Tazkiratul Hilal with Sheikh Ahmad Ata'illah
The First and Last Revelation of the Quran The first revelation that was sent down to Muhammad occurred in the Cave of Hira on Mount Nur near Mecca, on a Monday, either on the 17th, 24th, or 21st day of Ramadan in the year 610 CE, or the 27th day of Rajab according to Shia tradition. According to a narration from Aisha bint Abu Bakr, which is confirmed by the two Sahih collections of Bukhari and Muslim, and which the Shia disapprove of much of its content, the first revelation was: "Read in the name of your Lord who created - created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is the most generous - who taught by the pen - taught man that which he knew not". After that incident, the revelation to Muhammad stopped for a period of time. It is said to have been three years, although some say it was less than that. Al-Bouti favored what Al-Bayhaqi reported, that the period was six months, ending with the revelation of the beginning of Surah Al-Muddaththir. Then the revel...