1. **Qur’an Evidence**
**Qur’an Source:**
Surah Al-‘Alaq, Surah 96, Ayah 1
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
**Translation:** Read in the name of your Lord who created.
**Simple Meaning:** This was the first ayah revealed. Allah told the Prophet ﷺ to begin with reading, learning, and remembering that everything starts with Allah, the Creator.
**Qur’an Source:**
Surah Al-Muddaththir, Surah 74, Ayah 1
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ
**Translation:** O you who are wrapped up in your clothing.
**Simple Meaning:** Some scholars said this was among the first early revelations after the first ayah. It shows Allah was calling the Prophet ﷺ to stand up and begin his mission.
2. **Hadith Evidence**
**Hadith Source:**
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3, Sahih
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، أَنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ فِي النَّوْمِ... ثُمَّ حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلَاءُ... فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ. قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ... فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجُهْدَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ. قُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ... فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي ثَانِيَةً... ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ. قُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ... فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي ثَالِثَةً... ثُمَّ قَالَ: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ...
**Hadith Meaning:** A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) explained that the first revelation began in the cave of Hira, when the angel Jibril came and told the Prophet ﷺ: “Read.” Then the first verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed.
**Simple Explanation:** This hadith clearly shows that the first revelation started with Surah Al-‘Alaq, especially the first verses, and that the Prophet ﷺ received the message from Allah through Angel Jibril.
3. **Scholars’ Explanation**
- **Ibn Kathir** in his tafsir explained that the first revealed verses were from **Surah Al-‘Alaq**: **“اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ”**.
- **Al-Tabari** also mentioned that the beginning of revelation was with these verses in the cave of Hira.
- Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah agree that the first revelation was from **Surah Al-‘Alaq**, not the whole surah at once, but the first few verses.
4. **Simple Answer**
The **first surah revealed** was **Surah Al-‘Alaq**. More exactly, the **first verses** revealed were the beginning of that surah:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
So the answer is: **Surah Al-‘Alaq, starting with Ayah 1.**
**Takeaway:**
The first message from Allah told us to learn, read, and begin with His name.
Allah knows best.