With the revelation of this surah his prophethood began. Thereafter the revelation ceased for a while so that he might yearn for it and so that its return would have an even greater place in his heart.

He had seen the angel in his true form and was alarmed by the sight. Once more he came to Khadijah, his body trembling, and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” (1). Then Allah sent down to him:

“O you who are wrapped up, 1
Arise and warn, 2
Magnify your Lord, 3
Purify your garments, 4
And keep away from all defilement. 5”
(Surah al-Muddaththir, 1‒5)

In these verses he was ordered to summon the people and to warn them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ set himself to the task with firm resolve, fully aware that by doing so he would face resistance from both near and far and meet every form of opposition from his own people and from others. Yet Allah supported him, strengthened his determination, and aided him with a spirit from Himself and with the religion He had bestowed upon him.

During the pause in revelation Surah al-Ḍuḥā was sent down, when the deniers said, “The Lord of Muhammad has abandoned him.” Allah said:

“By the morning brightness 1
and by the night when it is still, 2
your Lord has not forsaken you, nor does He abhor you. 3”
(Surah al-Ḍuḥā, 1‒3) and the rest of the surah.

This was a tremendous expression of Allah’s care for His Messenger, a complete negation of any defect, and a promise that every subsequent state of his would be better than the one before, and that Allah would grant him victory, followers, mighty honor, and the widespread establishment of the religion until he was well pleased.

• Among the loftiest stations of his mission was his summons to pure tawḥīd (unadulterated monotheism) and his prohibition of everything that contradicts it. He called people to this foundation, and Allah affirmed it in His Book, presenting it in many clear ways that demonstrate the obligation and beauty of tawḥīd and show it to be the sole path to Allah and to His abode of honor. Likewise, the Quran established the nullity of shirk and of harmful doctrines through numerous arguments contained in its verses, especially in most of the Makkan surahs.