When
Muhammad approached the age of 40, he preferred to be alone and stay away from
the hustle and bustle of the people of Mecca who like to do immorality and
evil. He often went to Hira Cave by bringing a little food and enough water.
Hira Cave is about two farsakh (1 farsakh = 3.5 miles) north of the city of
Mecca. In this place Muhammad got the best place to think and reflect. He felt
calm in his soul and his desire to be alone was fulfilled.
It
has become the custom of the Arabs of that time that there were groups of
thinkers who kept away from the crowd for a long time every year. They draw
closer to their gods by meditating and praying, expecting sustenance and
knowledge.
When
alone, Muhammad filled his time by worshiping and thinking about the greatness
of the universe and realizing the existence of the Almighty who created
everything. His curiosity was very great and always kept looking for the
secrets of the universe. Only the desire to find the truth that is in his mind.
It
is clear that Allah SWT has wished that this was the beginning and preparation
for Muhammad to accept a great task that would organize and guide humanity in
the right direction. So, Muhammad's soul must be cleansed of various impurities
in worldly pleasures. This lasted for three years before Muhammad was appointed
as an messenger.
After
Muhammad had often been alone for so long, cleansing his soul by noticing the
greatness of nature that had been created by the Creator, Allah Almighty gave
prophetic duties to the Last Prophets, Muhammad SAW. This event took place at
night on the 17th of Ramadan and there were also those who stated 21 Ramadan
(according to Sheikh Al-Mubarakfuriy), just when he was 40 years old in the
Hijri. It is also the beginning of the count of prophetic years.
At
that time the angel Gabriel (Jibril) came to Muhammad in the cave of Hira and
hugged him three times. Every time he embraced him, Gabriel said, "Read
it!".Every time that the Prophet replied, "I cannot read".
The
Messenger of Allah was afraid and panicked by the incident. Fatigue was felt.
When Muhammad asked what he should read, Gabriel read the words of Allah SWT,
namely Surah Al-Alaq verses 1-5:
ٱقۡرَأۡ
بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ١ خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ
مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ٢ ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ٣ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ٤ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ ٥
1. Recite in the name of
your Lord who created -
2. Created man from a clinging substance.
3. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -
4. Who taught by the pen -
5. Taught man that which he knew not.
After
that, Gabriel left the Prophet. These holy sentences are inscribed in
Muhammad's heart.
With
a trembling body, the Messenger of Allah immediately returned to his home and
worrying about the events he had just experienced might harm him. Everything
was confusing, he still could not understand what really happened. He entered
the house and approached Khadijah and told her to cover his body. Khadijah
immediately covered him, then Muhammad SAW felt more calm and immediately told
the events in the cave of Hira that he experienced to his wife.
"I
am afraid something will happen to me", said Muhammad SAW.
As
a good wife, Khadijah calmed and comforted her husband and said, "Not at
all, He (God) will not insult you forever, you are a person who likes to
connect, bring and help people who are weak, respect guests, and are helpful in
kind". Khadijah is indeed a wife who has compassion, the place of the
Prophet Muhammad to tell all the contents of his heart and that makes his heart
feel peaceful.
Prophet
Muhammad was really exhausted, so he slept, slept to then wake up again to
carry out a very large spiritual task, which was full of sacrifice and sincere
only for Allah SWT, for truth and humanity. That is the Message of God that
will illuminate the life of mankind.
Then
Khadijah accompanied Muhammad to go to the house of Waraqah bin Naufal, uncle
of Khadijah. He was a Christian who knew a lot about the contents of the Torah
and the Gospel. He was very old and blind. Muhammad SAW told what he
experienced. Waraqah was happy to hear the story, "That is the angel
Gabriel that Allah sent down to Prophet Moses, you are the Prophet of this
ummah. Ah, it's a pity, if only I were alive, when you were cast out by your
people. "
"Will
they drive me away?"
"Yes,
no one carries what you bring unless he is going to be hostile. If I experience
when that happens, I will defend you seriously, " said Waraqah.
Waraqah
died when the revelation had been interrupted for some time (after the first
revelation).
Reference:
·
Mubarakfuri,
Syekh Shafiyyur-Rahman, and Haidir, Abdullah (Translator). 2005. Sejarah Hidup dan Perjuangan Rasulullah.
Riyadh: Kantor Dakwah dan Bimbingan bagi Pendatang Al-Sulay.
·
Haekal, Muhammad
Husain, and Audah, Ali (Translator). Sejarah
Hidup Muhammad.
·
Al-Mubarakfuriyy,
Syeikh Safy Al-Rahman. Seerah Nabawiyyah,
Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.
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