The First Revelation

As Muhammad ﷺ approached the age of forty, a noticeable change took place in his life. Although he continued to fulfil his responsibilities as a husband, father and merchant, he increasingly withdrew from the distractions of Makkah to devote periods of time to quiet reflection and worship.

The city in which he lived had become the religious centre of Arabia, yet much of the worship taking place around the Ka'bah bore little resemblance to the pure monotheism established by Ibrahim (Abraham) (Ibrāhīm) عليه السلام and Ismail (Ishmael) (Ismāʿīl) عليه السلام. Hundreds of idols surrounded the Sacred House, and the religious, moral and social life of the Quraysh had become deeply intertwined with practices that had developed over many generations.

Muhammad ﷺ neither participated in idol worship nor found satisfaction in the religious customs of his people. The Sīrah consistently portrays him as a man who rejected falsehood, loved truth and sought closeness to Allah long before the first revelation descended upon him.

The Cave of Ḥirā'

Among the mountains northeast of Makkah rises Jabal al-Nūr ("The Mountain of Light"), upon whose slopes is a small cave known as Ḥirā'.

The cave is modest in size, measuring only a few metres in length and width, providing just enough space for a person to sit or lie down. Situated high above the valley of Makkah, it overlooks the city while remaining sufficiently isolated from its activity and noise. From this elevated position, the Ka'bah could be seen in the distance, while the surrounding mountains provided an atmosphere of peace and solitude.

Muhammad ﷺ began visiting this cave regularly, especially during the month of Ramaḍān.

The climb to Ḥirā' was neither short nor easy. Reaching the cave required ascending steep rocky paths under the heat of the Arabian sun while carrying provisions for several days. Yet Muhammad ﷺ willingly made this journey repeatedly, seeking seclusion from the society around him.

His Worship in Seclusion

The earliest Sīrah and authentic Hadith describe these retreats as periods devoted to taḥannuth, a form of worship and devotion practised in seclusion.

Muhammad ﷺ would remain in the cave for a number of days at a time, taking with him food and water sufficient for his stay. When his provisions were exhausted, he returned to his home, replenished them and then climbed once more to Ḥirā' to continue his retreat.

During these periods of solitude, he occupied himself with worship, contemplation and remembrance of Allah. The authentic sources do not provide a detailed description of every aspect of this worship, nor do they record specific prayers or rituals. They simply establish that he devoted himself sincerely to Allah while distancing himself from the idolatrous practices of the Quraysh.

These retreats became a regular feature of his life during the years immediately preceding revelation.

Preparing for Revelation

Looking back upon the events of Muhammad's ﷺ life, the wisdom of Allah's decree becomes increasingly apparent.

From his birth as an orphan, through the care of Ḥalīmah, the protection of his grandfather and uncle, his years as a shepherd, his reputation as Al-Amīn, his successful marriage to Khadījah رضي الله عنها and his respected position among the Quraysh, every stage had contributed to the formation of a man of exceptional character.

Now, as he withdrew from society to worship Allah in the stillness of Ḥirā', the final stage of that preparation was nearing its completion.

The authentic Hadith record that, before the first revelation, Muhammad ﷺ also began experiencing true dreams.

Whatever he saw in these dreams came to pass exactly as he had seen it, appearing with the clarity of the break of dawn. These experiences continued for a period before revelation and served as the earliest signs that Allah's Messenger was being prepared for the immense responsibility that lay ahead.

The quiet solitude of Ḥirā' therefore became the setting for one of the greatest events in human history.

In the year 610 CE, during one of these retreats in the month of Ramaḍān, while Muhammad ﷺ was alone in the Cave of Ḥirā', Jibrīl (Gabriel) (Jibrīl) عليه السلام descended with the first verses of the Qur'an, marking the beginning of the final divine revelation sent by Allah to humanity.

The first revelation received by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ marks the beginning of the final phase of divine revelation to humanity. For more than two decades thereafter, the Qur'an would be revealed gradually, completing the message that Allah had previously sent through His prophets and messengers.

The events of this night are preserved in exceptional detail through authentic Hadith, most notably the narration of Aishah (ʿĀ'ishah) رضي الله عنها recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. These narrations form the principal historical source for the beginning of prophethood and are complemented by the earliest works of Sīrah.

