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The First Revelation in the Holy

Qur'an: It's Significance in the
Methods of Learning

Mashita Abu Hasan

Abstract

This writing is a discussion pertaining to the first revelation i.e.

Surah al-Alaq particularly on its first five verses. This study
comprises the significance of Surah al-Alaq, its exegesis and
prominent commentaries from the mufassirun. The fundamental
method of learning such as reading, writing and memorizing in the
context of the Surah will also be discussed. The 'qalam' which is
known as an important medium of learning, teaching and spreading
knowledge is also elaborated in the discussion.

Introduction

Surah al- 'Alaq which contains nineteen verses were revealed to the
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. who was illiterate or ummi, and the Holy
Qur'an throws light on this matter. Allah states:
"And thou was not [able] to recite a Book before this [Book
came], nor art thou [able] to transcribe it with thy righthand: In
that case, indeed would the talkers of vanities have doubted."
(al-Ankabut 29:48)
Illiteracy was a common feature and almost universal in the Arab
community before Islam. (Tibawi 1972: 23-241; Ahmad.M 1997: 1-15)
As result we find that the pre-Islamic Arabian tradition, which is rich in
poems and stories was transmitted orally from generation to generation.
(Tibawi 1972: 23) Indeed, the Holy Qur'an itself was revealed orally to
the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h., proclaimed orally and transmitted by
word of mouth in the lifetime of the Prophet. In an illiterate environment
its passages and messages concerning reading and writing could be
considered revolutionary. The reason for this is that, apart from its religious

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content, the Holy Qur'an contains revelations about the importance and
value of learning as exemplified in Surah al- 'Alaq. Thus, a learned man
is placed in a high position, next to the Prophet in the Holy Qur' an. In the
tradition, the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. was reported saying:
"The learned are the successors of prophets."
(Bukharil864:28)
The Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. being chosen to receive the
revelation of God is the teacher of the divine message. The preaching of
Islam was accompanied by two practical measures of special educational
significance which were: [i] literate believers were required to teach
illiterates to read and write, and [ii] literate preachers were sent out in
the communities to teach Islam. Therefore, the Holy Qur'an can be
considered as the first textbook for Muslims and the mosque as a place
of worship became the first school in Islam.

Prominent Commentaries on Surah al-'Alaq

This Surah contains two parts in terms of its period of revelation. The
first part consists of five verses which is considered as the first revelation
and the second part consists of verses 6-19 which were revealed later
when the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. had started his mission. (M.Asad
1980: 963) Discussion in this section will be confined to the first part of
the Surah due to its importance in the context of learning and seeking
for khowledge.

Verse 1: Proclaim [or Read!] In the name of thy Lord and

Cherisher, who created.

The word "read" which is repeated several times by the angel, according
to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, has two implications. Firstly it indicates the
Prophet should read in the name of Allah, and the second meaning is
that the Prophet p.b.u.h. was asked in his vision to read the Holy Qur'an.
(al-Razi: 13)
When the angel asked the Prophet p.b.u.h. to read, the latter replied
that he could not read. This indicates that the angel had presented these
words of revelation before in the written form and the Prophet p.b.u.h.
was asked to read them. For if the angel had meant that he should
repeat what the angel had said, the Prophet p.b.u.h. would not have

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 The First Revelation in the Holy Qur'an

