Originally Posted by sabaparvezz

Q: When and how was the revelation (Wahi) started? Explain also the reality of Wahi?
Ans:
Outlines
1. Introduction
2. Guidance through Revelation
3. Meaning and Forms of Wahi
4. Means of Revelation
5. The Quran Revealed to Muahmmad (SAW)
6. The Descent of the Quran
7. Beginning of Revelation
8. How Revelation Came
9. The First Revelation
10. Revelation Sent Down in Stages
11. The Hidden Reality of Revelation
12. Sources of Knowledge
13. Limited Scope of these Sources
14. The Ultimate Source
15. Conclusion


1. Introduction
Allah, the Creator, has not only brought about the creation but continues to sustain and direct it in the way that, He has created humans and all that is around them. He has provided many forms of guidance, indeed, a system of guiding principles, a part of which are the laws of nature.
But, Almighty Allah has also granted a special form of guidance to mankind from the outset of its occupancy of the earth. He promised Adam and his descendants,

“We said: “Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.”
(Surah Baqarah:38)

2. Guidance through Revelation
Guidance through Revelation We call a man whom Allah, in His own way, grants His guidance, a prophet (Nabi) or messenger (rasul). Prophets receive the word of Allah through revelation and then communicate it to their followers. In the Quran, Allah says,

"Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad (SAW)) as We sent the revelation to Nuh (Noah) and the Prophets after him; We (also) sent the revelation to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and Al-Asbat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob) Isa (Jesus), Ayyub (fob), Yunus (Jonah), Harun (Aaron), and Sulaiman (Solomon); and to Dawud (David) We gave the Zabur (Psalms). And Messengers We have mentioned to you before, and Messengers We have not mentioned to you, - and to Musa (Moses) Allah spoke directly. Messenger as bearers of good news as well as of warning, in order that, mankind should have no plea against Allah after the (coming of) Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise."
(Surah Nisaa: 163-165)

3. Meaning and Forms of Wahi
The word revealed refers to the Arabic root wahi, which means inspiration. The Arabic verb awha (revealed), from which the noun wahi (revelation) is derived, occurs in a number of shades of meaning in the Quran, each of them indicating the main underlying idea of inspiration: directing or guiding someone. The following examples show some of these types of wahi.

 Guidance by Nature Institution
Almighty Allah says,
“And We inspired the mother of Moses….”
(Surrah Qasas:7)

 Guidance by Natural Instinct
Almighty Allah says,

"And your Lord inspired the bees, saying, "Choose your habitations in the hills and in the trees and in that which they thatch." (Surah Nahl: 68)

 Guidance by Signs
Almighty Allah says,
"Then he came out to his people from Al-Mihrab (a praying place or a private room), and he told them by signs to glorify Allah's Praises in the morning and in the afternoon."
(Surah Mat-yam: 11)
 Guidance against Evil
Almighty Allah says,
"And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception)" (Surah Anam: 112)

 Guidance Solely From Allah
Almighty Allah says,
"(Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, (saying), "I am with you...."
(Surah Anfal: 12)

4. Means of Revelation
Means of Revelation Wahi, in the sense of revelation, refers to Allah's guidance for people that was sent down to the prophets, who received it through one of the means mentioned in the following Quranic verse:

"It is not fitting for any man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills, for He is Most High, Most Wise." (Surah Shura: 51)

From this verse, it is obvious that all prophets must have received the revelation through one of the following means:
1. Inspiration:
for example, in a dream as that which Ibrahim received while asleep, to sacrifice his son
2. Hidden speech:
as Allah spoke to Moses.
3. Words (speech) sent by Allah through a special messenger as the Angel:
For instance Gabriel was sent to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). That is the most common way of wahi.

5. The Quran Revealed to Muhammad (SAW)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the last of Allah's messengers, received the revelation of the Quran through a special messenger sent by Allah for this purpose: the Angel Gabriel, who recited to him Allah's exact words.

6. The Descent of the Quran
According to many Muslim scholars, like As-Suyuti, on the basis of three reports from Abdullah ibn Abbas, in Al-Hakim, Al-Baihaqi and An-Nasal, the Quran descended in two stages:
 From Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (the Well-Preserved Tablet) to the lowest of the heavens (Bayt-ul-Izzah) of the world, altogether, on Laylat Al-Qadr (the Night of Power)
 From the heavens to earth in stages throughout the 23 years of Muhammad’s (SAW) prophethood, starting on Laylat Al-Qadr of Ramadan, through Angel Gabriel.


7. Beginning of Revelation
The revelation of the Quran began on Laylat Al-Qadr of Ramadan, after the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had passed the 40th year of his life (that is around the year 610), during his seclusion in the cave of 'Hira' on a mountain near Makkah.

This is the account, as reported in Al-Bukhari:
'A 'ishah (RA), the Mother of the Believers, narrated, "The commencement of the divine inspiration to the Prophet (SAW) started in the form of good.d reams which came true like bright daylight and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of 'Hira' where he used to worship Allah alone, continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take enough food for many nights and then come back to (his wife) Khadijah to take his food likewise again. Suddenly the truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of 'Hira'.The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet (SAW) replied, "I do not know how to read." The Prophet (SAW) added, "The angel caught me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read. I replied, "I do not know how to read". Thereupon, he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read" (or what shall I read?). Thereupon, he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from something that clings. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not."

