The First Revelation: Cave Hira Incident
The foundational story of Islam begins not in a temple or public square, but in a dark cave on Mount Hira, near Mecca. It was here, Muslims believe, that Muhammad received his first revelation from Allah through the angel Gabriel (Jibril). This event, occurring around 610 CE when Muhammad was approximately 40 years old, marks the beginning of 23 years of purported divine revelations that would become the Quran.
The Cave Experience
According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad had developed a habit of retreating to Cave Hira for periods of contemplation and meditation. The earliest biographical sources describe a traumatic encounter that bears little resemblance to the peaceful spiritual awakening one might expect:
"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), created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous."'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1:3)
This account raises immediate concerns. The being who confronted Muhammad used physical violence and coercion—pressing or squeezing him three times until he complied. This is not how divine messengers typically operate in Biblical accounts. When angels appeared to people like Mary, Zechariah, or the shepherds, they began with "Fear not" and brought messages of peace, not physical assault.
Muhammad's Reaction: Terror and Suicidal Thoughts
Muhammad's immediate response to this experience was not joy or spiritual enlightenment, but absolute terror. Islamic sources candidly record his state of mind:
"Then Allah's Messenger 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.'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1:3)
Even more disturbing, multiple hadith collections record that Muhammad contemplated suicide after this encounter:
"But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while 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 Messenger in truth' whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6982)
This repeated impulse toward self-destruction following a supposed divine encounter is unprecedented among biblical prophets. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others faced difficult callings, but none contemplated suicide as a result of meeting God or His angels.
The Problem of Verification
Muhammad's wife Khadija sought counsel from her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian who had studied Jewish and Christian scriptures. Waraqah confirmed that Muhammad had encountered "the Namus" (angel) that came to Moses. However, this verification is problematic:
- Waraqah died shortly after this consultation, providing no ongoing guidance
- He never witnessed the revelations himself
- His assessment was based solely on Muhammad's subjective account
- The violent, coercive nature of the encounter contradicts biblical angelic appearances
- Muhammad's terror and suicidal thoughts suggest something other than divine contact
Quranic References to the First Revelation
The Quran references this first revelation in Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5):
"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, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not."
However, the Quran provides no context for this event and never addresses the troubling circumstances surrounding it—the physical violence, Muhammad's terror, or his subsequent suicidal ideation.
Contrast with Biblical Revelation
The biblical pattern of divine revelation stands in stark contrast to Muhammad's cave experience:
Isaiah's Call (Isaiah 6:1-8): Isaiah saw the Lord in His temple, surrounded by seraphim. Though overwhelmed by God's holiness and his own sinfulness, Isaiah's response was confession and cleansing, not terror and suicide attempts. God asked, "Whom shall I send?" and Isaiah responded, "Here am I, send me." There was no coercion, only willing response to God's call.
Jeremiah's Call (Jeremiah 1:4-10): God spoke to Jeremiah directly, commissioning him as a prophet. Though young and reluctant, Jeremiah expressed his concerns openly. God responded with reassurance: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you." Again, no violence or terror.
Paul's Conversion (Acts 9:1-19): When Jesus appeared to Paul on the Damascus road, Paul was struck blind but not physically assaulted. Despite the dramatic nature of the encounter, Paul immediately asked, "Who are you, Lord?" and received clear instruction. Within days, he was baptized and began preaching. No suicidal thoughts, no prolonged terror.
Mary's Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38): When Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was troubled, but the angel's first words were "Do not be afraid." Gabriel explained God's plan clearly, and Mary's response was willing submission: "Let it be to me according to your word." The encounter brought peace, not trauma.
In every biblical case, divine messengers brought clarity, peace, and purpose. They comforted those they visited. They answered questions. They provided verification through signs. Most importantly, they never used physical violence to compel obedience.
The Spirit of Prophecy
The Bible provides a clear test for distinguishing true prophets from false ones. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 establishes that true prophets speak words that come to pass. More fundamentally, 1 John 4:1-3 warns: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God."
The Quran explicitly denies that Jesus is the Son of God, denies His crucifixion and resurrection, and presents Him as merely a prophet subordinate to Muhammad. By the biblical test, the spirit that spoke to Muhammad in Cave Hira failed the most basic requirement for divine origin.
Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns that "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." The violent, coercive behavior described in the hadith, combined with Muhammad's terror and suicidal thoughts, suggests an encounter not with Gabriel but with a deceiving spirit.
Questions to Consider
- Why would a divine messenger from the God of peace use physical violence and coercion to deliver a message?
- Why did Muhammad react with terror and repeated suicidal thoughts if this was truly a message from God?
- How does this violent encounter compare with the peaceful, reassuring nature of angelic appearances in the Bible?
- If Muhammad was truly visited by the angel Gabriel who appeared to Mary and Zechariah, why was the manner of revelation so completely different?
- What spirit would cause a supposed prophet to want to throw himself off mountains after receiving revelation?
- Why does the Quran, despite claiming to clarify all things, never address the troubling circumstances of Muhammad's first revelation?
- If this was divine revelation, why did it require external validation from Waraqah rather than bearing internal evidence of its divine origin?
- How can Muslims reconcile the violent coercion in Cave Hira with the Quranic claim that "there is no compulsion in religion" (2:256)?
The Cave Hira incident, rather than being the glorious beginning of divine guidance that Muslims celebrate, raises profound questions about the source of Muhammad's revelations. A careful examination of the historical sources, compared with biblical patterns of divine revelation, suggests that what happened in that cave was not an encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but something far more sinister.