973 — Abū Alī al-Husayn ibn Zakariyyā al-Sukkarī also narrated to us, saying: Ahmad ibn Abd al-Jabbār al-Utāridī narrated to us, saying: Yūnus ibn Bukayr narrated to us, from Yūnus ibn Amr, from his father, from Abū Maysara Amr ibn Shurahbīl, who reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to Khadīja—may Allah ⦗1442⦘ be pleased with her:

“Whenever I am alone, I hear a voice calling, and by Allah, I fear that this may be something grave.”

She replied, “Allah forbid! Allah would never do such a thing to you. By Allah, you faithfully discharge trusts, maintain ties of kinship, and always speak the truth.”

When Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—came in while the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was not there, Khadīja told him what he had said. She then said, “Atīq, go with Muhammad to Waraqa.”

When the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—came in, Abū Bakr took him by the hand and said, “Come with us to Waraqa.”

He asked, “Who told you?”

He replied, “Khadīja.”

They went to Waraqa and recounted the matter to him. The Messenger of Allah said, “Whenever I am alone, I hear a voice behind me calling, ‘O Muhammad!’ and I flee across the land.”

Waraqa told him, “Do not do that. When it comes to you, stand firm until you hear what it says. Then come to me and tell me.”

When he was next alone, the voice called to him, “O Muhammad, say: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds’” [al-Fātiha: 2], continuing until he reached, “‘nor those who have gone astray’” [al-Fātiha: 7]. “Say: ‘There is no deity except Allah.’”

He then went to Waraqa and told him what had happened. Waraqa said, “Rejoice—and rejoice again! I bear witness that you are the one whose coming the son of Mary foretold, that you are attended by a bearer of divine revelation ⦗1443⦘ like the one sent to Moses, and that you are a prophet and messenger. After this day, you will be commanded to wage jihad. If I live to see that, I shall certainly wage jihad alongside you.”

After Waraqa died, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “I have indeed seen the Christian cleric in Paradise, dressed in silken garments, because he believed in me and affirmed my truthfulness”—meaning Waraqa.