How Jibreel Asked Prophet to Read while He Was Illiterate

11-5-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I was talking to a Christian, inviting him to Islam. He asked me the following question: if Allaah The Almighty knows everything and he knows Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was illiterate, why did the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) ask Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to read at the time of the first revelation?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The angel Jibreel may Allaah exalt his mention asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to repeat after him. He did not bring something written.  His saying, “Read,” which meant, “read what I will recite to you”. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “I am not going to read," which meant: “I refuse to abide by your order to repeat what you are saying.”  This is why Jibreel may Allaah exalt his mention embraced the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) thrice. Thereupon, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) accepted to repeat after him.

One might wonder, why did Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) refuse to abide by the orders of the angel? The answer is that until that time, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was still not sure of the identity of the angel, nor was he aware that Jibreel may Allaah exalt his mention was sent to him by Allaah The Almighty.  The evidence of this is in the rest of this Hadeeth (narration) and the story of Khadeejah may Allaah be pleased with her and Waraqah ibn Nawfal.

So, what this Christian said is baseless.

Allaah Knows best.

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