replied by saying. "I cannot read". (al-Maududi 1992: 126-127; M. Asad

1980:963)
The imperative iqra' means "read" or "recite" or "proclaim aloud"
and the word is understood as a message from Allah. For years, the
Prophet p.b.u.h. was deeply absorbed in the cave in Mount Hira in his
search for the truth and now his mind and soul were ready to stand forth
to spread the mission of Allah. Therefore, he was sent with the message
from Allah to proclaim in the name of the Lord. (Ibn Kathir: 564)
His viceregents, thus, Allah has exalted humanity to a position higher
than His other creations, including the angels. This is why we found that
the angels are being asked to bow to the first man [Adam] in His words:
"And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam":
And they bowed down: not so Iblis: he refused and he was
Haughty: he was by those who reject faith."
(al-Baqarah 2: 34)
Iblis refused to obey God's order and he was considered as "those
who reject faith". (Abdullah Yusuf 1992 : 129-130) On a similar basis,
among human beings are also found those who rebel and go against
Allah's orders and commands, who are mentioned in the second part of
this Surah.
It is also noteworthy that this verse alludes to man's embryonic
evolution out of a clot of' 'congealed blood" which sprang out of a fertilized
female ovum. (M. Asad 1980: 964) Alaq, which is the plural oialaqah,
is the primary state of the embryo which appears a few days after
conception, then it changes into the form of lump of flesh, then gradually,
it takes on ahuman shape. (al-Maududi 1992:132; al-Zamakhshari 1995:
767) The Holy Qur'an affirms this:
".. .We created you out of dust, the out of sperm, then out of a
leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and
partly unformed, in order that We may manifest [Our power] to
you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an
appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes,..."
(al-Hajj 22: 5)
It is worth mentioning that the first revelation emphasized the
Lordship of Allah [rubbubiyah] that is, Allah as the Master and the
Cherisher. Furthermore, it refers to the most significance attribute of
God as the Creator, who runs and sustains this universe. This is an answer
to the Pagan Arabs who had rejected the unity of God and accepted

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their own idols and gods as divine. In General, this verse instructs the
Prophet p.b.u.h. to contact Allah, and before taking his first step in his
mission he should read in the name of Allah, the Lord of all creation and
the Creator. This should also apply to every muslim that he/she is required
to read "Bismillah" at the very beginning of any work or action.

Verse 2: Created man, out of a clot of congealed blood

The term khalaq which means created, appears in the form of a past
tense verb by which is meant that the act of divine creation has been and
is being continuosly repeated. This verse emphasizes the uniqueness
and importance among Allah's creation, of human beings. In this regard,
the Holy Qur'an points out:
"We have indeed created man in the best of moulds."
(al-Tin95:4)
The above identifies that there is no fault in Allah's creation,
particularly in the creation of human beings. Allah has preserved the
pattern and form of human beings in its purest form and best creation.
The reason for this is that human beings are made to be.
Allah has created human beings from an insignificant and simple
substance alaqah but gradually they grow and develop into a perfect
human. The above verse indirectly refers to human development from
the prenatal period, through the attainment of maturity, into the period of
old age until they ultimately reach the point of death. The whole cycle of
human experiential development is shaped by Allah in an orderly and
structured manner. Thus, a human being's biological origins, with his
intellectual and spiritual potential, point out the purpose of his/her creation;
that is, to search for the ultimate truth and develop the self. This should
also contribute to the ultimate aim in human life which is to prostrate
oneself before Allah and glorify Him or worship the Creator. This ultimate
aim of human creation is stated in the last verse of this Surah:
".. .but bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the closer [to
Allah]."
(al-'Alaq96:19)

Verse 3: Proclaim! And Thy Lord is Most Bountiful

This verse begins with an order to read or proclaim, similar to the first
verse of Surah al-Alaq, which reflects the importance of reading as

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means of attaining knowledge. In this regard, the Prophet Muhammad

p.b.u.h. is required to read [proclaim] for himself and also read [proclaim]
to the community. (al-Razi: 16)
Al-Zamakhshari explains the meaning of the word akram or Most
Bountiful, referring to Allah's attribute which is without any fault or
defect. (al-Zamakhshari 1995: 767)
In general, it is through Allah's grace and mercy that humanity is
elevated to the highest rank of His creation whereby human beings can
be taught and are able to learn, read and write. Furthermore, it is also by
God's grace and blessing that the unlettered Prophet p.b.u.h. was taught
to read and recite the Holy Qur'an.

