The Beginning of Revelation

Hadith Aisha Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3 & Volume 9, Book 87, Number 111: The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of true dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read. The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3)..... ...Then Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving when calamity afflicts one." Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, "Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Apostle described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same one (namus) who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle asked, "Will

they drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while..... Bukhari: Volume 9, Book 87, Number 111: and the Prophet became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before. --other sources (i.e. the narration of Jabir) continue the story by saying that while the Prophet was walking he saw the angel that used to come to him in Hira on a throne between heaven and earth. He returned to khadijah and asked her to cover him and that is when the second revelation came to him surat al Muddhaththir. How analysis the revelation of Prophet Muhammad Williams James (the variety of religious experiences) analysis religious Carl Jung (Psychology and Religion)
nomen mysticum Prophecy is connected to dreams!

Dreams
According to Quran and Sunnah
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The dreams of the Prophets are Divine Inspirations.

Sahih Bukhari

Hadith - Bukhari 2:468, Narrated Samura bin Jundab Whenever the Prophet finished the (morning) prayer, he would face us and ask, "Who amongst you had a dream last night?" So if anyone had seen a dream he would narrate it. The Prophet would say: "Ma sha'a-llah" Hadith - Bukhari 9:119, Narrated AbuHuraira I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Nothing is left of the prophetism except Al-Mubashshirat." They asked, "What are Al-Mubashshirat?" He replied, "The true good dreams (that conveys glad tidings)." Hadith - Bukhari 9:168, Narrated Abu Salama I used to see a dream which would make me sick till I heard Abu Qatada saying, "I too, used to see a dream which would make me sick till I heard the Prophet saying, "A good dream is from Allah, so if anyone of you saw a dream which he liked, he should not tell it to anybody except to the one whom he loves, and if he saw a dream which he disliked, then he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil and from the evil of Satan, and spit three times (on his left) and should not tell it to anybody, for it will not harm him." Hadith -Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 87, Number 115: Narrated Abu Qatada The Prophet said, "A good dream that comes true is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan, so if anyone of you sees a bad dream, he should seek refuge with Allah from Satan and should spit on the left, for the bad dream will not harm him." Hadith - Muslim 5640, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah, r.a. Allah's Messenger said: There came to him (the Prophet) a desert Arab and said: I saw in a dream that I had been beheaded and I had been following it (the severed head). Allah's Apostle

reprimanded him saying: Do not inform about the vain sporting of devil with you during the night. Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 9:144, Narrated Abu Huraira Allah's Apostle said, "When the Day of Resurrection approaches, the dreams of a believer will hardly fail to come true, and a dream of a believer is one of forty-six parts of prophetism, and whatever belongs to prothetism can never be false." Muhammad bin Sirin said, "But I say this." He said, "It used to be said, 'There are three types of dreams: The reflection of one's thoughts and experiences one has during wakefulness, what is suggested by Satan to frighten the dreamer, or glad tidings from Allah. So, if someone has a dream which he dislikes, he should not tell it to others, but get up and offer a prayer." He added, "He (Abu Huraira) hated to see a Ghul (i.e., iron collar around his neck in a dream) and people liked to see fetters (on their feet in a dream). The fetters on the feet symbolizes one's constant and firm adherence to religion." And Abu 'Abdullah said, "Ghuls (iron collars) are used only for necks." Hadith - Al-Muwatta 52.5 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that his father said about this ayat, "For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter," (Sura 10 ayat 64), that it was the good dream which the man who was salih saw or which was shown to him. The Noble Qur'an - Yunus 10:64 For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world. (i.e. righteous dream seen by the person himself or shown to others), and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allh, this is indeed the supreme success. Some examples of symbolism in the Prophet's dreams:
Symbol Cow

or companion's

Description Source Symbolized the believers (who were martyred) Bukhari 4:818, on the Day of Uhud in a dream of the Prophet 5:407 good in religion
Abu Dawud, Narrated Anas ibn Malik

