The first thing the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started to experience from the revelation was the good vision in his sleep

‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that the first thing the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started to experience of the revelation was the true vision in sleep. He never saw in his sleep a vision except that it came true and clear like daylight.

Then seclusion was endeared to him, and he used to retreat in the Cave of Hirā’, where he would engage in worship for several nights before returning to his family and taking provisions for it. He would then go back to Khadījah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), to take provisions again for a similar number of nights until the truth came to him while he was in the Cave of Hirā’. Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him and said: Read!

He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: I do not know how to read. He said: So, he took hold of me, embraced me, and squeezed me until I could no longer bear it and then released me, saying: Read! I said: I do not know how to read. He took hold of me and pressed me forcefully for the second time until I could no longer bear it and then released me, saying: Read! I said: I do not know how to read.

He took hold of me and pressed me forcefully for the third time and then released me, saying: {Read in the name of your Lord Who created, created man from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous.}" [Surat al-‘Alaq: 1-3] He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned with these verses while his heart was trembling out of fear of death.

He entered upon Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: Wrap me in clothes, wrap me in clothes. They wrapped him in clothes until his fear went away. Then he informed Khadījah of what had happened and said to her: Indeed, I feared death for myself. Khadījah said: No, by Allah, Allah will never fail you.

You maintain kinship ties, help the weak who cannot manage on their own, and provide for the poor and destitute by giving them what they cannot find elsewhere. You honor the guest and assist in times of hardship. Khadījah took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza, a man who had renounced Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance) and became Christian. He used to write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write.

He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadījah said to him: O my cousin, listen to what your nephew has to say. Waraqah said to him: O my nephew, what have you seen? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him of what he had seen. Waraqah said to him: This is Jibrīl (Gabriel), whom Allah had sent to His Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). I wish I were young and could live until the time when your people would drive you out.

He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Would they drive me out? He said: Yes. No man has ever come with something like what you have brought without being harmed and treated with hostility. If I should live until your day, I would support you strongly. Then shortly after, Waraqah passed away and the revelation was delayed for some time.