🌙 Prophets and Seerah · Step 31 of 41
The first revelation
In the cave of Hira, Jibreel brought the first words of the Qur'an: “Read!”
Before he became a prophet, Muhammad ﷺ loved to go to the cave of Hira, on a mountain near Makkah, to think and worship alone. When he was forty, the angel Jibreel came to him there and said: “Read!” He replied: “I am not a reader.” Then Jibreel taught him the first ayahs of the Qur'an.
The Prophet ﷺ came home trembling and said: “Cover me!” His wife Khadijah comforted him: “Allah will never disgrace you. You are kind to your family, you help the weak, you are generous to guests and you help people in difficulty.” She was the first person to believe in him.
The first words revealed
Read in the name of your Lord who created... who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know.
The story of the first revelation and Khadijah's words is told by Aisha at the start of Sahih al-Bukhari.
✅ Check yourself
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What was the first word Jibreel said?
Show the answer
“Read!” (Iqra')
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Who was the first to believe in the Prophet ﷺ?
Show the answer
Khadijah.