1. **Qur’an Evidence:**
**Qur’an Source:**
Surah Al-‘Alaq, Surah 96, Ayah 1-5
**Arabic:**
﴿١﴾ اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٣﴾ اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٤﴾ الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ ﴿٥﴾ عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
**Translation:**
“Read in the name of your Lord who created—He created الإنسان from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous—who taught by the pen—taught الإنسان what he did not know.”
**Simple Meaning:**
These are the first verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Allah is teaching us that learning begins with His name, and that He is the One who created us and taught people knowledge.
2. **Hadith Evidence:**
**Hadith Source:**
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3, Sahih
**Arabic:**
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ فِي النَّوْمِ، فَكَانَ لَا يَرَى رُؤْيَا إِلَّا جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصُّبْحِ، ثُمَّ حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلَاءُ، فَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَيَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ ... ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الْحَقُّ وَهُوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ، فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ، قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ ... فَأَخَذَنِي فَغَطَّنِي حَتَّى بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْجَهْدَ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَنِي فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ، قُلْتُ: مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ ... فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
**Hadith Meaning:**
The Prophet ﷺ first received revelation in the cave of Hira, and the first words brought by the angel Jibreel عليه السلام were: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.”
**Simple Explanation:**
This hadith clearly shows that the first revelation started with the command to read. It is a very important lesson that Islam honors knowledge and learning.
3. **Scholars’ Explanation:**
- **Ibn Kathir** said in *Tafsir Ibn Kathir* that the first revelation was the beginning of prophethood and the start of the Qur’an coming down.
- **Al-Tabari** explained in his *Tafsir* that these first verses were the opening of guidance for the whole world.
4. **Short Answer:**
The first surah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was **Surah Al-‘Alaq**, and the first verses revealed were **Ayah 1 to 5**.
**Takeaway:**
Learning the Qur’an starts with remembering Allah and seeking knowledge.
Allah knows best.