Verse 4: He Who taught [the use of] the Pen

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi comments that this verse can be rendered in two
ways. The first is that humanity is taught all the sciences and knowledge,
and in this case, the pen is cited in a metaphoric way. The second meaning
is that; Allah taught human beings to write through the medium of the
pen. In short, both meanings express clearly the importance of the pen
as a means of writing, knowledge and civilization. (al-Razi: 16)
Allah made human beings the possessors of knowledge and He taught
human beings the art of writing by the use of the pen. Had Allah not
taught the art of the pen [through inspiration], human's intellectual faculty
would not have had the opportunity to develop, expand and thus, would
have stagnated.
The fact that humanity was taught by the Creator through the pen
was not as clear at the time of the revelation as it is today. However,
Allah the Knowledge knows the value of the pen, therefore, reference
to the pen as a method of teaching, learning and writing is emphasized at
the very beginning of His revelation. Additionally, in another verse in the
Holy Qur'an, Allah has sworn in the name of the pen or qalam:
"Nun. By the pen and by the [record] which [men] write."
(al-Qalam68: 1)
The pen was honoured by being mentioned in the Holy Qur'an since
it has always been the most important tool of learning. The pen has
always been the most widespread means of learning from the past until
the present time and Abdullah Yusuf Ali regards it as "the symbolical
foundations of the revelation to mankind". (Abdullah Yusuf 1992: 1506)

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Verse 5: Taught man that which he knew not

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi explains that this verse elaborates the verse before,
that is, "Allah taught human beings what they do not know and He taught
them through the medium of qalam". (al-Razi: 17) This verse clearly
names Allah as the ultimate source of knowledge where human beings
were given knowledge regarding the past, present and future. The Prophet
Muhammad p.b.u.h. being chosen as the messenger of Allah was taught
with knowledge as preparation for fulfilling his duty and mission. Similarly,
the Prophet Adam was also taught with knowledge before he was sent
to the earth. Generally speaking, whatever knowledge a human being
possesses has been given to him/her through His blessing and grace. Al-
Maududi in The Meaning of the Qur'an elaborates:
Man originally was absolutely illiterate. Whatever of Knowledge
he obtained, it was a gift from Allah. Whatever Doors of
knowledge at any stage did Allah will to open for man, they
went on opening up before him.
Thus, al-Maududi and other mufassirun unanimously agreed that
knowledge originally comes from Allah. Hence, Allah is the One who
creates, originates and teaches human beings, for they are chosen to be
His viceregents on earth. (al-Razi: 16-17; al-Maududi 1992: 133; Ibn.
Kathir: 564; S.Qutb 1979: 223-224)

The Methods of Learning in Surah al-Alaq

The first revelation has shown great concern and attention towards human
education and human development in the Holy Qur' an. It is also undeniable
that this had a great impact on the subsequent methods of learning and
attaining knowledge. From the Islamic perspective, knowledge is seen
as a companion of religion which could help the community to face and
solve their problems and dilemmas. For the purpose of this study, the
discussion below will explore the three significant methods of learning in
the light of Surah al- 'Alaq.

Reading

The word iqra which comes at the beginning of the first and third verses
of the Surah indicates reading as an important tool of learning. The

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name of the Holy Book, al-Qur'an, is derived from the verb, qara'a
which means recitation. The verb qara'a preliminary means to study
the Holy Qur'an as it was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad
p.b.u.h., but in general, it was also used for the studying other fields of
knowledge. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
"When thou does read the Qur'an. Seek Allah's protection From
Satan the Rejected One."
(al-Nahl 16: 98)
The above verse alludes to the fact that when reading the Holy
Qur'an, one should seek protection from the evil or Satan. (Abdullah
Yusuf 1992: 1544) Similarly, in Surah al- 'Alaq, the Prophet Muhammad
p.b.u.h. is taught to read in the name of Lord who created. Therefore,
human beings as weak creation of Allah should always ask for His
strength, protection and guidance when reading or learning, in order to
protect or prevent them from the persuasion, influences of Satan and
deviances.
On the order hand, recitation of the Holy Qur'an can have great
impact and influence on a person's mind, feelings, faith and belief. The
Holy Qur'an mentions how a company of Jinns listened to the Holy
Qur'an and claimed that it is a wonderful recital. Allah says:
"Say it has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listenes
[to the Qur'an] They said, "we have really heard a wonderful
recital".
(al-Jin 72:1)
The Holy Qur'an describes the Jinns, on hearing recitation from the
Holy Qur'an becoming absorbed with its uniqueness which invites them
to believe in the revelation and become mu'min. (Ibn Kathir: 156)
On another occasion, similarly, the second Caliph of Islam, Umar
Ibn al-Khattab became a muslim on hearing his sister reading the Holy
Qur'an. (Numani. S.1983: 198-200) Thus, it is undeniable that reading
the Holy Qur'an will influence the mind and heart not only of the reader
but also of the audience. This is why we are being asked to read the
Holy Qur'an in our best manner with good tone and beautiful
pronunciation. The Holy Qur'an emphasizes this:
".. .and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones."
(al-Muzammil 73:4)

