) فَافْسَحُواْ يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ (make room. Allah will give you room.) Indeed, the reward or recompense depends on the type of action. In a Hadith, the Prophet said, «مَنْ بَنَىىِللهِ مَسْجِدًا بَنَى اللهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّة» (Whoever builds a Masjid for Allah, Allah builds for him a house in Paradise.) In another Hadith, the Prophet said, «وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْاخِرَةِ، وَاللهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيه» (He who relieves a difficulty for a person living in straitened circumstances, then Allah will relieve the difficulties of this life and the Hereafter for him. Surely, Allah helps the servant as long as the servant helps his brother.) There are many similar Hadiths. This is why Allah the Exalted said, فَافْسَحُواْ يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ (make room. Allah will give you room.) Qatadah said, "This Ayah was revealed about gatherings in places where Allah is being remembered. When someone would come to join in assemblies with the Messenger , they would hesitate to offer them space so that they would not loose their places. Allah the Exalted commanded them to spread out and make room for each other." Imam Ahmad and Imam Ash-Shafi`i recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «لَا يُقِمِ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ فَيَجْلِسَ فِيهِ، وَلَكِنْ تَفَسَّحُوا وَتَوَسَّعُوا» (One of you should not remove someone from his place and sit in it, but instead, spread out and make room.) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «لَا يُقِمِ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِ، وَلَكِنِ افْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللهُ لَكُم» (A man should not remove another man from his place and then sit in it. Rather spread out and make room and Allah will make room for you.) Imam Ahmad also recorded this Hadith with the wording: «لَا يَقُومُ الرَّجُلُ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلَكِنِ افْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللهُ لَكُم» (A man should not leave his place for another man, but rather spread out and make room, and Allah will make room for you)." It has been reported that Ibn `Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others said that: إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِى الْمَجَـلِسِ فَافْسَحُواْ يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ (When you are told to make room in the assemblies, make room. Allah will give you room.) means to war assemblies, and that, وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُواْ فَانشُزُواْ (And when you are told to rise up, then rise up.) means, "Get up to fight." Qatadah said وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُواْ فَانشُزُواْ (And when you are told to rise up, then rise up.) means, "When you are called to any type of good, then respond." The Virtues of Knowledge and People of Knowledge Allah's statement, يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَـتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (Allah will exalt in degrees those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.) means, do not think that if one of you makes room for his brother, or rises up when he is commanded to do so, that this will diminish his right or honor. Rather, this will increase his virtue and status with Allah, and Allah the Exalted will never make his good deed be lost. To the contrary, He will reward him for it in this life and the Hereafter. Surely, he who humbles himself by and before the command of his Lord, then Allah will elevate his status and make him known by his good behavior. the statement of Allah the Exalted, يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَـتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَل��ونَ خَبِيرٌ m(Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is Well--Acquainted with what you do.) meaning, surely, Allah is Aware of those who deserve this reward and those who are not worthy of it. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu At-Tufayl `Amir bin Wathilah said that Nafi` bin `Abdul--Harith met `Umar bin Al-Khattab in the area of `Usfan. `Umar appointed Abu At-Tufayl to be the governor of Makkah. `Umar asked him, "Whom did you appoint as your deputy for the valley people (that is, Makkah)." `Amir said, "I appointed Ibn Abza, one of our freed slaves, as my deputy." `Umar said, "You made a freed slave their governor in your absence" He said, "O Leader of the faithful! He has memorized Allah's Book and has knowledge of regulations of inheritance, along with being a proficient judge." `Umar said, "Surely, your Prophet has said, «إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهذَا الْكِتَابِ قَوْمًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِين» (Verily, Allah elevates some people and degrades others, on account of this Book.)" Muslim collected this Hadith.

