Narrated `Aisha:

The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.a.) was in the form of good righteous (true) dreams in his sleep. He never had a dream but that it came true like bright day light. He used to go in seclusion (the cave of) Hira where he used to worship(Allah Alone) continuously for many (days) nights. He used to take with him the journey food for that (stay) and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again for another period to stay, till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him in it and asked him to read. The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) replied, "I do not know how to read." (The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) added), "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, "I do not know how to read," whereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and asked me again 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). Has created man from a clot. Read and Your Lord is Most Generous...up to..... ..that which he knew not." (96.15) Then Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.a.) returned with the Inspiration, his neck muscles twitching with terror till he entered upon Khadija and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and then he said, "O Khadija, what is wrong with me?" Then he told her everything that had happened and said, 'I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija said, 'Never! But have the glad tidings, for by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good reactions with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guest generously and assist the deserving, calamityafflicted ones." Khadija then accompanied him to (her cousin) Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin `Abdul `Uzza bin Qusai. Waraqa was the son of her paternal uncle, i.e., her father's brother, who during the Pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the Arabic writing and used to write of the Gospels in Arabic as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to him, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your nephew." Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same Namus (i.e., Gabriel, the Angel who keeps the secrets) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.a.) asked, "Will they turn me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said: "Never did a man come with something similar to what you have brought but was treated with hostility. If I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) 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 (s.a.w.a.) in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before. (Ibn `Abbas said regarding the meaning of: 'He it is that Cleaves the daybreak (from the darkness)' (6.96) that Al-Asbah. means the light of the sun during the day and the light of the moon at night).

Ahmad ibn Hanbal - Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Remaining Musnad of the Ansar - Hadith of Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)

25428 - Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, Ma’mar narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, who mentioned a hadith and then said: Al-Zuhri said: Urwah informed me from Aisha, who said: The first thing with which the revelation began for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the true vision in his sleep. He never saw a vision except that it came true like the breaking of dawn. Then solitude became dear to him, and he would go to Hira, devoting himself to worship for several nights with provisions for this purpose, and then return to Khadijah to replenish his provisions, until the truth came to him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and said, "Read." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied, "I am not a reader." He said, "Then he took me and pressed me until I was exhausted, then released me and said, 'Read.' I said, 'I am not a reader.' He took me and pressed me a second time until I was exhausted, then released me and said, 'Read.' I said, 'I am not a reader.' He took me and pressed me a third time until I was exhausted, then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord who created' (Al-‘Alaq: 1), until 'taught man what he did not know' (Al-‘Alaq: 5). He returned with it, his heart trembling, until he entered upon Khadijah and said, "Cover me, cover me," so they covered him until his fear subsided. He said, "O Khadijah, what is wrong with me?" and told her what had happened. He said, "I feared for myself." She said, "No, rejoice, for by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You uphold ties of kinship, speak the truth, bear the burdens of others, honor the guest, and help in times of hardship."

Then Khadijah took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza ibn Qusayy, her cousin, who had embraced Christianity during the pre-Islamic period. He used to write Arabic, and he had written from the Gospel as much as Allah willed him to write, and he was an old man who had lost his sight. Khadijah said, "O cousin, listen to your nephew." Waraqah said, "O nephew, what do you see?" The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told him what he had seen. Waraqah said, "This is the Namus (the angel of revelation) who came to Musa (peace be upon him). I wish I were young and could live until your people drive you out." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked, "Will they drive me out?" Waraqah said, "Yes. No one has ever come with what you have brought without being opposed. If I live to see your day, I will support you with strong support." Then not long after, Waraqah passed away, and the revelation paused briefly.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) became so sad that, according to what has reached us, he would go out repeatedly, intending to throw himself from the peaks of mountains. Each time he reached the peak of a mountain to cast himself down, Gabriel (peace be upon him) would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad, truly you are the Messenger of Allah." This would calm his distress and bring peace to his soul (peace and blessings be upon him), and he would return. But when the delay in revelation grew long, he would again go out as before, and when he reached the peak of a mountain, Gabriel (peace be upon him) would appear to him and say the same thing.