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Heri Mahbub
Why is the first commandment of the Quranic revelation "Read"? Discover the profound story of the Quran's revelation, the true nature of its revelation, and its eternal message for us today. From the Cave of Hira to our hearts.
Kordoba Cordoba - In the silence of the Cave of Hira, on a blessed night, human history changed forever. At that time, an ummi man who was in the middle of his prayers suddenly received a great visit.
A figure of light appeared, the angel Gabriel, coming with wings filling the sky, then a voice was heard that shook the soul but calmed: “Read!”
The man, Muhammad ﷺ, answered innocently, “I cannot read.” The same command and answer were repeated three times, before the angel finally delivered the first revelation:
"Read by (mentioning) the name of your Lord Who created. He has created humans from a clot of blood. Read, and your Lord is the Most Gracious. Who teaches (humans) by means of kalam. He teaches humans what they do not know." (QS. Al-'Alaq: 1-5).
This is a monumental moment: “Iqra” (Read) becomes the opening words of the eternal treatise. It is not just a command to read letters, but a divine invitation to read the universe, read yourself, read history, civilization and read destiny—all in the name of Allah.
The revelation that came down was not a product of human culture or contemplation, but rather the direct word of the Creator. The eternally preserved Word of God.
Linguistically, 'revelation' means a hidden and immediate notification or signal. In Islamic terms, revelation is God's way of conveying His laws, guidance and words to the Prophets and Apostles.
He is a pure source of knowledge and law, distinguishing a prophet from other humans. Allah says:
"Indeed, We have given revelation to you (Muhammad) as We have given revelation to Noah and the prophets after him." (QS. An-Nisa': 163).
This confirms the unity of the source of revelation from all the Prophets. However, the Qur'an, as the final revelation, has a unique distinction: it is the direct Word of God in pure Arabic, preserved in its originality, without the intervention of angels in its composition, let alone Satan.
The process of receiving revelation from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a very difficult physical and spiritual experience. Sometimes the Angel Gabriel appeared in human form, sometimes the voice of revelation came like the jingling of bells—this was the most difficult.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) described: “I once saw revelation descending upon him on a very cold day. However, when the revelation was finished, his forehead was always covered with sweat.” (Narrated by Bukhari).
This proves that revelation is a real experience, miracles are not just inner inspiration.
After the first revelation, there came a period of fatratul wahyi (vacuum of revelation) which felt long and worrying for the Prophet ﷺ. Until one day, he saw Gabriel in his true form on the horizon.
This event marked the beginning of the second revelation, QS. Al-Muddatsir, which contained the command to begin preaching openly.
Since then, revelations have come down gradually over 23 years, adapting to events and answering questions as they arise.
Every time a verse was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) immediately memorized it and ordered his companions who recorded the revelations ( kuttab al-wahyi ) such as Zaid bin Tsabit to immediately document it on date palm fronds, skin, stones and bones.
The process of talaqqi (hearing directly from the Prophet's words), memorization and writing is what guarantees the authenticity of the Qur'an.
The Prophet's patience in waiting for revelation to answer a problem - such as in the case of false accusations against Aisyah who waited for the revelation of the QS. An-Nur—shows that he cannot make up his own revelations. He is just a faithful transmitter.
Amidst today's information overload, rife with distortion, the message of "Iqra" is increasingly relevant. But what kind of "reading" is meant?
1. Reading in the Name of God (Bismi Rabbik): This is key. Reading the Quran, reading knowledge, reading life, must begin with remembering the Giver of Knowledge. This fosters humility, recognizing that all knowledge originates from Him.
2. Reading that Gives Birth to Action (Al-Qalam): The first revelation mentions the “qalam” (pen). True reading must produce “writing”—that is, personal change, a record of good deeds, and a tangible contribution to civilization.
3. Reading to Get to Know the Unknown: The ultimate goal of reading revelations and kauniyah verses is to expand the horizons of faith and knowledge, revealing the never-ending greatness of Allah.
The claim of some orientalists that the Qur'an is the result of the Prophet's genius intuition is refuted by the facts:
· Psychological Condition of the Prophet: The reactions of fear, anxiety, and physical burden when the revelation first came down indicate that this was an external experience received , not his own work.
· The Nature of the Prophet's Ummi: How could someone who could not read and write ( ummi ) produce literary works with unparalleled linguistic, legal, historical, civilizational and cosmological depth?
· Eternal Challenge: The Qur'an itself challenges anyone to produce even one chapter like it. In fact, even the greatest Arab writers have been unable to answer it.
This proves that revelation is metahistorical —beyond space, time, and human capacity.
Revelation is light descending from heaven, while poetry, verse, and philosophy are the sparks of fire from the earth. They have different sources and substances.
When Gabriel hugged the Prophet ﷺ three times and told him to read, that is where Allah taught that the path to Him begins by opening a new page .
Reading the revelations of the Qur'an is not a passive ritual, but an active dialogue with the Creator.
The revelation of the early Quran is the greatest gift. Let's answer the call of "Iqra" faithfully: reading the mushaf with tadabbur, reading nature with tafakkur, and writing the best works with the ink of faith.
Because, in every era, revelation is always waiting to be read, turned on, understood and practiced with a heart that longs for guidance.
And God knows best
