Revelation To Muhammad
Laylat al-Qadr is believed to be the night when the Quran was first revealed. Some but not all Muslims believe that revelation of the Quran occurred in two phases, with the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat al-Qadr to the angel Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic) in the lowest heaven, and then the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Muhammad by Gabriel, across 23 years. The revelation started in 610 CE at the Hira cave on Mount Nur in Mecca. The first Surah that was revealed was Surah Al-Alaq (in Arabic ) "العلق" which is also commonly referred to as Surah Iqra (in Arabic) "اقرأ". During the first revelation the first five verses of this surah, chapter, were revealed. The first word of the revelation, 'Ikra' meaning 'read' is significant as Muhammad could not read. The verses spoken by the angel Gabriel were imprinted in the heart of Muhammad. The command 'read' thus remains a foremost command addressed to every Muslim and this points to the importance of reading, learning, and knowledge in Islam. The pillar of Islam standing on no lesser a theme through propagation of the Quran and the Traditions of Muhammad the religion gained and continues to gain strength. This night being of historical significance, Muslims should worship as much as they can on this night. It is also believed to be the night when God decides the destiny of everyone.
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