—in the waking state on the morning that followed that night, though it may also have taken place some time later; Allah knows best (1).

Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah (2) transmitted from al-Zuhrī, who related from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib: Among the very first things the Messenger of Allah ﷺ experienced was that Allah, exalted be He, showed him a dream. It weighed heavily upon him, so he spoke of it to his wife Khadījah. Allah protected her from denying it and opened her heart to believe. She said, “Rejoice, for Allah has willed only good for you.”

He then left her and soon returned, telling her that he had seen his abdomen split open, washed, purified, and restored as it had been. She responded, “By Allah, this is good—rejoice!”

Gabriel thereafter manifested himself to him on the heights of Mecca and seated him upon a noble and wondrous seat. The Prophet ﷺ used to say, “He placed me on a carpet like a durnoqu (3) in which were rubies and pearls.” Gabriel then gave him the glad tidings of Allah’s message until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was reassured. Gabriel said, “Recite.” He replied, “How shall I recite?” Gabriel recited:

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created,
created man from a clinging clot.
Recite, for your Lord is the Most Generous,
who taught by the pen,
taught man what he did not know.” (Al-ʿAlaq 96:1-5)

Some people claim that the first sūrah revealed to him was “O you who are wrapped up (in garments)”; Allah knows best.

He (4) continued: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted his Lord’s message and followed what Gabriel had brought from Allah. As he returned home, no tree or stone he passed failed to greet him with peace. He went back to his family joyful and certain, having witnessed a momentous affair.

When he entered upon Khadījah he said, “Do you remember the one I told you I had seen in a dream? It was Gabriel who has now appeared to me; my Lord has sent him to me.” He then told her what had come to him from Allah and what he had heard. She said, “Rejoice! By Allah, Allah will deal with you only in goodness. Accept what has come to you from Allah—it is the truth. Rejoice, for you are truly the Messenger of Allah.”

She rose and went to a Christian servant of ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah ibn ʿAbd Shams, a man from Nineveh (5) named ʿAddās, and said, “O ʿAddās, I adjure you by Allah—tell me, do you have any knowledge of Gabriel?” He exclaimed, “Holy, holy! What business has Gabriel being mentioned in this land whose people are idolaters?” She said, “Inform me of what you know about him.” He replied, “He is Allah’s trusted envoy between Him and the prophets; he is the companion of Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them.”

Khadījah then returned and went to Waraqah ibn Nawfal to inform him of what had happened to the Prophet ﷺ and what he had conveyed to her.