As he approached **forty years of age**, Muhammad’s spiritual quest intensified. He found himself taking long, solitary walks in the hills outside Makkah, perhaps seeking the peace of his shepherd youth, or simply a quiet place for reflection. He began spending increasing amounts of time away from the city’s hustle. Around this time, he also started having strange, vivid dreams that would manifest into reality when he was awake. Undecided about their meaning, he used his solitude to ponder the spiritual chaos and social injustice of his world.

The Cave of Hira’

One day, he discovered a tiny cave on the side of Mount Nur, which he deemed an excellent place for meditation and seeking guidance. His devoted wife, **Khadijah**, understood his restlessness and often packed food for him, knowing he might be gone for days at a time. In the year **610 CE**, after weeks of deep thought and reflection, Muhammad fell asleep in the cave.

He was startled awake by a powerful voice resonating within the stone walls. **“Read,”** the voice commanded. Bewildered, Muhammad replied, **“I can’t read.”** Suddenly, an unseen being—a heavy weight—slammed into his body, squeezing him with a powerful grip that knocked the breath out of him. Just when he felt he could take no more, the vice-grip loosened, and the command came again, **“Read.”**

“But I can’t read!” he stammered, and the squeezing came upon him once more, forcing every molecule of air from his lungs. Groaning in desperation, he pleaded, **“What should I read?”** The being then spoke the first verses of the Qur’an:

“Read in the name of your Lord Who created – created human beings from a clinging thing. Read, for your Lord is Most Generous. He taught with the pen – He taught human beings what they didn’t know (before.)” (**Qur’an 96:1-5**)

“You Are the Messenger of God”

Muhammad panicked. He bolted from the cave, stumbling over the rocks outside. He looked up into the brilliant, star-filled night sky and saw the majestic image of a figure surrounded by light, standing like a giant in the cosmos. **“I am Gabriel,”** the being declared, **“and you, Muhammad, are the Messenger of God.”**

His heart pounded as he turned and ran all the way back to Makkah. Bursting into his home, shivering and distraught, he cried, **“Cover me! Cover me!”** Khadijah, startled, gently led her trembling husband to bed and covered him in a large blanket. In halting words, he recounted the terrifying encounter, lamenting that something terrible might befall him.

Khadijah, after a moment of thought, offered the profound reassurance that defined her support: **“By God, He will never disgrace you. You are always kind and generous to others, and God would never mean you any harm.”**

Confirmation and the Second Command

Khadijah then sought out her elderly, blind cousin, **Waraqah ibn Nawfal**, a scholar who had embraced Christianity and possessed knowledge of Hebrew. After listening to her account, Waraqah exclaimed: **“Holy! Holy! Holy! The one who came to him is the same Holy Spirit who used to go to Moses. He’s going to be the prophet of this nation.”** Waraqah forewarned that Muhammad’s mission would be fraught with hardship: he would be called a liar, persecuted, and eventually exiled by his own people.

Waraqah later counseled Muhammad directly: **“If you hear the hidden voice again, stay and listen to what it says.”** Waraqah passed away shortly thereafter, but his prophecy proved true. After a period of about six months during which the Prophet received no further communication (a period of immense distress for him), the revelations resumed.

One day, Khadijah found her husband asleep, shivering slightly. He suddenly awoke, saying the following verses:

“You there! The one wrapped up (in a blanket)! Arise and warn! Magnify your Lord! Keep your clothes clean and shun the idols. Don’t give (in charity) with the expectation of receiving anything back. For your Lord’s sake, be patient.” (**Qur’an 74:1-7**)

Muhammad, now calm and resolute, was instantly adamant: **“No, Khadijah, the time for sleeping is over. Gabriel has ordered me to warn people and to call them to God.”** Khadijah, without hesitation, confidently declared her belief in him and accepted his message. Thus, the very first convert to the new faith and the strongest pillar of his early ministry was his beloved wife, Khadijah.