AFFIRMATION OF PROPHETHOOD

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.”