The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page cxlii
GENERAL INTRODUCTION Young Zaid, newly freed, saw at once that it was better to sacrifice freedom for the sake of slavery to the Prophet. When the Prophet set the slaves free, Zaid refused to be freed and asked leave to continue to live with the Prophet. He did so, and as time went on his attachment to the Prophet grew. But in the meantime Zaid's father and his uncle were on his track and they ultimately heard that he was in Mecca. In Mecca they traced him in the house of the Prophet. Coming to the Prophet, they asked for the liberty of Zaid and offered to pay as much ransom as the Prophet should demand. The Prophet said that Zaid was free and could go with them as he liked. He sent for Zaid and showed him his father and uncle. After the parties had met and dried their tears, Zaid's father told him that he had been freed by his kind Master and, as his mother was much afflicted by the separation, he had better return home. Zaid replied, "Father! who does not love his parents? My heart is full of love for you and mother. But I love this man Muḥammad so much that I cannot think of living elsewhere than with him. I have met you and I am glad. But separation from Muḥammad I cannot endure. " Zaid's father and his uncle did their utmost to persuade Zaid to return home with them but Zaid did not agree. Upon this the Holy Prophet said, "Zaid was a freedman already, but from today he will be my son. " Seeing this affection between Zaid and the Prophet, Zaid's father and uncle went back and Zaid remained with the Prophet (Hisham). The Prophet Receives His First Revelation When the Prophet was over thirty years of age, love of God and love of His worship began to possess him more and more. Revolting against the mischiefs, misdeeds and the many vices of the people of Mecca, he chose a spot two or three miles away for his meditations. This was on top of a hill, a sort of cave shaped out of stone. His wife Khadijah would prepare food enough for several days, and with this he would repair to the cave Ḥirā. In the cave he would worship God day and night. When he was forty years of age, he saw a vision. It was in this very cave. He saw someone commanding him to recite. The Prophet said in reply he did not know what or how to recite. The figure insisted and at last made the Prophet recite the following verses: Recite thou in the name of thy Lord Who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite! And thy Lord is the Most Beneficent, Who taught man by the pen, taught man what he knew not (96:2-6). These verses, the first ever revealed to the Prophet, became part of the Quran as did other verses which were revealed later. They have tremendous meaning. They command the Prophet to stand up and be ready to proclaim the cxvi