Heavenly Divine Call
(611 A.C)
“Read in the name of your Lord, He created the man from a clot. Read and your Lord is most honorable. Who taught to write
with the pen, taught man what he knew not”
(The Quran 96: 1:4)
Not long before he attained the age of forty, Muhammad began to see visions, most of them while in the cave of Hira, and during this time he became more and more reserved and spent many solitary hours in deep meditation. He retired more frequently than ever to the cave of Hira, where he would spend days and nights in prayer, and contemplation.
On a certain night during the month of Ramadhan, an angel appeared to him with a scroll, saying “Read this” Muhammad said, “I do not know how to read.” The angel embraced him and again asked him to read. Three times the request was repeated and each time Rasulullahﷺ cried, “I do not know how to read.” The angel then read out the verses and assured Rasulullah ﷺ that although he was unable to read, if he attempted it in the name of Allah he would succeed.
At this moment of time, Rasulullahﷺ was made aware that he was chosen to
be the Reformer of the World, Sometime elapse before a second visit. Some say it
was a period of two to three years, but the version narrated by Ibnu Abbas ra,
who states it was only for a short period, is more to be reliable according to
historical evidence.
It was a huge and staggering kind of responsibility, but Muhammad did not fear nor lose heart. When Allah commanded Moses to reform a nation, he was not able to do it by himself and despair cried to Allah, “Give me a helper”.
But Rasulullahﷺ despaired not, nor asked for a helper. Rasulullahﷺ relied
only on the help of Allah SWT, to assist him in this great task. After the
first appearance of the angel in the cave of Hira, when it was made known to Rasulullahﷺ that he was to be the world Reformer, some time elapsed before a second visit.
Some say it was a period of two or three years, but the version of Ibnu Abbas,
who states it was only a short period, is more to be relied on according to
historical evidence.
No ordinary human being can ever know the strange phenomenon of divine Inspiration, during which the whole body is possessed by Divine Power. When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ) first underwent this experience he perspired profusely, his whole body became heavy, his limb turned icy cold and he trembled from head to foot. Shivering and shaking he went home and his wife Saidatuna Khadijah ra wrapped him up, and he told her what happened, she implored him not to fear and assured him, that Allah Rabbul Jalalluh will never let him see the humiliation of failure.
Verily you show due regard for blood ties, carry the burden of the infirm, practice virtues that are absolutely extinct, entertain guests and stand by what is righteous in the face of calamities. “Rasulullahﷺ received Divine Inspiration many times, and each time it was accompanied by the same sensations – profuse perspiration, and heaviness of the whole body.
