The unlettered Prophet

ISAIAH - Story of Al - Alak

Isaiah's vision: He foretold the story of "Al-alak" that is in the Noble Quran about Muhammad.


Isaiah 29:11-18 describe the whole story. It says that the last prphet will be unlettered and the first revelation will be Read and he will reply, I cannot read..

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate.


"Read(Iqraa): In the name of your Lord who created, Created man from a clot. Read(Iqraa): And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not." (The noble Qur'an, Al-Alak(96):1-5)


Prophet Muhammad used to meditate in the cave of Hira. After many years of this, and having reached the age of forty (610AD), the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared before him and ordered him to "Iqra!" (read, recite, repeat, proclaim). Muhammad (peace be upon him), in his terror thought he was being asked to read, so he stammered: "I am unlettered." The angel Gabriel again ordered him to "Iqra!" Muhammad (peace be upon him) again replied: "I am unlettered." The angel Gabriel now took a firm hold of him and commanded him "Iqraa in the name of Allah who created!". Now Muhammad (peace be upon him) began to understand that he was not being asked to read, but to recite, to repeat. He began to repeat after him, and Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of the Qur'an, those at the beginning of the chapter of Al-Alak(96).