While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel who had come to me at Hirā’

Arabic text

عَنْ أبي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: وَهُوَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ فَتْرَةِ الوَحْيِ، فَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: «بَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي، فَإِذَا المَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ جَالِسٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَرُعِبْتُ مِنْهُ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَقُلْتُ: زَمِّلُونِي، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: {يَا أَيُّهَا المُدَّثِّرُ1 قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ} [المدثر: 2] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ} [المدثر: 5]. فَحَمِيَ الوَحْيُ وَتَتَابَعَ».

Translation

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported that Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: While narrating about the halt in revelation, he said in his Hadīth: "While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel who had come to me at Hirā’, sitting on a chair between the heaven and the earth. I was terrified of him, so I returned and said: Cover me! Then Allah Almighty revealed: {O you covered [in your cloak], arise and warn} [Surat al-Muddaththir: 1-2] until His saying: {and shun idol worshiping.} [Surat al-Muddaththir: 5] After that, the revelation became intense and continuous."

Explanation

The Prophet (ﷺ), while recounting the halt in revelation at the beginning of his mission, said: As I was walking through the alleys of Makkah, I suddenly heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel)—the same one who had come to me in the cave of Hirā’—sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was filled with fear and dread of him, so I returned to my family and said: Wrap me in a cloak. So Allah Almighty revealed: {O you covered} in your cloak, {arise} to call people to the message, {and warn} those who have not yet believed in your message. {And your Lord}—your only true God—{proclaim His greatness} and praise and exalt Him. {And your garments} and clothes {purify them} and clean them from impurities. {And shun the filth}, i.e., the worship of idols and false gods, {and keep away from it} completely. After that, the revelation became strong and continuous.

Benefits

• The revelation to the Prophet (ﷺ) ceased for a short period after the descent of Allah's word: {Read}.
• It is permissible for a person to speak about the hardships he experienced after they have passed, as an expression of gratitude to Allah Almighty.
• The first revelation after: {Read in the name of your Lord Who created} was Allah's saying: {O you covered [in your cloak]}.
• The grace of Allah Almighty upon His Prophet (ﷺ) is shown in that He continuously bestowed revelation upon him without interruption until the Prophet (ﷺ) departed from this world.
• The obligation to call to Allah Almighty, warning those who turn away, and giving glad tidings to those who obey.
• The obligation to purify one's clothes for prayer, as inferred from Allah's saying: {And purify your garments}.
• The obligation to believe in the angels and in what Allah has empowered them to do of tasks and other matters.

Topics

• Seerah and History
• Prophet's Biography
• Prophet's Lineage