The mountain
North of Makkah stands the Mountain of Light, with a small cave that holds one or two.
First Revelation in Hira
In the cave of Hira the Word began — the story of the first revelation in twelve cards.
The retreat
He would withdraw to the cave for nights of worship, pondering the heavens and the earth.
True dreams
Before the revelation he saw true dreams that came like the break of dawn.
The night
And in the month of Ramadan, on one of its last ten nights, everything changed.
The angel
The angel came to him and said: read; he answered: I am not a reader.
The embrace
The angel took him and pressed him until he could bear no more, then said: read.
The first words
The first verses of Surat al-Alaq came down, calling him to read in his creating Lord's name.
The trembling
He returned to Khadijah with a trembling heart saying: wrap me, wrap me — and she did.
Khadijah's words
She said: God will never disgrace you — you keep ties of kin, carry burdens and feed guests.
Waraqa
She took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, who said: this is the law revealed to Moses.
The pause
Then the revelation paused for a time, and he grieved until the angel came again.
The beginning
From that night the light began descending on earth verse by verse, until the faith was complete.
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- The mountain
North of Makkah stands the Mountain of Light, with a small cave that holds one or two. - The retreat
He would withdraw to the cave for nights of worship, pondering the heavens and the earth. - True dreams
Before the revelation he saw true dreams that came like the break of dawn. - The night
And in the month of Ramadan, on one of its last ten nights, everything changed. - The angel
The angel came to him and said: read; he answered: I am not a reader. - The embrace
The angel took him and pressed him until he could bear no more, then said: read. - The first words
The first verses of Surat al-Alaq came down, calling him to read in his creating Lord's name. - The trembling
He returned to Khadijah with a trembling heart saying: wrap me, wrap me — and she did. - Khadijah's words
She said: God will never disgrace you — you keep ties of kin, carry burdens and feed guests. - Waraqa
She took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, who said: this is the law revealed to Moses. - The pause
Then the revelation paused for a time, and he grieved until the angel came again. - The beginning
From that night the light began descending on earth verse by verse, until the faith was complete.