Which was revealed in Makkah This was the First of the Qur'an revealed بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ and the First of the Qur'an revealed Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said: The first thing that began happening with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the revelation was dreams that he would see in his sleep that would come true. He would not see any dream except that it would come true just like the (clearness of) the daybreak in the morning. Then seclusion became beloved to him. So, he used to go to the cave of Hira' and devote himself to worship there for a number of nights, and he would bring provisions for that. Then he would return to Khadijah and replenish his provisions for a similar number of nights. This continued until the revelation suddenly came to him while he was in the cave of Hira'. The angel came to him while he was in the cave and said, "Read!" The Messen- ger of Allah said, «فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىء» (I replied: "I am not one who reads.) Then he said, "So he (the angel) seized me and pressed me until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: `Read!' So I replied: `I am not one who reads.' So, he pressed me a second time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ (Read in the Name of your Lord who has created.) until he reached the Ayah, مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (That which he knew not. )" So he returned with them (those Ayat) and with his heart trembling until he came (home) to Khadijah, and he said, «زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي» (Wrap me up, wrap me up!) So they wrapped him up until his fear went away. After that he told Khadijah everything that had happened (and said), «قَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي» (I fear that something may happen to me.) Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help the deserving, calamity afflicted people." Khadijah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin `Abdul-`Uzza bin Qusay, who, during the period of ignorance became a Christian and used to scribe the Scriptures in Arabic. He would write from the Injil in Hebrew as much as Allah willed for him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to him, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew." Waraqah asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen" Allah's Messenger ﷺ described what he saw. Waraqah said, "This is An-Namus whom Allah had sent to Musa. I wish I was young and could live until the time when your people would drive you out." Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, «أَوَ مُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ؟» (Will they drive me out) Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought, was treated with hostility and enmity; and if I should remain alive till that day then I would firmly support you." But Waraqah did not remain. He died and the revelation paused until Allah's Messenger ﷺ became sad according to what we were told. Due to this grief he set out a number of times with the intent of throwing himself from the mountain tops. However, every time he would reach the peak of a mountain to throw himself from it, Jibril would appear to him and say, "O Muhammad! You are truly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" Therefore, his worry would be eased, his soul would be settled and he would return (down from the mountain). Then, when the revelation did not come again for a long time, he set out as he had done before. So when he reached the peak of the mountain, Jibril appeared to him again and said to him the same as he had said before." This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs by way of Az-Zuhri. We have already discussed this Hadith's chain of narration, its text and its meanings at length in the beginning of our explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Therefore, whoever would like to read it, it is researched there, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah. So the first thing that was revealed of the Qur'an were these noble and blessed Ayat. They are the first mercy that Allah bestowed upon His servants and the first bounty that Allah favored them with. The Honor and Nobility of Man is in His Knowledge These Ayat inform of the beginning of man's creation from a dangling clot, and that out of Allah's generosity He taught man that which he did not know. Thus, Allah exalted him and honored him by giving him knowledge, and it is the dignity that the Father of Humanity, Adam, was distinguished with over the angels. Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true. For this reason Allah says, اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) There is a narration that states, "Record knowledge by writing." There is also a saying which states, "Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know."

Which was revealed in Makkah This was the First of the Qur'an revealed بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ and the First of the Qur'an revealed Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said: The first thing that began happening with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the revelation was dreams that he would see in his sleep that would come true. He would not see any dream except that it would come true just like the (clearness of) the daybreak in the morning. Then seclusion became beloved to him. So, he used to go to the cave of Hira' and devote himself to worship there for a number of nights, and he would bring provisions for that. Then he would return to Khadijah and replenish his provisions for a similar number of nights. This continued until the revelation suddenly came to him while he was in the cave of Hira'. The angel came to him while he was in the cave and said, "Read!" The Messen- ger of Allah said, «فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىء» (I replied: "I am not one who reads.) Then he said, "So he (the angel) seized me and pressed me until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: `Read!' So I replied: `I am not one who reads.' So, he pressed me a second time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ (Read in the Name of your Lord who has created.) until he reached the Ayah, مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (That which he knew not. )" So he returned with them (those Ayat) and with his heart trembling until he came (home) to Khadijah, and he said, «زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي» (Wrap me up, wrap me up!) So they wrapped him up until his fear went away. After that he told Khadijah everything that had happened (and said), «قَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي» (I fear that something may happen to me.) Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help the deserving, calamity afflicted people." Khadijah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin `Abdul-`Uzza bin Qusay, who, during the period of ignorance became a Christian and used to scribe the Scriptures in Arabic. He would write from the Injil in Hebrew as much as Allah willed for him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to him, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew." Waraqah asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen" Allah's Messenger ﷺ described what he saw. Waraqah said, "This is An-Namus whom Allah had sent to Musa. I wish I was young and could live until the time when your people would drive you out." Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, «أَوَ مُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ؟» (Will they drive me out) Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought, was treated with hostility and enmity; and if I should remain alive till that day then I would firmly support you." But Waraqah did not remain. He died and the revelation paused until Allah's Messenger ﷺ became sad according to what we were told. Due to this grief he set out a number of times with the intent of throwing himself from the mountain tops. However, every time he would reach the peak of a mountain to throw himself from it, Jibril would appear to him and say, "O Muhammad! You are truly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" Therefore, his worry would be eased, his soul would be settled and he would return (down from the mountain). Then, when the revelation did not come again for a long time, he set out as he had done before. So when he reached the peak of the mountain, Jibril appeared to him again and said to him the same as he had said before." This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs by way of Az-Zuhri. We have already discussed this Hadith's chain of narration, its text and its meanings at length in the beginning of our explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Therefore, whoever would like to read it, it is researched there, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah. So the first thing that was revealed of the Qur'an were these noble and blessed Ayat. They are the first mercy that Allah bestowed upon His servants and the first bounty that Allah favored them with. The Honor and Nobility of Man is in His Knowledge These Ayat inform of the beginning of man's creation from a dangling clot, and that out of Allah's generosity He taught man that which he did not know. Thus, Allah exalted him and honored him by giving him knowledge, and it is the dignity that the Father of Humanity, Adam, was distinguished with over the angels. Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true. For this reason Allah says, اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) There is a narration that states, "Record knowledge by writing." There is also a saying which states, "Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know."

Which was revealed in Makkah This was the First of the Qur'an revealed بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ and the First of the Qur'an revealed Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said: The first thing that began happening with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the revelation was dreams that he would see in his sleep that would come true. He would not see any dream except that it would come true just like the (clearness of) the daybreak in the morning. Then seclusion became beloved to him. So, he used to go to the cave of Hira' and devote himself to worship there for a number of nights, and he would bring provisions for that. Then he would return to Khadijah and replenish his provisions for a similar number of nights. This continued until the revelation suddenly came to him while he was in the cave of Hira'. The angel came to him while he was in the cave and said, "Read!" The Messen- ger of Allah said, «فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىء» (I replied: "I am not one who reads.) Then he said, "So he (the angel) seized me and pressed me until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: `Read!' So I replied: `I am not one who reads.' So, he pressed me a second time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ (Read in the Name of your Lord who has created.) until he reached the Ayah, مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (That which he knew not. )" So he returned with them (those Ayat) and with his heart trembling until he came (home) to Khadijah, and he said, «زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي» (Wrap me up, wrap me up!) So they wrapped him up until his fear went away. After that he told Khadijah everything that had happened (and said), «قَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي» (I fear that something may happen to me.) Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help the deserving, calamity afflicted people." Khadijah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin `Abdul-`Uzza bin Qusay, who, during the period of ignorance became a Christian and used to scribe the Scriptures in Arabic. He would write from the Injil in Hebrew as much as Allah willed for him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to him, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew." Waraqah asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen" Allah's Messenger ﷺ described what he saw. Waraqah said, "This is An-Namus whom Allah had sent to Musa. I wish I was young and could live until the time when your people would drive you out." Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, «أَوَ مُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ؟» (Will they drive me out) Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought, was treated with hostility and enmity; and if I should remain alive till that day then I would firmly support you." But Waraqah did not remain. He died and the revelation paused until Allah's Messenger ﷺ became sad according to what we were told. Due to this grief he set out a number of times with the intent of throwing himself from the mountain tops. However, every time he would reach the peak of a mountain to throw himself from it, Jibril would appear to him and say, "O Muhammad! You are truly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" Therefore, his worry would be eased, his soul would be settled and he would return (down from the mountain). Then, when the revelation did not come again for a long time, he set out as he had done before. So when he reached the peak of the mountain, Jibril appeared to him again and said to him the same as he had said before." This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs by way of Az-Zuhri. We have already discussed this Hadith's chain of narration, its text and its meanings at length in the beginning of our explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Therefore, whoever would like to read it, it is researched there, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah. So the first thing that was revealed of the Qur'an were these noble and blessed Ayat. They are the first mercy that Allah bestowed upon His servants and the first bounty that Allah favored them with. The Honor and Nobility of Man is in His Knowledge These Ayat inform of the beginning of man's creation from a dangling clot, and that out of Allah's generosity He taught man that which he did not know. Thus, Allah exalted him and honored him by giving him knowledge, and it is the dignity that the Father of Humanity, Adam, was distinguished with over the angels. Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true. For this reason Allah says, اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) There is a narration that states, "Record knowledge by writing." There is also a saying which states, "Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know."

