The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 169
VI - Commencement of Prophethood 169 Allāh shall never disgrace you. You treat your kith and kin with love. You are truthful, and assist others in discharging their responsibilities, and have gathered within yourself lost virtues. You are hospitable, and a helper to others in the way of truth. ” 1 Then Ḥaḍrat Khadījah ra took the Holy Prophet sa to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal, who had abandoned polytheism and become a follower of the Christian religion. He was somewhat acquainted with the scriptures of past prophets. He was now old and had lost his eyesight as well. When Ḥaḍrat Khadījah ra reached there with the Holy Prophet sa , she said, “Brother! Would you kindly listen to your nephew?” He said, “Yes, what is the matter. ” The Holy Prophet sa related the entire occurrence. When Waraqah heard the entire account, he said, “This is the same angel who brought revelation to Moses as. O would that I had power. Would that I remain alive until your people banish you from your homeland. ” The Holy Prophet sa inquired in amazement, ْ َوَمُخْرِجِی َّ ھُم � , “Shall my people banish me?” “Yes,” responded Waraqah, “no prophet came with whom his people did not harbour enmity and if I remain alive until that time, I shall assist you to the utmost of my capability. ” However, Waraqah could not witness that time, because he passed away shortly thereafter. 2 Fatrat-e-Waḥī 3 After this the decent of revelation came to a temporary halt 4 and remained as such for a certain period in time (the approximation of which, according to a narration related by Ibni ‘Abbās has been mentioned as 40 days). 5 This period in time is known as the ‘Time of Fatrat’. It was as if, the illumination of the sun of apostleship was seen and then disappeared. A droplet of water fell upon the parched lips of the Holy Prophet sa and then the clouds dispersed. The Holy Prophet sa spent these days in a state of grave anxiety and restlessness. Day and night, whilst sitting and standing, the same thought preoccupied him – God knows what this affair is and what is to happen hereafter. What significance does the appearance of this unfamiliar and invisible messenger 1 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Bābu Minhu, Ḥadīth No. 3 2 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Bābu Minhu, Ḥadīth No. 3 3 An Interval in Revelation (Publishers) 4 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Bābu Minhu, Ḥadīth No. 3 5 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az- Zarqānī, Volume 1, p. 441, Bābu Marātibil-Waḥī , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)