The Night of Revelation

It was during one of Muhammad's ﷺ regular retreats to the Cave of Ḥirā' in the month of Ramaḍān that the moment arrived which Allah had decreed from before his birth.

Having carried provisions with him, Muhammad ﷺ spent his days and nights in worship, contemplation and remembrance of Allah, away from the distractions and idolatry of Makkah. Nothing in his previous life suggested that he expected revelation or sought prophethood. He had never claimed to possess supernatural knowledge, nor had he presented himself as a religious leader among the Quraysh.

While alone in the cave, the silence was suddenly broken.

Without warning, an angel appeared before him.

The authentic Hadith identify this angel as Jibrīl (Gabriel) (Jibrīl) عليه السلام, the same angel entrusted by Allah with conveying revelation to His prophets throughout history.

For Muhammad ﷺ, however, this was an entirely unprecedented experience.

He had never before seen Jibrīl, nor had he previously received revelation.

"Read"

According to the authentic narration of Aishah رضي الله عنها, the angel addressed Muhammad ﷺ with a single command:

"Read."

Muhammad ﷺ replied:

"I am not one who can read."

The angel then embraced him firmly until he felt exhausted before releasing him and repeating the command:

"Read."

Again Muhammad ﷺ replied:

"I am not one who can read."

A second time the angel embraced him firmly and released him.

He then commanded:

"Read."

For a third time Muhammad ﷺ answered:

"I am not one who can read."

The angel embraced him once more before releasing him and reciting the first verses of the Qur'an ever revealed.

**"Read in the name of your Lord who created—

Created man from a clinging substance.

Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous—

Who taught by the pen—

Taught man that which he knew not."**

Qur'an 96:1–5

These five verses of Sūrah al-ʿAlaq became the opening of the Qur'anic revelation and the beginning of Muhammad's ﷺ mission as the final Messenger of Allah.

The first revealed words centred not upon power, conquest or worldly authority, but upon knowledge, creation, learning and the relationship between humanity and its Creator.

A Life Changed Forever

Until that moment, Muhammad ﷺ had entered the Cave of Ḥirā' as a respected merchant seeking solitude in worship.

He emerged as the recipient of divine revelation.

The experience profoundly affected him.

The authentic Hadith describe Muhammad ﷺ as deeply shaken by what had occurred. The encounter was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Having witnessed the angel, heard the revealed words and experienced the overwhelming intensity of revelation, he left the cave and began descending the mountain with his heart filled with awe.

The mission for which Allah had prepared him throughout every stage of his life had now begun.

Yet Muhammad ﷺ did not fully understand the magnitude of what had just taken place.

His immediate concern was not how others would receive the message, but making sense of the extraordinary encounter he had just experienced.

As he descended from Jabal al-Nūr, another event occurred that removed any doubt concerning the identity and reality of the heavenly messenger who had brought him revelation.

Jibrīl Appears Upon the Horizon

Having received the first revelation, Muhammad ﷺ left the Cave of Ḥirā' overwhelmed by the magnitude of what had just taken place.

The descent from Jabal al-Nūr was unlike any journey he had previously made. The encounter within the cave had shaken him profoundly, and he sought only to return to his home.

As he descended the mountain, another extraordinary event occurred.

The authentic narrations record that Muhammad ﷺ heard a voice calling to him from above. Looking up, he saw the very angel who had come to him in the cave.

Jibrīl عليه السلام was no longer standing before him in the form of a man.

Rather, Muhammad ﷺ beheld him in his true angelic form, filling the horizon.

Wherever he turned his gaze, the angel remained before him.

Jibrīl عليه السلام then addressed him, saying:

"O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Jibrīl."

The Prophet ﷺ stood motionless, gazing at the angel in awe.

The authentic narrations describe how he neither advanced nor retreated. The sight before him was unlike anything any human being ordinarily experiences. Every direction towards which he looked was filled by the presence of Jibrīl عليه السلام until, after a time, the angel departed.

This encounter confirmed the reality of what had occurred within the cave.

The revelation had not been a dream.

It had not been a passing thought.

Nor had it been the product of solitude or contemplation.

Muhammad ﷺ had received revelation from the angel entrusted by Allah with conveying His message to the prophets.

Returning Home

After the angel disappeared, Muhammad ﷺ continued his descent from the mountain and hastened towards his home in Makkah.

The experience had left him physically and emotionally shaken.

