Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 39
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 39 the Holy Quran, which has affirmed: ‘Thou didst not recite any book before the revelation of the Quran, nor didst thou write one with thy right hand in that case, those who reject it as a fabrication would have had further cause for doubt’ (29:49). But the direction ‘Recite’ conveyed to Muhammad that he was called upon to undertake a particular enterprise which would require him to convey a message to mankind, and his response was that he was not able to do so. The purpose of the repeated embraces wa s to influence and strengthen his heart so that he should be prepared to undertake the responsibility that God was about to place upon his shoulders. Khadija took Muhammad to her cousin, Waraqa bin Naufal, who had discarded paganism and had become a Christian and had some knowledge of the Scriptures. He was now old and almost blind. Khadija asked him to hear what Muhammad had to say. Having heard him, h e said, ‘The angel who used to descend upon Moses has descended upon thee. Would that I were stronger and could survive till thy people will expel thee from thy home. ’ Muhammad was surprised and exclaimed, ‘Will they indeed expel me?’ Waraqa replied, ‘Ther e has been no messenger who has not been opposed by his people. If I survive till that time, I shall help thee with all my strength. ’ But he lived only a short time thereafter. After his first experience of revelation, Muhammad received no further revelation for about six weeks. He passed this period in great perplexity and restlessness. He did not completely understand what had happened and what it might portend. Was it indeed a message from God or was it a secret urging of his own