Alternative narrative regarding the first Divine revelation received by the Prophet ﷺ that it was the first fews āyāt of Sūrat al-Muddaththir

I asked Aba Salama bin ʿAbdur-Rahman about the first Sura revealed of the Qur'an. He replied "O you, wrapped-up (i.e. Al Muddaththir)." I said, "They say it was, 'Read, in the Name of your Lord Who created,' (i.e. Surat Al-ʿAlaq (the Clot)." On that, Abu Salama said, "I asked Jabir bin ʿAbdullah about that, saying the same as you have said, whereupon he said, 'I will not tell you except what Messenger of Allah ﷺ had told us. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I was in seclusion in the cave of Hira', and after I completed the limited period of my seclusion. I came down (from the cave) and heard a voice calling me. I looked to my right, but saw nothing. Then I looked up and saw something. So I went to Khadija (the Prophet's wife) and told her to wrap me up and pour cold water on me. So they wrapped me up and poured cold water on me." Then, 'O you, (Muhammad) wrapped up! Arise and warn,' (Surat Al Muddaththir) was revealed." (74.1)  

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَوَّلِ مَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} قُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ} فَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؓ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتُ لَهُ مِثْلَ الَّذِي قُلْتَ فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ لاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ إِلاَّ مَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي هَبَطْتُ فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا وَنَظَرْتُ عَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا وَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا وَنَظَرْتُ خَلْفِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَرَأَيْتُ شَيْئًا فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا قَالَ فَدَثَّرُونِي وَصَبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ}  

I asked Aba Salama, "Which Sura of the Qur'an was revealed first?" He replied, "O you, wrapped-up' (Al-Muddaththir)." I said, "I have been informed that it was, 'Read, in the Name of your Lord who created (i.e. Surat Al-Alaq)...similar to the narration related by ʿAli bin Al-Mubarak, 444 above).  

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ أَوَّلُ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} فَقُلْتُ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّهُ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ} فَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ أَوَّلُ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ} فَقُلْتُ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّهُ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ} فَقَالَ لاَ أُخْبِرُكَ إِلاَّ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَاوَرْتُ فِي حِرَاءٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي هَبَطْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ الْوَادِيَ فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَإِذَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا وَأُنْزِلَ عَلَىَّ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ}  

I asked Abu Salama what was revealed first from the Qur'an. He said:" 0, the shrouded one." I said: Or" Recite." Jabir said: I am narrating to you what was narrated to us by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: I stayed in Hira' for one month and when my stay was completed, I come down and went into the heart of the valley. Somebody called me aloud. I looked in front of me, behind me, on the right of my side and on my left, but I did not see any body. I was again called and I looked about but saw nothing. I was called again and raised my head, and there on the Throne in the open atmosphere he, i. e. Gabriel (peace be upon him) was sitting. I began to tremble on account of fear. I came to Khadija and said: Wrap me up. They wrapped me up and threw water on me and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent down this: you who are shrouded! arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse."  

سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى يَقُولُ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ فَقُلْتُ أَوِ اقْرَأْ فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ فَقُلْتُ أَوِ اقْرَأْ قَالَ جَابِرٌ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ مَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءٍ شَهْرًا فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي نَزَلْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ بَطْنَ الْوَادِي فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ فِي الْهَوَاءِ يَعْنِي جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَأَخَذَتْنِي رَجْفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي فَدَثَّرُونِي فَصَبُّوا عَلَىَّ مَاءً فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ * وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ * وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ}  

[Machine] "Narrated from the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , that in the beginning of his mission, seclusion was made beloved to him. So he used to seclude himself in Hira'. While he was facing Hira', suddenly I heard a sound from above me. I raised my head and saw the angel who came to me in Hira' sitting on a chair above my head. When I saw him, I became frightened and fell to the ground. When I woke up, I hurriedly went to my family and said, 'Cover me, cover me.' Then Gabriel came to me and said, 'O you wrapped in garments, arise and warn! And your Lord, magnify! And your clothing, purify! And defilement, avoid!' [Surah Al-Muddaththir, verse 1-5]."  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي أَوَّلِ أَمْرِهِ وَحُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلَاءُ فَجَعَلَ يَخْلُو فِي حِرَاءٍ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ مُقْبِلٌ مِنْ حِرَاءٍ إِذَا أَنَا بِحِسٍّ مِنْ فَوْقِي فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا الَّذِي أَتَانِي بِحِرَاءٍ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي عَلَى كُرْسِيٍّ قَالَ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ جُئِثْتُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا أَفَقْتُ أَتَيْتُ أَهْلِي مُسْرِعًا فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي دَثِّرُونِي فَأَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْفَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ} [المدثر 2]  

[Machine] The first verse that was revealed is "Read in the name of your Lord who created" [Al-Alaq 1]. Jaabir said, "I only narrate to you as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated to us. He said, 'I was sheltering in Hira when I heard a voice, but I did not see anything. Then I turned to look, but I did not see anything. I looked to my right and left, but I did not see anything. Then I looked up and behold, I saw him sitting on a throne between the heavens and the earth. I was so frightened that I came to Khadijah and said, 'Cover me! Cover me!' They covered me until my fear had passed, then I said, 'O Khadijah, what is wrong with me?' I told her what had happened and said, 'I fear that something may happen to me.' She said, 'Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You uphold the ties of kinship, you bear the burden of the weak, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help people in difficulty.'" (Al-Mudaththir 2).  

