The correct answer is 5. The first revelation, known as the "First Wahi," consists of the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq (The Clot). This monumental event in human history took place in the year 610 CE, marking the beginning of... Read More
The correct answer is 5. The first revelation, known as the "First Wahi," consists of the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq (The Clot). This monumental event in human history took place in the year 610 CE, marking the beginning of the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) and the start of the 23-year-long process of the Quranic revelation.
The revelation occurred on the mountain of Jabal al-Nour, located about two miles from the Holy City of Makkah. Within this mountain lies the small cave of Hira. For some time prior to the revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) had sought solitude and spiritual reflection, often retreating to this cave for several days at a time. It was during the month of Ramadan, specifically on one of the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days (often associated with Laylat al-Qadr), that the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) appeared to him.
The historical accounts narrated by Aisha (RA) in Sahih Bukhari describe the intensity of this first encounter. The Angel Jibril appeared and commanded the Prophet (PBUH) to "Read" (Iqra). When the Prophet (PBUH) replied that he was not learned (unable to read), the Angel embraced him with such pressure that it reached the limit of his endurance. This happened three times before the Angel finally recited the first five verses of the Quran.
The specific verses revealed were:
Read in the name of your Lord who created—
Created man from a clinging substance.
Read, and your Lord is the most Generous—
Who taught by the pen—
Taught man that which he knew not.
The selection of these five specific verses as the foundation of Islamic teaching is historically significant. While the society of the time was largely oral-based and many were unlettered, the very first word of the Quran was a command to "Read." These verses highlighted the origins of human creation and the importance of seeking knowledge through the "pen." By focusing on these five verses, the revelation established education and divine consciousness as the two pillars of the new faith.
Following the revelation of these five verses, the Prophet (PBUH) returned to his home, visibly shaken by the weight of the experience. His wife, Khadija (RA), played a crucial role in comforting him and seeking validation for the event. She took him to her cousin, Waraqa bin Nawfal, a scholar well-versed in the Torah and the Gospel. Waraqa confirmed that the being who appeared in the cave was the "Namus" (the Angel of Revelation) who had previously come to Prophet Musa (Moses).
The revelation of these five verses ceased for a period known as Fatrat al-Wahi (the pause in revelation) before the next set of verses from Surah Al-Muddathir was revealed. This initial "Wahi" of five verses remains the most frequently cited historical turning point in the study of the Seerah (Prophetic biography), symbolizing the transition from the age of ignorance to the age of enlightenment.
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