for you are guests in my land; in other words, you are safe.

He said this because Quraysh had sent him gifts and asked him to hand those Muslims back to them, saying,

“These people have abandoned our religion and have opposed yours.”

In the authentic collection is also the narration of Warqah ibn Nawfal, related by ʿĀʾishah—may Allah be pleased with her—about the beginning of revelation. She said:

“The very first form of revelation granted to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was the truthful dream while asleep; whenever he saw a dream it would come as clear as daybreak. Then seclusion was made dear to him, and he would withdraw to the cave of Hirāʾ, devoting himself there to worship for several consecutive nights.” She went on, “Khadījah then brought him to Warqah ibn Nawfal, who had embraced Christianity in the pre-Islamic period and would write down from the Gospel whatever Allah willed him to write. She said, ‘Listen to your nephew.’ The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, told him what he had seen, whereupon Warqah said, ‘This is the nāmūs (the Angel of Revelation) whom Allah sent to Moses. If only I…’