أَنَّ أَوَّلَ سُورَةٍ نَزَلَتْ {اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ} [العلق 1] قَالَ جَابِرٌ لَا أُحَدِّثُكَ إِلَّا كَمَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ جَاوَرْتُ فِي حِرَاءٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي نَزَلْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ الْوَادِيَ فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا فَنُودِيتُ أَيْضًا فَنَظَرْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا فَنَظَرْتُ فَوْقِي فَإِذَا أَنَا بِهِ قَاعِدٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَتَيْتُ مَنْزِلَ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَيَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيَّ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ} [المدثر 2]  

[Machine] "I asked Abu Salama which verse of the Quran was revealed first. He said, 'O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] at night, except for a little' [Quran 73:1-2].' Then, I asked Abu Salama, 'Was it 'read' or 'recite'?' He said, 'I asked Jabir which verse of the Quran was revealed first. He said, 'O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] at night, except for a little' [Quran 73:1-2].' Then, I asked Jabir, 'Was it 'read' or 'recite'?' He said, 'I am telling you what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us. He said, 'I entered a month of seclusion in Hira'. When I completed my seclusion, I came down from the mountain and heard a voice calling me. I looked in front of me, behind me, to my right, and to my left, but I did not see anyone. Then, I heard the voice again and looked, but still did not see anyone. Then, I heard the voice again.' Al-Walid mentioned in his narration, 'So I raised my head and saw him sitting on the throne in the air. I felt an intense trembling, and they said in their narration, 'I went to Khadijah and said, 'Cover me! Cover me!' So they covered me and poured water on me. Then, Allah revealed, 'O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] at night, except for a little. Arise, warn, and your clothing purify' [Quran 73:1-5]."  

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَيُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ؟ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قَالَ يَحْيَى فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي سَلَمَةَ أَوْ اقْرَأْ؟ فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرًا أَيُّ الْقُرْآنِ أُنْزِلَ قَبْلُ؟ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ فَقُلْتُ أَوْ اقْرَأْ؟ فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ مَا حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءَ شَهْرًا فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي نَزَلْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ بَطْنَ الْوَادِي فَنُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ أَمَامِي وَخَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ فَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ نُودِيتُ قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا هُوَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ فِي الْهَوَاءِ فَأَخَذَتْنِي رَجْفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ وَقَالَا فِي حَدِيثِهِمَا فَأَتَيْتُ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي فَدَثَّرُونِي وَصَبُّوا عَلَيَّ مَاءً فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْوَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ} [المدثر 2]  

[Machine] "O you who is enveloped in garments, arise and warn the people of a great event, except that he said, 'When I had completed [my mission], I descended and secluded myself in the valley, and there I was called. Then he mentioned further, 'So I looked up and lo and behold, I saw him seated on a throne between the heaven and the earth.' So I was startled and moved away from him, then I came to the abode of Khadijah and said, 'Cover me up!' Then he mentioned the narrative."  

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي نَزَلْتُ فَاسْتَبْطَنْتُ الْوَادِي فَنُودِيتُ فَذَكَرَ أَيْضًا قَالَ فَنَظَرْتُ فَوْقِي فَإِذَا أَنَا بِهِ قَاعِدٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَتَيْتُ مَنْزِلَ خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ  

[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "I passed by Hira and when I completed my visitation, I headed towards the valley. Then a caller called out, and I looked to my right, left, and behind, but I did not see anything. Then I looked above and saw Gabriel sitting on a throne between the heaven and the earth. I was overwhelmed with awe and returned to Khadijah and said, 'Cover me, cover me!' They covered me with a blanket and poured cold water over me, saying, 'O you, who have been enveloped!'"  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِي أَقْبَلْتُ فِي بَطْنِ الْوَادِي فَنَادَى مُنَادٍ فَنَظَرْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَشِمَالِي وَخَلْفِي فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا فَنَظَرْتُ فَوْقِي فَإِذَا جِبْرِيلُ جَالِسٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَقْبَلْتُ إِلَى خَدِيجَةَ فَقُلْتُ دَثِّرُونِي دَثِّرُونِي وَصُبُّوا عَلَيَّ مَاءً بَارِدًا فَأَنْزَلَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ  

"جَاوَرْتُ بِحِرَاءَ شَهْرًا، فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ جِوَارِى نَزَلْتُ، فاسْتَبْطَنْتُ بَطنَ الْوَادى، فَنُوديتُ، فَنَظَرتُ أَمَامِى، وَخْلْفِى، وَعَن يَمِينِى، وَعن شِمَالِى، فَلَمْ أَرَ أحَدًا، ثُمَّ نُوديتُ، فنظرتُ، فَلَم أَرَ أَحدًا، ثُمَّ نْودِيتُ، فَرَفعتُ رَأْسِى، فَإِذا هُوَ عَلَى الْعَرشِ فِى الْهَوَاءِ -يعنى جبريل- فَأَخَذَتْنِى رَجْفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ، فَأَتيْتُ خَديجَةَ، فَقُلتُ: دَثُرونِى (فَدَثَّرُونى) وَصَبُّوا عَلَىَّ ماءً بَارِدًا، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّه تعالى {يَاأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ (1) قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ (2) وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ (3) وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ (4)}.  

"فَتَرَ الْوَحْيُ عَنِّي فَتْرَةً، فَبَينَا أَنَا أَمْشِى سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِى قِبَلَ السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِالْمَلَكِ الَّذِي أَتَانِي في غَارِ حِرَاءَ عَلَى سَرِيرٍ بَينَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَجئثتُ مِنْهُ فَرَقًا, حَتَّى هَوَيتُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ، فَأَتَيتُ خَدِيجَةَ, فَقُلْتُ: دَثِّرُونِي

دَثِّرونى فَدُثِّرْتُ، فَجَاءَ جِبْرِيلُ؛ فَقَال بِرِجْلِهِ: أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ، قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ, وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ، وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ، والرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ".