released me, saying, ‘Recite!’ I replied, ‘مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ’, i.e. ‘I am not a reciter.’ The angel then squeezed me tightly again and then released me, saying, ‘Recite!’ I replied, ‘مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ’, i.e. ‘I am not a reciter.’ The angel then squeezed me tightly again and then released me, and said:

اِقْرَاْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَۚ(۱) خَلَقَ الْاِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍۚ(۲) اِقْرَاْ وَ رَبُّكَ الْاَكْرَمُۙ(۳) الَّذِیْ عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِۙ(۴) عَلَّمَ الْاِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ یَعْلَمْؕ(۵)

Read with the name of your Lord Who created (everything). He created man from a blood-clot. Read, and only your Lord is the Most Generous. The One Who taught to write with the pen. The One Who taught man what he knew not.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 30, Surah Al-‘Alaq, Verses 1-5)

(Bukhari, Bab 3, vol. 1, p. 7, Hadith 3)

After receiving the revelation, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم returned in such a state that his blessed heart was in shock. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا and said, ‘زَمِّلُونِى زَمِّلُونِى’, ‘Cover me, cover me.’ So, she رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا covered him with a shawl and the state of fear left his heart. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then relayed the entire incident to Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا, and said, ‘I fear for my life.’ Umm-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا said, ‘This will never happen. By Allah! Allah Almighty will never dishonour you, for you maintain ties of kinship, relieve the weak of their burden, help the needy, serve your guests and face hardship on the path of truth.’

Visiting Waraqah Bin Naufal

After this, Umm-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyidatuna Khadijah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا took the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to Waraqah Bin Naufal, who was