When the beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him), was thirty-five years old, He began to feel a greater inclination toward solitude. A short distance from Mecca is a mountain. At the foot of this mountain is a cave called Hira. Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) would often go to this cave with some provisions of sattoo (a type of roasted grain flour) and water. When his supplies ran out, He would return home. This continued for several years.

In the Cave of Hira, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) would reflect on the creation of the universe. He would think about how this world was created, how the sky was raised, how the earth was spread out, how the moon and sun were made, and for what purpose Allah created mankind.

Sometimes, he would descend from the mountain and go into the desert for a while before returning.

My dear children!

One night, there was complete silence and pitch darkness in the Cave of Hira. Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) was contemplating the signs of Allah in these peaceful moments when the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) appeared. Jibreel said, “O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Jibreel.”

After this, the Angel Jibreel asked him to read the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq:

“Read! In the name of your Lord who created (1)

Created man from a clinging clot (2)

Read! And your Lord is the most generous (3)

He who taught by the pen (4)

Taught man that which he knew not (5)”

This was the first revelation sent down by Allah Almighty to our beloved Prophet. The revelation of the Quran continued for twenty-three years.

Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) began spreading the message of Allah from His own home. The first woman to believe in Him was Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). After her, His uncle Abu Talib’s son, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), became a Muslim. The Prophet had raised him like his own son. The third person to become a Muslim was His freed slave, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), whom He had freed. When Zayd’s father came to take his son, Zayd refused to go with his father.

He said, “I will stay with Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him).”

After this, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted Islam. This brought the total number of Muslims to four.