The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 167
VI Commencement of Prophethood Rise of the Sun The light of dawn was about to manifest itself upon the eastern horizon and the sun which was to illuminate the whole world was about to rise. The Holy Prophet sa would regularely retreat to the Cave of Ḥirā, and would engage himself in the worship of God in a manner of his own. The commencement of true dreams had begun and the Holy Prophet sa spent six months in this very state. 1 It was now that the Holy Prophet sa had reached the age of forty and his disposition had attained the maturity of prophethood and apostleship. It was among the last ten days of the blessed month of Ramaḍān and a Monday. As per custom, the Holy Prophet sa was in the Cave of Ḥirā, and was engaged in the worship of God, when suddenly an unfamiliar being appeared before him. This divine messenger, who was Gabriel as , the angel of God, addressed the Holy Prophet sa and said, أ ِقْر�َ � , “read” , in other words, ‘speak’ or ‘convey to the people’. 2 The Holy Prophet sa responded, ٍ َنَا بِقَارِئ � مَا , “I cannot read” , meaning, ‘I cannot bear this responsibility’. 3 When the angel heard this reply he took hold of the Holy Prophet sa and tightly pressed him against his breast and after releasing him said, أ ِقْر�َ � but the response of the Holy Prophet sa remained the same. The angel took hold of him again and firmly squeezed him and after releasing him said, 1 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Volume 1, p. 386, Bābu Mab‘athin-Nabī sa , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 2 The word َأ قَر�َ also means to convey a message, as is said, َ لسَّلَام � ِقْر�َ َأ مِنِّی � , in other words, ‘Convey my greetings to him’. Refer to Aqrabul-Mawārid, Volume 4, p. 296, under the word “Qara’a” (Author) 3 This response was similar to that given by Ḥaḍrat Moses as that ‘I am not capable of prophethood, this task should be assigned to someone else’ , but who is more aware of the one who is capable of prophethood than Allāh himself. (Author)