Never before had he witnessed an angel, received revelation or encountered anything comparable to what had occurred that night.

Upon reaching his home, he entered in great distress and immediately called to his wife:

"Cover me! Cover me!"

Khadījah رضي الله عنها quickly wrapped him in a cloak until his fear subsided.

Only after he had become calm did he begin describing the extraordinary events that had taken place in the Cave of Ḥirā' and during his descent from the mountain.

The authentic narrations preserve his words:

"I feared for myself."

These words reflect the overwhelming nature of the experience rather than doubt in Allah. Muhammad ﷺ had suddenly been confronted with a reality entirely beyond ordinary human experience. He had been entrusted with a responsibility the magnitude of which he could not yet fully comprehend.

Khadījah's Response

Khadījah رضي الله عنها listened carefully as her husband described everything that had happened.

She did not dismiss his experience.

She did not question his honesty.

Nor did she regard him as confused or deluded.

Having lived with Muhammad ﷺ for many years, she knew his character better than anyone else. She had witnessed his honesty, compassion, humility and unwavering integrity throughout their marriage. Nothing in his life had ever suggested deception, instability or a desire for personal glory.

Her response has been preserved in the authentic Hadith and remains one of the most remarkable testimonies to the character of Muhammad ﷺ before the beginning of his public mission.

She said:

"By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You maintain family ties, you speak the truth, you help those who cannot help themselves, you honour your guests, and you assist people in every righteous cause."

These words were not offered merely to comfort her husband.

They were a reasoned judgement based upon years of observing his life.

Khadījah recognised that the Allah whom Muhammad ﷺ sincerely worshipped would not abandon or humiliate a man whose entire life had been characterised by truthfulness, compassion, generosity and justice.

Her testimony is especially significant because it came from the person who knew Muhammad ﷺ most intimately. Long before any public proclamation of prophethood, she had witnessed his conduct in private and in public, in prosperity and hardship, within the home and among the people of Makkah.

Having reassured her husband, Khadījah resolved that they should seek the counsel of a man whose knowledge of the earlier revealed scriptures was widely respected.

She took Muhammad ﷺ to visit her elderly cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, whose response would provide the first independent confirmation of the identity of the heavenly messenger who had appeared in the Cave of Ḥirā'.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal

Khadījah رضي الله عنها accompanied Muhammad ﷺ to visit her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad.

Waraqah was an elderly man of the Quraysh who had abandoned the idolatry of his people many years before. According to the authentic Hadith, he had embraced the religion of the Christians during the period before Islam and devoted himself to the study of the earlier revealed scriptures. He had become learned in the religious texts available in his time and was known among the people of Makkah for his knowledge.

By this stage of his life, Waraqah had become advanced in age and had lost his eyesight.

Khadījah addressed him, saying:

"O my cousin, listen to what your nephew has to say."

Waraqah then asked Muhammad ﷺ to describe everything that had happened.

Muhammad ﷺ related the events exactly as they had occurred, beginning with his retreat to the Cave of Ḥirā', the appearance of the angel, the command to read, the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an and the events that followed as he descended the mountain.

When Muhammad ﷺ had finished speaking, Waraqah immediately recognised the significance of what he had heard.

He declared:

"This is the Nāmūs whom Allah sent to Musa (Moses) (Mūsā) عليه السلام."

The word Nāmūs was used by Waraqah to refer to the angel entrusted with bringing divine revelation to Allah's prophets. By identifying the heavenly visitor in this way, Waraqah affirmed that the experience described by Muhammad ﷺ was consistent with the manner in which revelation had come to the earlier prophets.

Waraqah then continued:

"Would that I were young again! Would that I should still be alive when your people drive you out."

Muhammad ﷺ was surprised by these words.

Having spent forty years among the Quraysh as Al-Amīn—the trustworthy man whom everyone respected—he found it difficult to imagine that his own people would one day expel him from Makkah.

He asked:

"Will they drive me out?"

Waraqah replied:

"Never has a man come with what you have brought except that he was met with hostility. If I live to see that day, I will support you with all my strength."

These words proved prophetic.

In the years that followed, Muhammad ﷺ would indeed face rejection, persecution, attempts upon his life and, ultimately, migration from the city in which he had been born.

Waraqah, however, did not live to witness those events.

The authentic Hadith record that he passed away not long afterwards, during the earliest period of revelation.

