Narrated 'Aisha:
The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good righteous 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 continuously for many nights. He used to take with him the journey food for that and then come back to 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 replied, "I do not know how to read." "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." 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. 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 Apostle 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?"
…
But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet 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 Apostle 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.
Another account:
"So I [Muhammad] read it, and he [Gabriel] departed from me. And I awoke from my sleep, and it was though these words were written on my heart. (Tabari: Now none of God's creatures was more hateful to me than an (ecstatic) poet or a man possessed: I could not even look at them. I thought, Woe is me poet or possessed - Never shall Quraysh say this of me! I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest. So I went forth to do so and then) when I was midway on the mountain, I heard a voice from heaven saying "O Muhammad! thou are the apostle of God and I am Gabriel."
Muhammad made the following statement:
"O Khadija, I see light and hear sounds and I fear I am mad".
Personally, I have strong doubts about this experience. The Islamic writings state that because of this experience Muhammad was filled with terror and attempted suicide several times. He was often in a state of deep depression. He believed that he had either become demon-possessed, or had gone mad, and because of that he wanted to kill himself. This spiritual being who scared him so greatly appeared to him again and stopped him from killing himself. Yet Muhammad’s battle with depression and suicide continued for the next three years.
I do not believe that this experience was from the true God. I am familiar with the Biblical accounts of people whom God chooses to be prophets, special messengers, or to perform special deeds. In all of these, even if the people are initially scared, God or His angels always comforts and reassures them with His love. This did not happen with Muhammad. Instead he remained in a depressed and suicidal state for the next three years. This is not how the God of the Bible works.
But if Muhammad’s experience was not from the true God, then who was it from?
*If you would like to participate in a Bible study about encounters with angels and similar ones, email us at comparingfaith@gmail.com or text 313.485.7153.
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1Bukhari, Muhammad, “Sahih Bukhari”, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India, 1987, translated by M. Khan, Volume 9, number 111.
2Guillaume, A., "The Life of Muhammad", Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan. page 106.
3Ibn Sa'd, (d. 852 A.D.), "Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir", (Book of the Major Classes), S. Moinul Haq translator, Pakistan Historical Society, page 225.