Khadija's period of happiness lasted no more than 15 years after which her husband, now the Messenger of Allah (may Allah raise his rank), started his mission to invite people to the Oneness of God, to equality between men and women, and to an end to the evils of the day. Prophet Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank) was forty years old when the first verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to him. They were the first verses of Surat al-^Alaq, and they were revealed during the month of Ramadan 13 years before the Hijra, at the cave of Hira in Jabal al-Noor (the mountain of light), his favorite place for isolation and meditation, a place which is now visited by many pilgrims.

Prophet Muhammad (May Allah raise his rank) went back home heavy-hearted, profoundly perplexed, deeply impressed by the sight of the angel Gabriel (Jibreel ^alayhis-salam) and by the depth of meaning implied in those beautiful words of surat Al ^alaq which means:

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Proclaim (or read)! In the Name of your Lord and Cherisher who created (everything). (He) created man of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! And your Lord is the Most Bountiful Who taught (the use of) the pen, Who taught man that which he knew not..."
[surah al-Alaq; 96:1-5]

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