The Noble Prophet says, “When I was descending from the Cave
of Ḥirā’ I heard a voice saying, ‘یا محمد انت رسول الله – O Muḥammad! You are the
Messenger of Allāh.’” Hence the Prophet was given glad tidings
of prophethood, even though in reality, he had received prophethood well
before that. That is why you find in every book of sīra (prophetic biography)
and shamāi’l (the human aspect, lifestyle and personal life of the Prophet
) the narrations of the Prophet at the beginning of the
book, “ متى كنت نبيا – Since when have you been a Prophet?” To which at times
he stated, “Allāh had made me a Prophet when Ᾱdam was merely
clay.” In other words, he attained prophethood then, and what Jibrīl
brought to him in the Cave of Ḥirā’ was risāla (messengerhood); at that
time he was being blessed with risāla.
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“The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him)