Which was revealed in Makkah This was the First of the Qur'an revealed بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ and the First of the Qur'an revealed Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said: The first thing that began happening with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the revelation was dreams that he would see in his sleep that would come true. He would not see any dream except that it would come true just like the (clearness of) the daybreak in the morning. Then seclusion became beloved to him. So, he used to go to the cave of Hira' and devote himself to worship there for a number of nights, and he would bring provisions for that. Then he would return to Khadijah and replenish his provisions for a similar number of nights. This continued until the revelation suddenly came to him while he was in the cave of Hira'. The angel came to him while he was in the cave and said, "Read!" The Messen- ger of Allah said, «فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِىء» (I replied: "I am not one who reads.) Then he said, "So he (the angel) seized me and pressed me until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: `Read!' So I replied: `I am not one who reads.' So, he pressed me a second time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ (Read in the Name of your Lord who has created.) until he reached the Ayah, مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (That which he knew not. )" So he returned with them (those Ayat) and with his heart trembling until he came (home) to Khadijah, and he said, «زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي» (Wrap me up, wrap me up!) So they wrapped him up until his fear went away. After that he told Khadijah everything that had happened (and said), «قَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي» (I fear that something may happen to me.) Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help the deserving, calamity afflicted people." Khadijah then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin `Abdul-`Uzza bin Qusay, who, during the period of ignorance became a Christian and used to scribe the Scriptures in Arabic. He would write from the Injil in Hebrew as much as Allah willed for him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to him, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew." Waraqah asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen" Allah's Messenger ﷺ described what he saw. Waraqah said, "This is An-Namus whom Allah had sent to Musa. I wish I was young and could live until the time when your people would drive you out." Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, «أَوَ مُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ؟» (Will they drive me out) Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought, was treated with hostility and enmity; and if I should remain alive till that day then I would firmly support you." But Waraqah did not remain. He died and the revelation paused until Allah's Messenger ﷺ became sad according to what we were told. Due to this grief he set out a number of times with the intent of throwing himself from the mountain tops. However, every time he would reach the peak of a mountain to throw himself from it, Jibril would appear to him and say, "O Muhammad! You are truly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" Therefore, his worry would be eased, his soul would be settled and he would return (down from the mountain). Then, when the revelation did not come again for a long time, he set out as he had done before. So when he reached the peak of the mountain, Jibril appeared to him again and said to him the same as he had said before." This Hadith has been recorded in the Two Sahihs by way of Az-Zuhri. We have already discussed this Hadith's chain of narration, its text and its meanings at length in the beginning of our explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari. Therefore, whoever would like to read it, it is researched there, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah. So the first thing that was revealed of the Qur'an were these noble and blessed Ayat. They are the first mercy that Allah bestowed upon His servants and the first bounty that Allah favored them with. The Honor and Nobility of Man is in His Knowledge These Ayat inform of the beginning of man's creation from a dangling clot, and that out of Allah's generosity He taught man that which he did not know. Thus, Allah exalted him and honored him by giving him knowledge, and it is the dignity that the Father of Humanity, Adam, was distinguished with over the angels. Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true. For this reason Allah says, اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) There is a narration that states, "Record knowledge by writing." There is also a saying which states, "Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know."