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Regarding this, on one occasion, Anas was asked about the Prophet's
method of reciting the Holy Qur'an. He replied, the Prophet Muhammad
p.b.u.h. stretched the words when he was reciting. For example, when
he recited Bismillahirrahmanirrahim he would stretch the word
Bismillah, and he also stretch the word al-Rahman and al-Rahim.
Regarding the above verse, Ibn. Kathir in his commentary, points
out that we are asked to read the Holy Qur'an slowly and distinctly, not
quickly or in haste. The reason for this is that it will give time for the
mind to understand the meaning and purport of the divine revelation;
thus, the heart will also be affected through the reading and recitation. In
this regard, al-Maududi has commented on the relation between reading
and the human heart as follows: (al-Maududi 1992: 121):
.. .if it contains the mention of Allah's Being and Attributes, it
may awe-inspire the heart with His glory and majesty; if it
expresses. His mercy, the heart may be filled with feelings of
gratitude to Him; if it mentions His wrath and His punishment,
the heart may be overwhelmed by fear of Him; if it enjoins
something or forbids something, one may understand what has
been forbidden.
Therefore, recitation of the Book does not only refer to the uttering
of its words and verses, but it should also include comprehension and
thoughtful consideration of the whole meaning. Generally, we could say
that reading the Holy Qur'an should involve its meaning and an
understanding of its message.
It is also noteworthy to elaborate the purpose of reading from the
Quranic perspective. Firstly, through reading, humanity will find and
discover the absolute truth, i.e. the Lord and the Creator. There are
many verses mentioning these, such as:
"Proclaim! [or Read], in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher,
Who created."
(al-'Alaq96:l)
Secondly, through reading, human beings will be able to understand
the message of God, what is prohibit and what is permissible. Thirdly,
human beings are being asked to read the Holy Qur'an in order to seek
guidance on the right path. Fourthly, reading the Holy Qur'an could also
lead towards self development and self actualization.

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 The First Revelation in the Holy Qur'an

Writing

The word qalam or pen in the first revelation signals writing as a tool of
learning and teaching. Although most of the Arab community at the time
of revelation were illiterate, the word qalam were repeated in four
occasions in the Holy Qur'an.
Through the medium of the pen, human beings are able to transmit
and transfer their feelings, thoughts, experiences, insights and most of all
knowledge from individual to individual and from generation to generation.
This ability was granted by God to human beings through His grace and
mercy due to the fact that primarily humanity was taught through the
medium of the pen.
Today, we find that the basis of the entire civilization, the progress
and advancement of humanity in different fields, pivots on the existence
of the "pen". The rank of scholars has preceeded that of martyrs because,
generally, it is scholar's pen that is able to change minds, attitudes and
destinies of individuals in society. However, in the community,
improvement may begin from the pen of a responsible person, but vice
and corruption may also originate from what the pen propagates. These
outstanding positions of the pen is probably one of the answer to why the
Holy Qur'an invokes the pen. (al-Qalam 68: 1)
Furthermore, writing has been given a significant place since the
early period of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. was always
keen for the text of the Holy Qur'an to be written down immediately
after it was revealed in order to distinguish between his words and the
Word of God. There is evidence that the Word of God was written on
papyrus, palm leaves, pieces of leather and wooden boards. (al-Zinjani
1969:44)
Besides being a method of learning and teaching, writing plays a
decisive role for the purpose of communication in the society such as in
doing transaction. For example, in the Holy Qur'an, human beings are
taught to write details when dealing with transaction involving future
payment. Allah says:
"O ye who believe! When ye deal with each other, in transaction
involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them
to writing let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties;
let not the scribe refuse to write; as Allah has taught him, so let
him write..."
(al-Baqarah 2: 282)

