Why Was the Revelation Interrupted for a While, as Aisha's Hadith Says?
ما معنى «فتر الوحي» في حديث عائشة رضي الله عنها، وما الحكمة من ذلك؟
Ibn Hajar said: The interruption of revelation was for a few days, so that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) may calm down after the terrifying experience he had when the Angel Jibril first appeared to him, and that he may long to meet the angel again. Then the angel appeared to him once more, seated on a chair between heaven and earth, and he gave him the glad tidings that he was truly the Messenger of Allah.
When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw him, he feared him and went to Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her, and said: ” Wrap me! Wrap me” and Allah the Almighty revealed the following Ayah : (O you covered up ˹in your clothes˺! Arise and warn ˹all˺. Revere your Lord ˹alone˺. Purify your garments.) Al-Muddaththir 74:1-4.
قال ابن حجر: إن انقطاع الوحي أياما كان ليذهب الروع الذي أصاب الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، وليحصل له الشوق إلى لقاء المَلَك مرة أخرى. ثم تبدى له المَلَك بين السماء والأرض على كرسي، وثبته، وبشره بأنه رسول الله حقا، فلما رآه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خاف منه وذهب إلى خديجة رضي الله عنها فقال: زملوني.. زملوني، فأنزل الله تعالى:(يا أيها المدثر* قم فأنذر* وربك فكبر* وثيابك فطهر) (المدثر 74: 1-4).
1. Meaning and Duration of Fatrat al-Wahy | معنى فترة الوحي ومدتها
Aisha's hadith tells how, after the first verses of Surah Al-'Alaq came to him in the cave of Hira, Waraqah died soon after and the revelation paused (Sahih al-Bukhari 3). The scholar quotes Ibn Hajar that the pause lasted some days.
في حديث عائشة أنه بعد نزول أوائل سورة العلق في غار حراء لم ينشب ورقة أن توفي وفتر الوحي (صحيح البخاري 3)، ونقل الجواب عن ابن حجر أن انقطاع الوحي كان أياما.
2. The Wisdom Ibn Hajar Gives | الحكمة التي ذكرها ابن حجر
In the words the scholar quotes from Ibn Hajar, the revelation stopped so that the fright that had seized the Prophet ﷺ would leave him, and so that he would long to meet the angel again.
نقل الجواب عن ابن حجر أن الوحي انقطع ليذهب الروع الذي أصاب الرسول ﷺ، وليحصل له الشوق إلى لقاء المَلَك مرة أخرى.
3. The Resumption of Revelation and Surah Al-Muddaththir | عودة المَلَك وسورة المدثر
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reports the Prophet's own account of the pause: "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 Hira, sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was frightened of him, went back and said: Wrap me up." Then Allah revealed: "O you covered up ˹in your clothes˺! Arise and warn ˹all˺" (Sahih al-Bukhari 4).
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ (سورة المدثر: 1-3)
روى جابر عن النبي ﷺ وهو يحدث عن فترة الوحي: «بينا أنا أمشي إذ سمعت صوتا من السماء، فرفعت بصري فإذا المَلَك الذي جاءني بحراء جالس على كرسي بين السماء والأرض، فرعبت منه، فرجعت فقلت: زملوني»، فأنزل الله تعالى: (يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ) (صحيح البخاري 4).
4. After the Pause: Revelation Came in Succession | بعد الفترة: حَمِيَ الوحي وتتابع
Jabir's hadith ends: "Then revelation became frequent and continuous" (Sahih al-Bukhari 4). Ibn Kathir, in al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, explains that the opening of Al-Muddaththir was the first revelation after the pause, not the first of all, which was "Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created" (96:1).
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (سورة العلق: 1)
وفي آخر حديث جابر: «فحمي الوحي وتتابع» (صحيح البخاري 4). وبين ابن كثير في البداية والنهاية أن أوائل المدثر أول ما نزل من القرآن بعد فترة الوحي لا مطلقا، وأن أول ما نزل مطلقا قوله تعالى: (اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ) (العلق 96: 1).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What does "Fatrat al-Wahy" mean?
It means the revelation paused for a time after the first revelation in the cave of Hira, as in Aisha's hadith (Sahih al-Bukhari 3).
How long did the interruption of revelation last?
The scholar quotes Ibn Hajar that it lasted some days.
What was the divine wisdom behind pausing the revelation?
In the words the scholar quotes from Ibn Hajar: so that the fright would leave the Prophet ﷺ and he would long to meet the angel again.
Which Surah resumed the descent of revelation?
Surah Al-Muddaththir: ‘O you covered up ˹in your clothes˺! Arise and warn ˹all˺’ (74:1-2; Sahih al-Bukhari 4).