In his introductory comments to a more detailed interpretation of Surat Al-Alaq, Nouman Ali Khan stresses the importance of understanding the context in which its verses were revealed. Here Ustadh Khan reads and explains the narration – verified in Sahih Al-Bukhari – which details Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) very first encounter with Jibreel (peace be upon him). He recounts how the Angel asked him to read three times, each time holding him very tight.

Terrified and unsure of his own sanity, the Prophet rushes home to his wife Khadijah, who, in a beautiful part of this narration, lists all the formidable qualities of the Prophet, assuring him that god will never let him down because of his excellent character and how thoughtful and caring he is to other people.

Ramadan with the Qur’an – Day 21: Surat Al-`Alaq