The Beginning of Prophethood

The visit to Waraqah marked the conclusion of the first night of revelation.

For forty years, Muhammad ﷺ had lived among the Quraysh as an honest merchant, devoted husband and respected member of society.

From this moment onward, he was the Messenger of Allah.

The first verses of the Qur'an had been revealed.

The angel Jibrīl عليه السلام had delivered Allah's message.

Khadījah رضي الله عنها had become the first person to believe in his prophethood.

Waraqah had recognised that the same heavenly messenger who had brought revelation to the earlier prophets had now come to Muhammad ﷺ.

Although the mission had begun, public preaching had not yet commenced. The revelation received in the Cave of Ḥirā' marked the beginning of prophethood, but Allah had not yet commanded Muhammad ﷺ to proclaim the message openly to the people of Makkah.

Before that command would come, another significant event took place.

For a period after the first revelation, the revelation ceased.

This interval, known in the Sīrah as Fatrat al-Waḥy (the Pause in Revelation), became a period of profound anticipation during which Muhammad ﷺ longed for the return of the divine revelation that had transformed his life.

Explanatory Note ^[1]: Why the Islamic Sources Identify the Visitor as Jibrīl عليه السلام

One of the most common modern criticisms of the first revelation is the claim that the being encountered by Muhammad ﷺ in the Cave of Ḥirā' was not the angel Jibrīl عليه السلام but another spiritual entity. Within the Islamic tradition, this claim is rejected because it is inconsistent with the earliest historical evidence preserved in the Qur'an and the authentic Hadith.

The identification of the visitor as Jibrīl عليه السلام does not rest upon later theological speculation. It is established by multiple independent sources within the earliest Islamic record.

First, the authentic Hadith describe the visitor explicitly as Jibrīl عليه السلام. The encounter in the cave is followed by Muhammad's ﷺ vision of the same angel filling the horizon, where the angel identifies himself to the Prophet. This identification is repeated throughout later revelations and prophetic experiences.

Second, the Qur'an itself repeatedly identifies Jibrīl عليه السلام as the angel entrusted with bringing revelation from Allah to His prophets.

"Say, whoever is an enemy to Jibrīl—it is he who has brought it down upon your heart by permission of Allah, confirming what came before it, and as guidance and good news for the believers."

Qur'an 2:97

The Qur'an therefore identifies both the messenger and the source of the revelation without ambiguity.

Third, Waraqah ibn Nawfal independently recognised the nature of Muhammad's ﷺ experience before any public preaching had begun. After hearing the account directly from Muhammad ﷺ, he identified the heavenly messenger as the same one who had brought revelation to Musa عليه السلام. This recognition came from a man familiar with the earlier revealed scriptures and occurred before Islam had gained any followers.

Fourth, the content of the revelation itself is consistent with the mission of the earlier prophets. The first revealed verses call humanity to recognise Allah as the Creator, emphasise knowledge, learning and moral responsibility, and begin a revelation that consistently commands the worship of Allah alone, justice, truthfulness, mercy and righteousness. Over the following twenty-three years, the Qur'an maintained this message with remarkable consistency.

From the Islamic perspective, these factors form a coherent historical case. The identity of the visitor is not inferred solely from a single experience in the cave but from the combined testimony of the authentic Hadith, the Qur'an, the recognition of Waraqah ibn Nawfal, the continued appearances of Jibrīl عليه السلام during the Prophet's mission and the nature of the revelation itself. For this reason, the Islamic scholarly tradition has consistently identified the visitor as Jibrīl عليه السلام, the angel appointed by Allah to convey His revelation to the prophets.

Following the first revelation in the Cave of Ḥirā', a period elapsed during which no further revelation was sent to Muhammad ﷺ. This interval is known in the Sīrah as Fatrat al-Waḥy—the Pause in Revelation.

Although the first verses of the Qur'an had already been revealed and Muhammad ﷺ had been chosen by Allah as His final Messenger, the process of revelation did not continue immediately. Instead, Allah, in His wisdom, decreed a temporary cessation before the next revelation was sent.

The authentic Hadith establish the occurrence of this interval but do not specify its exact duration. Early historical reports differ regarding its length, with estimates ranging from a few days to a longer period. Since neither the Qur'an nor the authentic Hadith define its precise duration, the Sīrah records only the established fact that a pause occurred.

