Beginnings of the Quran See also: Muhammads first revelation, History of the Quran and Wahy The cave Hira in the mountain Jabal al-Nour where, according to Muslim belief, Muhammad received his first revelation. Muhammad adopted the practice of praying alone for several weeks every year in a cave on Mount Hira near Mecca.[61][62] Islamic tradition holds that during one of his visits to Mount Hira, the angel Gabriel appeared to him in the year 610 and commanded Muhammad to recite verses which would later be included in the Quran.[63] There is a consensus that the first words of the Quran to be revealed were the beginning of Surah 96:1.[64] Upon receiving his first revelations, he was deeply distressed. After returning home, Muhammad was consoled and reassured by Khadijah and her Christian cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal.[65] He also feared that others would dismiss his claims as being possessed.[41] Shia tradition maintains that Muhammad was neither surprised nor frightened at the appearance of Gabriel but rather Muhammad welcomed him as if he was expecting.[66] The initial revelation was followed by a pause of three years (a period known as fatra) during which Muhammad felt depressed and further gave himself to prayers and spiritual practices.[64] When the revelations resumed he was reassured and commanded to begin preaching: Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased.[67][68][69] A depiction of Muhammad receiving his first revelation from the angel Gabriel. From the manuscript Jami al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, 1307, Ilkhanate period. Sahih Bukhari narrates Muhammad describing his revelations as sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell. Aisha reported, I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over).[70] According to Welch these descriptions may be considered genuine, since they are unlikely to have been forged by later Muslims.[15] Muhammad was confident that he could distinguish his own thoughts from these messages.[71] According to the Quran, one of the main roles of Muhammad is to warn the unbelievers of their eschatological punishment (Quran 38:70, Quran 6:19). Occasionally the Quran did not explicitly refer to Judgment day but provided examples from the history of extinct communities and warns Muhammads contemporaries of similar calamities (Quran 41:13–16).[23] Muhammad did not only warn those who rejected Gods revelation, but also dispensed good news for those who abandoned evil, listening to the divine words and serving God.[72] Muhammads mission also involves preaching monotheism: The Quran commands Muhammad to proclaim and praise the name of his Lord and instructs him not to worship idols or associate other deities with God.[23][73] The key themes of the early Quranic verses included the responsibility of man towards his creator; the resurrection of the dead, Gods final judgment followed by vivid descriptions of the tortures in Hell and pleasures in Paradise; and the signs of God in all aspects of life. Religious duties required of the believers at this time were few: belief in God, asking for forgiveness of sins, offering frequent prayers, assisting others particularly those in need, rejecting cheating and the love of wealth (considered to be significant in the commercial life of Mecca), being chaste and not to kill newborn girls
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 05:03:41 +0000
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