While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel who had come to me at Hirā’

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Mu‘allaq (without full chain) Sahih al-Bukhari 4

قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ وَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، قَالَ ـ وَهُوَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ فَتْرَةِ الْوَحْىِ، فَقَالَ ـ فِي حَدِيثِهِ ‏"‏ بَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي، إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا، مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ جَالِسٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَرُعِبْتُ مِنْهُ، فَرَجَعْتُ فَقُلْتُ زَمِّلُونِي‏.‏ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏‏{‏يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ‏}‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏‏{‏وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ‏}‏ فَحَمِيَ الْوَحْىُ وَتَتَابَعَ ‏"‏‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ وَأَبُو صَالِحٍ‏.‏ وَتَابَعَهُ هِلاَلُ بْنُ رَدَّادٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ‏.‏ وَقَالَ يُونُسُ وَمَعْمَرٌ ‏"‏ بَوَادِرُهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported that Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: While narrating about the halt in revelation, he said in his Hadīth:

"While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel who had come to me at Hirā’, sitting on a chair between the heaven and the earth. I was terrified of him, so I returned and said: Cover me! Then Allah Almighty revealed: {O you covered [in your cloak], arise and warn} [Surat al-Muddaththir: 1-2] until His saying: {and shun idol worshiping.} [Surat al-Muddaththir: 5] After that, the revelation became intense and continuous."

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 4, 3238, 4925, 4926, 4954, 6214), Muslim (No. 161a, 161b), At-Tirmidhi (No. 3325) and Ahmad (No. 13959, 14504).

Explanation

The Prophet (ﷺ), while recounting the halt in revelation at the beginning of his mission, said: As I was walking through the alleys of Makkah, I suddenly heard a voice from the sky. I looked up, and there was the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel)—the same one who had come to me in the cave of Hirā’—sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was filled with fear and dread of him, so I returned to my family and said: Wrap me in a cloak. So Allah Almighty revealed: {O you covered} in your cloak, {arise} to call people to the message, {and warn} those who have not yet believed in your message. {And your Lord}—your only true God—{proclaim His greatness} and praise and exalt Him. {And your garments} and clothes {purify them} and clean them from impurities. {And shun the filth}, i.e., the worship of idols and false gods, {and keep away from it} completely. After that, the revelation became strong and continuous.

Lessons

The revelation to the Prophet (ﷺ) ceased for a short period after the descent of Allah's word: {Read}.
It is permissible for a person to speak about the hardships he experienced after they have passed, as an expression of gratitude to Allah Almighty.
The first revelation after: {Read in the name of your Lord Who created} was Allah's saying: {O you covered [in your cloak]}.
The grace of Allah Almighty upon His Prophet (ﷺ) is shown in that He continuously bestowed revelation upon him without interruption until the Prophet (ﷺ) departed from this world.
The obligation to call to Allah Almighty, warning those who turn away, and giving glad tidings to those who obey.
The obligation to purify one's clothes for prayer, as inferred from Allah's saying: {And purify your garments}.
The obligation to believe in the angels and in what Allah has empowered them to do of tasks and other matters.

Explanation in Arabic

أخبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يحدِّث عن توقُّف الوحي واحتباسه عن النزول في أول بعثته: بينما أنا أمشي في أزقت مكة إذ سمعت صوتًا من السماء، فرفعت بصري، فإذا المَلَك جبريل الذي جاءني بغار حراء جالس على كرسي بين السماء والأرض، فرُعِبْت وفَزعت منه، فرجعت إلى أهلي فقلت: لفُّوني بثوب.

فأنزل الله تعالى: {يَا أَيُّهَا المُدَّثِّرُ} المتلفِّف بثوبه، {قُمْ} بالدعوة {فَأَنْذِرْ} وحذِّر مَن لم يؤمن برسالتك.

{وَرَبَّكَ} وإلهك المعبود {فَكَبِّرْ} واحمده وعظمه.

{وَثِيَابَكَ} وملابسك {فَطَهِّرْ} وخلصها من النجاسات، {وَالرُّجْزَ} بعبادة الأصنام والاوثان {فَاهْجُرْ} واترك، فقَوِيَ الوحيُ بعد ذلك وتكاثر.

انقطاع الوحي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يسيرًا بعد نزول قوله عز وجل: {اقْرَأْ}.
جواز تحدُّث الإنسان بما حصل له من المِحن بعد زوالها، شكرًا لله تعالى.
أول ما نزل قوله تعالى: {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} بعد نزول: {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ}.
فضل الله سبحانه وتعالى على نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم حيث أفاض عليه وحيه دون انقطاع حتى فارق الدنيا.
وجوب القيام بالدعوة إلى الله تعالى، وإنذار المُعرِضين وتبشير المطيعين.
وجوب تطهير الثياب للصلاة، وقد استدلوا على ذلك بقوله تعالى: {وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ}.
وجوب الإيمان بالملائكة وبما أقدرهم الله عليه من الأعمال وغيرها.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3238

that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The Divine Inspiration was delayed for a short period but suddenly, as I was walking. I heard a voice in the sky, and when I looked up towards the sky, to my surprise, I saw the angel who had come to me in the Hira Cave, and he was sitting on a chair in…

ثُمَّ فَتَرَ عَنِّي الْوَحْىُ فَتْرَةً، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي قِبَلَ السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءٍ قَاعِدٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ بَيْنَ…