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The above account suggests that written documents are

recommended when dealing with transactions in which the payment is
not in cash. Therefore, a writer should not write or convey wrong message
or false information because this may lead to haphazard in the society.
Additionally, the art of writing should be looked upon as a gift from Allah
and should be used according to His will and service.

Memorizing

The Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. was taught through oral transmission,

where he had to memorize by heart the verses of the Holy Qur'an word
by word. As an illiterate, memorization or rote learning is undoubtedly an
important method of attaining knowledge besides reading and writing.
The revelation was auditory before becoming in a written text. The
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. first heard the term iqra' and only later, he
recited the revealed verses on the basis of audition. Additionally, the oral
dimension of the Holy Qur' an combined with the traditional significance
of memory in the transmission has great impact in the Islamic intellectual
traditions and educational system.
Another point worth mentioning here is the importance of memorizing
the Holy Qur'an and its impact on human intellect. Khurram Murad in
Way to The Qur'an elaborates the significance of memorizing the Holy
Qur'an as follows: (Khurram Murad 1985: 59-66)
.. .it makes the Qur'an flow on your tongue, reside in your mind,
dwell in your heart: it becomes your constant companion. Also
as you memorize more you will find it easier to make your inner
self participate in its reading and your mind study and understand
its meaning.
Muslims are taught and encouraged to read and memorize the Holy
Qur' an, particularly the short surahs during their childhood. The reason
for this is that, the surahs which are being memorized in the stage of
infancy will remain engraved on the mind for the rest of life and on the
contrary, those who do not memorize the Holy Qur'an in their early
stage will not be able to do so when they become adults.
Al-Shafi'i for example, memorized the Holy Qur'an at the age of
seven. He also memorized Malik's book on Hadith when he was ten
years old. (Abu Layla. M. 1992: 237)
Thus, familirity with the Holy Qur'an at an early age has its impact
on the learner in the sense that it helps to sharpen humans' intellect and

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 The First Revelation in the Holy Qur'an

the power of memorizing. Moreover, the impact of memorizing the Holy

Qur' an is manifested in the linguistic ability of a learner, his/her style and
moral principles.
At the linguistic level, a learner has to practice pronouncing all the
words in Arabic correctly eventhough it is not his/her mother tongue. At
the stylistic level, the learner can quote verses from the Holy Qur'an in
their appropriate context for his/her speech, writing or debate in order to
support his/her idea or argumentation. In terms of the moral effect, a
Quranic learner is frequently in contact with the moral stories and
instructions, or regarding the permissible or prohibited. Due to the
significant influence of the Holy Qur' an, we believe that Muslim learners
should preliminary emphasize on memorizing the Holy Qur'an.
On the other hand, the method of learning through memorizing is a
constant feature of medieval education in Islam. There are numerous
anecdotes regarding those who possessed extraordinary memorizing
ability, who were referred to as "oceans" of learning or "receptacle" of
knowledge. For example, the Caliph Harun al-Rashid had two scholars
in al-Raiy. They were Shaibani, who was the Hanafi juriconsult and
Kisai, the grammarian. When they died in 189/805, the Caliph was
reported saying: "I buried jurisprudence and the Arabic language arts in
Raiy." (Maqdisi: 99)
Some people have to learn only through memorizing because they
are not able to read and write, which is similar to the case of the Prophet
Muhammad p.b.u.h. Others had to learn by heart because they had lost
their sight, and had no other means of learning.
The best time for memorizing is at early dawn, while the most suitable
place is at any place far from distraction. Studying in a place where is
bound to distract a learner's attention such as in places of vegetation, on
riverbanks, or on highways are not at all advisable. Furthermore, it is
also best to study on an empty stomach rather than on a full stomach.
In addition to this, repetition has proven to be one of the best methods
to commit any material to the memory. For example, the juriconsult Shirazi
said that he used to repeat each lesson of fiqh a hundred times in order
to ensure that it has engraved in his mind.
The famous al-Ghazali spent three years to memorize the notes that
he had taken from his lectures and book (Khurram Murad 1985: 84).
Makdisi in The Rise of Colleges cited Abu Amr bin Ala commenting
that memorization is one of the important methods of learning as:

