Task 2

Task 2:CAIE SAMPLE ANSWER IX C
CAIE Q Give an account of the Prophet (S.A.W)’s first experience of receiving revelation in the
cave of Hira. [10]
∙ Causes of meditation in the cave of Hira/ Introduction/Background

∙ Age of Prophet (S.A.W)
∙ Date/year
∙ Role of angel Jibrael
∙ 1-5 verses of Surah Alaq
∙ Prophet (S.A.W)’s reaction
∙ Role of Hazrat Khadija (R.A)
∙ Role of Warqa bin Naufal
Sample Answer Not long after the incident of rebuilding of the Ka’aba the Prophet (S.A.W)
began to experience powerful inward signs. When asked about these he spoke of ‘true visions’
which came to him in his sleep and he said that they were ‘like the breaking of the light of
dawn’. As a result, solitude became dear to him, and he would go for spiritual retreats to the
cave Hira on Mount Nur, not far from the outskirts of Makkah. The Quraish did not think of this
as strange on the part of the Prophet because retreat had been a traditional practice of the
descendants of the Prophet Hazrat Ism’ail. In each generation, there had been some individuals,
who would withdraw to a solitary place from time to time for a period of seclusion and
contemplation, in search of the Supreme Being, Allah. It was Arabs’ custom at that time that the
pious and thoughtful people would devote a period of each year to retreat for the sake of
meditation and worship. They would seek solitude at places far away from their people where
they could concentrate on their prayers and genuinely seek a new level of seriousness, wisdom
and ethical goodness through meditation.
Ramadan was the traditional month of retreat, and it was one night towards the end of
Ramadan in 610, in his fortieth year, that after having spent several weeks in deep thought and
reflection, he happened to drift into sleep whilst alone in the cave named Hira in the Mount Al-
Noor. It was only two miles away from Makkah; a small cave, 4 yards long and 1.75 yards wide
He was startled out of his sleep upon hearing a powerful voice resonating within the very stone
itself. ‘Read’, the
voice said in a commanding voice. A Hadith of Hzarat Aisha reports the words of the
Prophet(S.A.W) himself, to the effect, ‘I said: I cannot read! Thereupon the Angel took me and
pressed me until I could bear it no more. Then he left me and said: Read. I said: I cannot read!
He pressed me a second time until I could bear it no more. Then he left me and said: Read! I
again said: I cannot read! He pressed me for the third time until I could bear it no more. Then he
left me and said: ‘’Read! In the name of your Lord, who created, created man out of a clot of
congealed blood: Proclaim! And your Lord is most bountiful, He who taught by the pen, taught
man what he did not know’’. (Surah al-‘Alaq, 96: 1-5)
There was no room for refusal and the above verses burst from the lips of Hazrat Muhammad
(S.A.W), like breath being exhaled. Shaken by this experience, he rushed out of the cave,
tripping and slipping over the rocks outside. He looked up at the brilliant night sky, filled with
stars, and he saw the image of a figure, a being surrounded by light, standing like a giant on the
horizon. ‘I am Gibraeel,’ it said, ‘and you, Muhammad, are the Messenger of Allah.’ The Prophet,
terrified, sped all the way back to Makkah, to his house, with these five verses of Surah al-‘Alaq
in his heart. Trembling with fear, he asked Hazrat Khadijah to wrap him up. In halting words, he
told her what had happened, and was worried that something bad was going to befall him. His
wife tried to console him and reassured him by saying:“Allah will never disgrace you. You show
kindness to your kinsmen, you bear the burden of the weak; you help the poor and the needy,
you entertain the guests and endure hardships in the path of truthfulness.Hazrat Khadijah left
him there, as he fell into a silent slumber, and went to see her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who
was a Christian scholar who knew some Hebrew, had translated part of the Bible into Arabic. He
was a blind, old man. She thought that with his greater learning and knowledge, he might be
able to tell her something about the incident. Waraqah listened to her story and said, ‘Holy!
Holy! Holy! By the One Who has power over my soul, if you would believe me, Khadijah, the one
who came to him is the same Holy Spirit who used to go to Moses. He’s going to be the Prophet
of this nation, so tell him to hold on steadfastly. He will be called a liar. He will be persecuted.
He will have to fight, and if I am alive then, Allah will see that I’ll give a good account of myself.’
Hazrat Khadijah returned home and gave her husband an account of her meeting with Waraqah
and conveyed his advice. Later, she took the Prophet to see Waraqah himself. Waraqah
forewarned him that his mission would be full of hardships, and that he would be exiled by his
own people and said, “Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought, was
treated with hostility; and if I should be alive till that day, then I would support you strongly.”
When the Prophet expressed his fear of hearing unseen voices, Waraqah counseled him, saying,
‘if you hear the hidden voice again, stay and listen to what it says.’ A few days later, Waraqah
died and the revelation also stopped which made the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) feel sad

Task 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Task 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Task 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Task 2:CAIE SAMPLE ANSWER IX C

∙ Causes of meditation in the cave of Hira/ Introduction/Background

You might also like