The narration goes on to tell that the Prophet (SAW) went back to his wife Khadijah (R.A) and recounted to her his dreadful experience. She comforted him and both of them consulted Khadijah's (R.A) relative and a learned Christian scholar, Warqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, about it. Warqa, who during the PreIslamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Warqa, "Listen to the story of your nephew, 0 my cousin!" Warqa asked, "0 my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Apostle (SAW) described whatever he (SAW) had seen. Warqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish, I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle (SAW) asked, "Will they drive me out?" Warqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly." But, after a few days Warqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while.

8. How Revelation Came
The Quran was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years and not as a complete book in one single act of revelation.
'A'ishah, the Mother of the Believers (R.A), narrated that Al-Harith ibn Hisham asked the Prophet (SAW): "0 Allah's Apostle (SAW). How is the divine inspiration revealed to you?" The Prophet (SAW) replied,
"Sometimes, it is "revealed" like the ringing of a bell, this is the hardest of all, and then it passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes, the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." (Al-Bukhari)

9. The First Received Revelation
The first revelation that Prophet Muhammad received is the first 5 verses from Surat Al-'Alaq:

"Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has created man from something that clings. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not."
(Surah Alaq: 1-5)
10. Revelation Sent Down in Stages
The Quran was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, and not as a complete book in one single act of revelation. There are a number of reasons for this, of which the most important are the following:
 Strengthening the heart of the Prophet (SAW) by addressing him continuously and whenever the need for guidance arose.
 Considering the Prophet's well-being, since revelation was a very difficult experience for him.
 Gradually implementing Allah's ordainments.
 Making understanding, application, and memorization of the revelation easier for Muslims

11. The Hidden Reality of Revelation
Every Muslim knows that Allah Almighty has sent man into this world as a matter of test, and in return for his being obligated with certain duties, the whole universe has been placed at his service. For this reason man, once he is in the world, must do two things:
1. He should make the best use of this world and of things created in it.
2. While using this world to his advantage, he should keep the injunctions of Allah Almighty in sight and do nothing that goes against His will and pleasure.

12. Sources of Knowledge
For performing these two functions, man needs knowledge. Therefore, unless he knows the reality of this world, the properties of different things and the manners in which they can be put to use, he cannot use anything in this world to his advantage. Likewise, unless and until he knows the will of Allah Almighty, as to what pleases Him and what displeases Him, it will be impossible for him to lead a life in line with the will of Allah Almighty.
So Allah Almighty, along with the creation of man, has created three things through which he could continue receiving knowledge of the above-mentioned matters of concern. These are:
1. Man's senses, that is, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the hands and the feet.
2. The reason
3. The Revelation (Wahi)
Consequently, man finds out many things through his senses, many others through reason, and the knowledge of things he cannot get through these two sources, is bestowed upon him through Wahi.

13. Limited Scope of the Source
The arrangement between these three sources of knowledge is such that each one has its limits and a particular sphere of activity beyond which it does not work. In natural sequence, the man collects the knowledge of things through his senses, cannot be deduced through bland reason. For instance, you know by seeing a wall with your eyes that its colour is white. But, should you close your eyes and try to find out the colour of that wall on the sole strength of your reason, this will then be impossible. Similarly, the knowledge of things that comes through reason cannot be discovered by senses alone. For instance, you cannot find out as to who made that wall by simply seeing it with your eyes or touching it with your hands. Not at all, you rather need reason to arrive at that conclusion.
In short, reason gives no guidance as far as the five senses work efficiently and when the five senses become helpless, reason starts functioning. But, even the guidance given by this reason is not unlimited. This too stops at a certain limit.

14. The Ultimate Source
There are things, the knowledge of which can neither be acquired through senses nor through reason. For instance, to find out about this very wall, as to what manner of its use will please Allah Almighty and what manner of its use will displease Him, is possible neither through senses nor through reason. In order to give man the answer to such questions, the source that Allah Almighty has prescribed is what is known as Wahi. And, the method it follows is that Allah Almighty selects one of His servants, ordains him as His messenger and to him He reveals His Word. This Word is Wahi.
This makes it clear that Wahi is the highest source of knowledge for man which offers to him the answer to questions about his life which cannot be solved by means of reason and senses, but, he still has to have that knowledge. This further explains that reason and perception alone are not enough to show man the way.

15. Conclusion
It is absolutely necessary and almost inevitable, that the Divine Wahi be there for his guidance. Since Wahi is basically needed where reason does not work, it is, therefore, not necessary that everything communicated through Wahi be compulsively comprehended through reason. On the contrary, as reason is no help in finding out the colour of some object since that is the job of the senses, so is the knowledge of many religious beliefs, the gracious giving of which is the sole prerogative of Wahi and not of reason. Furthermore, trusting reason alone for their comprehension is not sound and correct. This makes it crystal clear that Wahi is not only a religious belief but also a rational need the rejection of which amounts to a rejection of the ultimate wisdom of Allah Almighty.