Muḥammadsa had now reached the ripe age of 40 years. The time had come for the light of dawn to manifest itself upon the Eastern horizon. Muḥammadsa never intermingled with the general society of Makkah. For he was one who desired solitude and during this time, his disposition was such as day and night, he would remain in seclusion longing for Allāh the Exalted, diligently occupied in his remembrance. At a distance of three miles from Makkah towards Minā, in the left is the mountain of Ḥirā, wherein is a cave, famously known as the Cave of Ḥirā. During this time, it was the general practice of Muḥammadsa to retreat to this cave and would occupy himself in deep meditation and rememberance of God. Ordinarily, he would take sufficient food with him and would not return to Makkah for many days. Sometimes, Ḥaḍrat Khadījahra also accompanied him. It is this very time period, which has been referred to as ‘the era of the search for truth’ in the Noble Qur’ān. Therefore, God Almighty states:
“And He found thee wandering in search for Him and guided thee unto Himself.”1
It was during this time that the commencement of righteous and true dreams dawned upon Muḥammadsa, which are mentioned to have lasted for a period of six months.2 It was as if the primary stage of the prophethood of the Holy Prophetsa. Therefore, Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra narrates:
اَوَّلُ مَا بُدِیٴَ بِهٖ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمَ مِنَ الْوَحْیِ اَلرُّوٴْیَا الصَّالِحَةُ فِی النَّوْمِ۔ وَكَانَ لَا یَرٰی رُوٴْیًا اِلَّا جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصُّبْحِ وَحُبِّبَ اِلَیْهِ الْخَلَاءُ فَكَانَ یَخْلُوْ بِغَارِ حِرَاءَ فَیَتَحَنَّثُ فِیْهِ وَھُوَ التَّعَبُّدُ اللَّیَالِیْ ذَوَاتِ الْعَدَدِ قَبْلَ اَنْ یَنْزِعَ اِلٰی اَھْلِهٖ وَیَتَزَوَّدُ لِذَالِكَ ثُمَّ یَرْجِعُ اِلٰی خَدِیْجَةَ۔ فَتَزَوَّدُ لِمِثْلِھَا حَتّٰی جَاءَہُ الْحَقُّ وَھُوَ فِیْ غَارِحِرَاءَ
The commencement of (Divine) Revelation to Allāh’s Messengersa was in the form of righteous (true) dreams which he would see during his sleep. Every dream came true like bright daylight. During that time period, solitude and seclusion had become very dear to him. He used to go to the cave of Ḥirā where he would worship (Allāh alone) and continuously engage himself in worship for many nights. Then he would come back and take more food with him. Upon its exhaustion he would return to Khadījahra and take his food again. He was still in this state when suddenly the truth from God descended upon him. At that time he was in the cave of Ḥirā.3
1 Aḍ-Ḍuḥā (93:8)
2 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 1, pp. 386, Bābu Mab‘athin-Nabīsa, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Bābu Bad’il-Waḥī, Ḥadīth No. 3