A Time of Longing

The first encounter with Jibrīl عليه السلام had transformed Muhammad's ﷺ life.

He had witnessed the angel, heard the first words of the Qur'an and received the responsibility of prophethood. Having experienced the majesty of divine revelation, he longed for its return.

The temporary pause did not lessen his certainty regarding what had taken place in the Cave of Ḥirā'. Rather, it increased his anticipation and deepened his longing for further guidance from Allah.

During this period, Muhammad ﷺ continued to reflect upon the extraordinary events he had experienced while waiting patiently for Allah's command.

The pause also served to prepare him emotionally and spiritually for the continuous responsibility of receiving revelation, a responsibility that would remain with him for the next twenty-three years.

The Return of Jibrīl عليه السلام

One day, while Muhammad ﷺ was walking near Makkah, the period of waiting came to an end.

The authentic narration of Jābir ibn Abdullah رضي الله عنه records that Muhammad ﷺ suddenly heard a voice from the heavens.

He looked upwards.

There, seated upon a throne between the heaven and the earth, was the same angel who had appeared to him in the Cave of Ḥirā'.

It was Jibrīl عليه السلام.

The overwhelming sight filled Muhammad ﷺ with awe.

He immediately returned to his home and said:

"Cover me! Cover me!"

His family wrapped him in his cloak.

At that moment, Allah revealed the opening verses of Sūrah al-Muddaththir, transforming Muhammad's ﷺ mission from one of private revelation to one of public responsibility.

**"O you who are wrapped up,

Arise and warn.

And magnify your Lord.

And purify your garments.

And shun all impurity.

Do not give expecting to receive more in return.

And for the sake of your Lord, be patient."**

Qur'an 74:1–7

These verses contained the first direct command requiring Muhammad ﷺ to rise and begin conveying Allah's message.

The first revelation in the Cave of Ḥirā' had established his prophethood.

The revelation of Sūrah al-Muddaththir marked the beginning of his public mission.

The Beginning of the Final Prophetic Mission

The command "Arise and warn" signified a decisive turning point in history.

For forty years, Muhammad ﷺ had lived quietly among the people of Makkah as Al-Amīn, the trustworthy merchant respected by all who knew him.

Now Allah commanded him to become a warner to his people.

The responsibility entrusted to him was unlike any he had previously carried.

He was to call humanity away from idolatry and back to the worship of Allah alone.

He was to proclaim the completion of the prophetic message that had begun with Adam عليه السلام and continued through Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa عليهم السلام and every messenger whom Allah had sent before him.

He was to convey the Qur'an faithfully, without alteration or concealment, regardless of the opposition he would face.

The years of preparation were over.

The years of prophethood had begun.

From this point onward, the Sīrah enters a new phase.

Muhammad ﷺ would begin by inviting those closest to him to Islam before publicly proclaiming Allah's message to the Quraysh and, ultimately, to all humanity.

After Allah commanded Muhammad ﷺ to "Arise and warn," he did not immediately proclaim his message publicly to the people of Makkah. In His wisdom, Allah directed that the call should begin privately with those who knew the Prophet ﷺ best. These were people who had lived with him, worked alongside him and witnessed his truthfulness and integrity over many years. Their belief in his prophethood was therefore founded upon direct knowledge of his character.

Before the message was proclaimed openly throughout Makkah, a small group of men and women believed that Muhammad ﷺ had truly been chosen by Allah as His final Messenger and embraced the religion of Islam that he had been commanded to restore and proclaim.

Khadījah رضي الله عنها – The First Believer

The first person to believe in Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood was his wife, Khadījah bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها.

Her acceptance was immediate and unwavering.

Having lived with Muhammad ﷺ for many years, she knew his character better than any other person. She had witnessed his honesty, compassion, humility and truthfulness in every aspect of life. When he informed her that Allah had chosen him as His Messenger, she neither hesitated nor demanded further proof. She believed him without reservation and became the first person to embrace the final revelation brought through him.

For the remainder of her life, Khadījah remained Muhammad's ﷺ greatest source of comfort and encouragement during the earliest years of his prophetic mission.

She stood beside him when others rejected him.

She believed in him when many mocked him.

She devoted her wealth to supporting the believers.

She endured hardship and persecution alongside him.