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The first rule of learning is silence; the second, good questioning;

the third, good listening; the fourth, good memorising; and the
fifth, propagating the knowledge acquired among those seeking
it.

Conclusion

The first revelation has shown its great concern for human development
and education by mentioning the means of acquiring and transmitting
knowledge in the community. Additionally, the Surah emphasizes the
personal growth of human beings and gaining knowledge through reading,
writing and memorization. Al-Alaq which is the name of the Surah,
refers to the origin of man in the third stage of embryogenesis as described
in the Holy Qur'an. (Hussain. S.1980: 107-109) In this context, the
physical growth of a person is closely related to his/her intellectual and
potential growth, which is considered as important in learning and
acquisition of knowledge.
The Surah also refers to the word "qalam" or pen as significant
tool of writing. By means of the pen, a student is able to take notes
[allaqa], dictation [imla], compose reports [khabar] and write [katabaj.
These are the various methods of learning and acquisition of knowledge
in the different branches of science. The difference between "kataba"
and "allaqa" as Makdisi explains is that "kataba" is usually applied to
hadith which were noted down from dictation. The term "allaqa" is a
process which depends safely on the competence of the learner in his/
her note-taking. Imla or dictation refers to copying word for word what
a teacher or lecturer is saying.
Additionally in order to obtain knowledge, Zarnuji explains that
learners should always respect knowledge, the knowledgeable person
and teachers. He further adds that, a learner should always respect his/
her teacher by his examples that he/she should not talk or leave the class
without permission, sit on the teacher's chair, disobey the rule of the
teacher and like. Learners who have caused inconvenience to the teacher
will benefit very little from the teacher's knowledge. Since an Islamic
society can only be sustained and advanced through faith, knowledge
and education, the role of the teacher is very important in the educational
system and society. Tibawi emphasizes that the relationship between the
teacher [Murabbi ] and learner is more towards a spiritual relationship
which is superior to physical relationship as;

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Know, o brother, that your teacher is begetter of your soul just

as your father is the begetter of your body. Your father gives
you a physical form, but your teacher gives a spiritual one. Your
teacher nourishes your soul with learning and wisdom and guides
it to attain everlasting bliss...
(Tibawi 1979: 38-39)
This special role and status of the teacher should be recognized and
it is true that good teachers are the hall-mark of Muslim society.
Therefore, teaching as a profession should be recognised and
acknowledged in terms of remuneration, rewards and respect both in
the society and the government policy. This will not only ensure that
good teachers for all levels of education are available, but will also be an
indispensable investment for the future of human development and human
resources.
In conclusion, it is worthnoting that the first revelation imparts to
human beings importance of learning, seeking for knowledge or the
ultimate reality, the nature of human creation and the relationship between
humanity and the Creator. In general, we find that the Holy Qur'an as a
fundamental source of knowledge also deals with the genesis of Allah's
creation, the existing social principles and order, international relations,
universal phenomena and the like. Therefore, the Holy Qur' an provides
a rational basis for the discovery of the truth which serves as guide and
directs the whole of mankind.
To sum up, from the period of the first revelation until today, reading,
writing and memorizing have always been the significant methods for
learning, teaching and acquisition of knowledge. Thus, this exploration
has encouraged the existence of references, libraries and literature at
present and has also lead mankind towards progress, technology and
advancement.

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