Dates, Fresh

Garden with a pillar in the middle Milk protruding out of nails or limbs after drinking it Prophet Muhammad Shirts, covering various lengths on body on different people Spring, freshwater Sword whose blade was broken Sword becoming unbroken

the garden of Islam (Religious) knowledge

Bukhari 9:142, Narrated 'Abdullah bin Salam Bukhari 9:134, 135, Narrated Ibn 'Umar

Whoever sees me in a dream then surely he has Bukhari 1:110, Narrated Abu seen me for Satan cannot impersonate me Huraira The religion ...and he said, "That flowing spring symbolizes his good deeds." the defeat which the Muslims suffered from, the casualities, on the Day of Uhud victory (conquest of Mecca) and gathering together of Muslims
Bukhari 9:137, Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri Bukhair 9:132, Narrated Az-Zuhri Bukhari 4:818, 5:407 Bukhari 4:818, 5:407

A dream from Allah,

Bukhari 9:139, Narrated 'Aisha

must happen

Allah's Apostle said (to me), "You were shown to me twice in (my) dream. Behold, a man was carrying you in a silken piece of cloth and said to me, "She is your wife, so uncover her,' and behold, it was you. I would then say (to myself), 'If this is from Allah, then it must happen.' "

Examples of Revelationary Dreams amongst the companions

Some men amongst the companions of the Prophet were shown in their dreams that the night of Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Allah's Apostle said, "It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to search for it (i.e. the Night of Qadr) should search in the last seven (nights of Ramadan)." --Bukhari 3:232, Narrated Ibn 'Umar

Even the Companions could misinterpret a dream

Bukhari 9:170, Narrated Ibn Abbas A man came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I saw in a dream, a cloud having shade. Butter and honey were dropping from it and I saw the people gathering it in their hands, some gathering much and some a little. And behold, there was a rope extending from the earth to the sky, and I saw that you (the Prophet) held it and went up, and then another man held it and went up and (after that) another (third) held it and went up, and then after another (fourth) man held it, but it broke and then got connected again." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Allow me to interpret this dream." The Prophet said to him, "Interpret it." Abu Bakr said, "The cloud with shade symbolizes Islam, and the butter and honey dropping from it, symbolizes the Qur'an, its sweetness dropping and some people learning much of the Qur'an and some a little. The rope which is extended from the sky to the earth is the Truth which you (the Prophet) are following. You follow it and Allah will raise you high with it, and then another man will follow it and will rise up with it and another person will follow it and then another man will follow it but it will break and then it will be connected for him and he will rise up with it. O Allah's Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Am I right or wrong?" The Prophet replied, "You are right in some of it and wrong in some." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Prophet! By Allah, you must tell me in what I was wrong." The Prophet said, "Do not swear."

An Example of the Methodology of Correct Interpretation

Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 5.659, Narrated Ibn Abbas, r.a. Musailima Al-Kadhdhab came during the lifetime of the Prophet and started saying, "If Muhammad gives me the rule after him, I will follow him." And he came to Medina with a great number of the people of his tribe. Allah's Apostle went to him in the company of Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas, and at that time, Allah's Apostle had a stick of a date-palm tree in his hand. When he (i.e. the Prophet ) stopped near

Musailima while the latter was amidst his companions, he said to him, "If you ask me for this piece (of stick), I will not give it to you, and Allah's Order you cannot avoid, (but you will be destroyed), and if you turn your back from this religion, then Allah will destroy you. And I think you are the same person who was shown to me in my dream, and this is Thabit bin Qais who will answer your questions on my behalf." Then the Prophet went away from him. I asked about the Statement of Allah's Apostle: "You seem to be the same person who was shown to me in my dream," and Abu Huraira informed me that Allah's Apostle said, "When I was sleeping, I saw (in a dream) two bangles of gold on my hands and that worried me. And then I was inspired Divinely in the dream that I should blow on them, so I blew on them and both the bangles flew away. And I interpreted it that two liars (who would claim to be prophets) would appear after me. One of them has proved to be Al Ansi and the other, Musailima."