Revelation is the name given to that special and invisible communication employed by Allah for conveying His messages and commands to His chosen prophets and apostles by angel Jibrael. The revelation to the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam), was brought by angel Jibrael.
Hazrat Muhammad(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam), being the last of Allah’s prophets and religion having been perfected, there is no need for any further revelations. The Holy Quran is the revelation of Allah and the most comprehensive book in which His message to mankind is contained.
It was not revealed all at once as a written or printed book. Its revelation was spread over a period of twenty-three years. The Divine revelation started in the fortieth year of Hazrat Muhammad’s(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam) life and continued for twenty-three years with the last message coming in the year of his death.
These messages, received from time to time, were recited by the Holy Prophet(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam) to those of his companions who were present.
They were not only memorized, but also written down upon pieces of leather, tablets of stone, palm leaves, and bones of camels.
There is also enough evidence to show that on the conclusion of a revelation, the Holy Prophet(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam) would send for his scribes and dictate the revelation to them. He made the scribes read what they had written down to ensure that there were no mistakes. The first revelation came to the Prophet(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam) in the month of Ramazan in the cave of Hira where he used to retire for meditation. One day, as usual, when he was praying, he heard a voice say:
“Read.” He said, “I cannot read.”
The angel again told him to read. He answered: “I cannot read.”
This was repeated thrice. Then Hazrat Muhammad(sal lal la ho alai he wasalam) asked: “What can I read?” the voice said:
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ١
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ٢
ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ٣
ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ٤
عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ٥
“Read in the name of your Lord Who created, Created man from a clot Read.
And your Lord is Most Bountiful
He who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.” (96: 1 -5)
The angel then told him that he had been appointed the messenger of Allah. The Holy Prophetou” went home a bit shaken at his selection for this great mission. He informed his wife Khadija of his experience. She comforted him and took him to her cousin Warqah bin Naufil, who was a learned man. After hearing what had happened, he said that it was the same angel who had brought revelations to previous messengers of Allah. The last revelation came to the Holy ProphetPbuh in the plain of Arafat on the occasion of his last pilgrimage on Friday, the 9th of Zilhajj 10 A.H., the words of which were, “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5: 3)