God Arises
Affirmation of Prophethood
~ 263 ~
first one to pass through the gate was Muhammad.
When people beheld him they called out, “There
goes al-Amin (the trustworthy)! We shall agree with
his verdict.”
We know of no one in history whose life (before it
became the object of controversy in the wake of
prophethood) remained an open book before his
fellow men for all of forty years without his
extraordinary reputation for high moral values and
sterling character ever once being assailed.
His first experience of divine revelation took place
in the Cave of Hira. It was an astounding incident
such as he had never before experienced. Trembling
with fear and stricken with awe, he left for home.
Shivering and shaking, he told his wife, Khadija,
what has happened. She implored him not to feel
afraid and reassured him by saying, “By God, He
(God) will not let you down; you speak the truth,
you help the needy, rescue the weary; you are kind
to your kin; you are honest and trustworthy. You
return good for evil and you always give people
their due.”