The Prophet ﷺ never forgot her loyalty. Many years after her death, he continued to speak of her with profound affection, remembering her sacrifices and her unwavering support during the years when only a small number of people had accepted his prophethood.

Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه

Among the first to believe in Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood was Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib (ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib) رضي الله عنه, the young cousin of the Prophet ﷺ.

Ali had been living in Muhammad's ﷺ household for several years before the beginning of revelation.

During a period of economic hardship affecting the family of Abū Ṭālib, Muhammad ﷺ and his uncle al-ʿAbbās had agreed to ease his burden by caring for some of his children. Muhammad ﷺ brought Ali into his own home, where he was raised under the care of the Prophet ﷺ and Khadījah رضي الله عنها.

As a result, Ali witnessed the earliest days of Muhammad's prophetic mission from within the Prophet's own household.

When Muhammad ﷺ explained that Allah had chosen him as His Messenger and called people to worship Allah alone, Ali accepted his prophethood while still very young, becoming the first male youth to believe in his message.

Ali remained one of the Prophet's closest companions throughout his life. He later became one of the greatest scholars among the Companions, a distinguished leader of the Muslim community and the fourth of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

Zayd ibn Ḥārithah رضي الله عنه

Another of the earliest believers was Zayd ibn Ḥārithah رضي الله عنه.

Years before the beginning of revelation, Zayd had been separated from his family and eventually came into the household of Khadījah. After her marriage, she presented him to Muhammad ﷺ.

Muhammad ﷺ treated Zayd with exceptional kindness and regarded him as a member of his own household.

When Zayd's father later discovered his whereabouts and travelled to Makkah to ransom him, Muhammad ﷺ gave him complete freedom to choose whether to return with his family or remain where he was.

Without hesitation, Zayd chose to remain with Muhammad ﷺ.

He declared that he could not prefer anyone over the man whose compassion, justice and noble character he had experienced for himself.

When Muhammad ﷺ announced that Allah had chosen him as His Messenger, Zayd immediately believed in his prophethood and embraced Islam.

His acceptance was based not upon argument or persuasion but upon years spent living alongside the Prophet ﷺ and personally witnessing his honesty and integrity.

Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه

Among the earliest and most influential believers was Abū Bakr ibn Abī Quḥāfah رضي الله عنه.

Abū Bakr was one of the most respected men of the Quraysh. He was known for his honesty, wisdom, gentle character and extensive knowledge of the tribes of Arabia. As a successful merchant, he enjoyed widespread respect throughout Makkah.

He had also been one of Muhammad's ﷺ closest friends long before revelation descended.

When Muhammad ﷺ informed Abū Bakr that Allah had chosen him as His final Messenger, Abū Bakr believed him immediately.

The earliest Sīrah records that he neither hesitated nor demanded miraculous proof.

His certainty rested upon a lifetime of knowing Muhammad ﷺ.

Having never known him to utter a falsehood in any matter, Abū Bakr considered it impossible that he would falsely claim revelation from Allah.

Abū Bakr's acceptance of Muhammad's prophethood proved to be one of the most significant events during the earliest period of the Makkan mission.

Through his efforts, a number of distinguished Quraysh accepted Muhammad ﷺ as the Messenger of Allah and embraced Islam, including Uthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه, al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām رضي الله عنه, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf رضي الله عنه, Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه and Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh رضي الله عنه. Each would later become one of the foremost Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and contribute significantly to the spread of the final revelation after the Prophet's death.

The First Community of Believers Around Muhammad ﷺ

The first believers in Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood came from different backgrounds and generations.

Khadījah was a respected merchant and the Prophet's wife.

Ali was a young member of Banū Hāshim.

Zayd had once been enslaved before becoming a free member of the Prophet's household.

Abū Bakr was one of the leading merchants of the Quraysh.

Despite their different circumstances, they were united by one conviction: that Allah had chosen Muhammad ﷺ as His final Messenger and that the Qur'an was His revelation.

This small community formed the foundation of the believers who would carry the final revelation throughout Arabia and, in time, far beyond its borders.

For the present, however, their numbers remained few.

Allah had not yet commanded Muhammad ﷺ to proclaim the message openly before all the people of Makkah.

The call therefore continued privately, one person at a time, as those who knew Muhammad ﷺ best recognised the truthfulness of his prophethood and embraced the message that he had been sent to convey.