Al-Tabari: Muhammad's Call to Prophecy
Though the Quran itself provides hints about Muhammad's past and his personal life, biographies of the Prophet, which drew upon various (usually oral) accounts and recollections, came out shortly after his death in 632 CE. One of the most revered of the early Muslim chroniclers was Al-Tabari, who made it a habit to cite his sources whenever possible. Here he has left us an account of a crucial event: the first call of Muhammad to prophecy (note: Aisha was Muhammad's second wife; Khadija his first).
Source: Arthur Jeffrey, trans., Islam, Muhammad and His Religion (N.Y.: Liberal Arts Press, 1958), pp. 15Ã17. Quoted in Mircea Eliade, From Medicine Men to Muhammad (N.Y.: Harper & Row, 1974), pp. 63-64.
Ahmad b. 'Uthman, who is known as Abu'l-jawza', has related to me on the authority of Wahb b. Jarir, who heard his father say that he had heard from an-Nu'man b. Rashid, on the authority of az-Zuhri from 'Urwa, from 'A'isha, who said: The way revelation (wahy) first began to come to the Apostle of Allah - on whom be Allah's blessing and peace - was by means of true dreams which would come like the morning dawn. Then he came to love solitude, so he used to go off to a cave in Hira where he would practise tahannuth certain nights before returning to his family. Then he would come back to his family and take provisions for the like number [of nights] until unexpectedly the truth came to him.
He (i.e., Gabriel) came to him saying: 'O Muhammad, thou art Allah's Apostle (rasUl).' Said the Apostle of Allah—upon whom be Allah's blessing and peace: 'Thereat I fell to my knees where I had been standing, and then with trembling limbs dragged myself along till I came in to Khadija, saying: "Wrap ye me up! Wrap ye me up!" till the terror passed from me. Then [on another occasion] he came to me again and said: "O Muhammad, thou art Allah's Apostle," [which so disturbed me] that I was about to cast myself down from some high mountain cliff. But he appeared before me as I was about to do this, and said: "O Muhammad, I am Gabriel, and thou art Allah's Apostle." Then he said to me: "Recite!"; but I answered: "What should I recite?"; whereat he seized me and grievously treated me three times, till he wore me out. Then he said: "Recite, in the name of thy Lord who has created" (SUra XCVI, 1). So I recited it and then went to Khadija, to whom I said: "I am worried about myself." Then I told her the whole story. She said: "Rejoice, for by Allah, Allah will never put thee to shame. By Allah, thou art mindful of thy kinsfolk, speakest truthfully, renderest what is given thee in trust, bearest burdens, art ever hospitable to the guest, and dost always uphold the right against any wrong." Then she took me to Waraqua b. Naufal b. Asad [to whom] she said: "Give ear to what the son of thy brother [has to report]." So he questioned me, and I told him [the whole] story. Said he: "This is the nAmUs which was sent down upon Moses the son of Amram. Would that I might be a stalwart youth [again to take part] in it. Would that I might still be alive when your people turn you out." "And will they turn me out?" I asked. "Yes," said he, "never yet has a man come with that with which you come but has been turned away. Should I be there when your day comes I will lend you mighty assistance."'