The Life of Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 5 Summary

Summary of Chapter 5 of Adil Salahi's book 'Muhammad – Man and Prophet' published by Islamic Foundation. The title of the chapter is "Up there in the mountain" and it covers the beginning of Prophethood.

Transcript

1. The Life of the Prophet (ﷺ) Summary of Chapter 5: Up there in the mountain (Beginning of Prophethood)
2. • Muhammad would take himself away from Makkah for periods of total seclusion • In the month of Ramadan each year, he went to a mountain called Hira • Hira was only a few miles away from Makkah but offered him complete seclusion The Cave of Hira
3. • Up there in the mountain there was a little cave where Muhammad stayed for several days at a time • He absorbed himself in contemplation and worship • He addressed his worship to the Creator of the Universe but did not follow any particular method of worship because he was not aware of any The Cave of Hira
4. • It was in the month of Ramadan, in the year AD 610, when Muhammad was 40 years old that he received his first revelation • He was spending the month in the mountain of Hira, as had been his habit for several years • Suddenly, Muhammad had a most fascinating experience The First Revelation
5. • An angel came to him and ordered him, “Read.” • He replied, “I am not a reader.” • The angel held him and pressed him hard until Muhammad was exhausted An Address from Heaven
6. • This repeated twice and thrice until the angel said, “Read, in the name of Your Lord who created. It is He Who created man from clots of blood. Read! Your Lord is the most bounteous, Who has taught the use of the pen. He has taught man what he did not know.” An Address from Heaven
7. • The Prophet returned home to Khadijah, trembling, and said, “Wrap me! Wrap me!” • She wrapped him and his fear subsided • He turned to Khadijah and exclaimed, “What has happened to me?” Khadijah
8. • He related to her what happened and said, “I fear for myself.” • Khadijah replied, “You have nothing to fear; be calm and relax. God will not let you suffer humiliation, because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guest and you help in every just cause.” Khadijah
9. • Khadijah took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal who was a Christian convert, old in age, and a scholar with good knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew and the Bible • The Prophet told him what he had seen • Waraqah said, “It is the same revelation as was sent down to Moses. I wish I was a young man so that I might be alive when your people turn you away from this city.” Waraqah ibn Nawfal
10. • The Prophet exclaimed, “Would they turn me away?” • Waraqah answered, “Yes! No man has ever preached a message like yours and was not met with enmity. If I live till that day, I will certainly give you all my support.” Waraqah ibn Nawfal
11. • The first few days must have been full of worry in the Prophet’s home • He needed every possible assurance and it seems that the Angel Jibril appeared to him more than once in the days following the first encounter • But then followed a period during which the Angel Jibril stopped coming to him The Angel Jibril
12. • This period of absence was perhaps to allow the Prophet some time to himself, to evaluate his new situation and its implications for his future role • When this transitional period was over, revelations resumed • From now, not only a Prophet but a Messenger also, he was to receive revelations without interruption The Angel Jibril
13. • Source: ‘Muhammad – Man and Prophet’ by Adil Salahi End