The correct answer is Warqa bin Naufal (also spelled Warqa bin Nophel). When Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) returned from the Cave of Hira, he was deeply shaken by the weight of the divine encounter and the intensity of the Archangel Jibrail’s presence.... Read More
The correct answer is Warqa bin Naufal (also spelled Warqa bin Nophel). When Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) returned from the Cave of Hira, he was deeply shaken by the weight of the divine encounter and the intensity of the Archangel Jibrail’s presence. He famously asked his wife, Hazrat Khadija (R.A), to "cover him" (Zammiluni). In this moment of uncertainty, Hazrat Khadija (R.A) did not merely offer emotional comfort; she sought intellectual and theological clarity by taking him to her cousin, Warqa bin Naufal.
Warqa bin Naufal was an elderly man who occupied a unique position in Meccan society. During a time when the majority of the Quraysh practiced polytheism and idol worship, Warqa had rejected these practices in favor of monotheism. He was a scholar of the "Inspiration Books" (the Torah and the Gospel) and had a deep command of the Hebrew and Syriac languages. He was part of a small group known as the Hanifs—seekers of the true, primordial religion of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S). His advanced age and loss of sight did not diminish his reputation as the foremost authority on scriptures in the region.
As recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hazrat Khadija (R.A) presented the Prophet (P.B.U.H) to her cousin, asking him to listen to the account of what had transpired in the cave. After the Prophet (P.B.U.H) described the appearance of the angel and the revelation of the first verses of Surah Al-Alaq, Warqa recognized the signs immediately.
He identified the being in the cave as the "Namus"—the same Angel of Revelation who had descended upon Prophet Musa (Moses) centuries earlier. This was a monumental confirmation; it bridged the gap between the Abrahamic traditions and the start of the final Prophetic mission. Warqa famously lamented his old age, wishing he could be a "young man" during the time the Prophet's own people would eventually drive him out of Mecca.
The meeting with Warqa bin Naufal is significant for several historical reasons:
Divine Continuity: It established that Islam was not a disconnected or isolated phenomenon but the final chapter in a long history of divine guidance sent to humanity.
The Role of Knowledge: It highlights that even in the earliest moments of Islam, the seeking of knowledge and the consultation of experts were highly valued.
Prophetic Hardship: Warqa’s warning about the coming hostility from the Quraysh served as the first indication that the path of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) would be one of immense struggle and eventual migration (Hijrah).
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