4.6 Return to Khadija
Mohamed woke up terrified. What was this that he had experienced? Until then he had had visions that Allah was the One, who dominated all creation. But who was this reminding him of Him? Was he going insane? Was there a spirit in the cave? He ran out of the cave in terror and roamed the mountainside. Then he heard a voice calling him. He looked towards the sky. There upon the horizon he could see the same angel he had just seen in his dream. He was wide-awake now but he could see the angel clearly. He looked away in horror but, wherever he looked, he could see the beautiful and awesome angel before him. The angel approached closer and closer to Mohamed, then he went back, finally he left.

In wild fear, Mohamed descended from the mountain towards his house. During that time Khadija had sent someone with food to the Cave of Hira but they could not find him. He went to her trembling with fear and wonder and said,

"Cover me up, cover me up,"

for he felt cold all over (It is said that contact with the supernatural, which is like a heavy charge of electricity, is extremely exhausting to the human frame.)

When he felt better he related to her what he had heard and seen, then he said,

"Khadija, what is the matter with me?"

Khadija's faith in her husband's basic sanity did not waver. She said,

"Be of good cheer, dear cousin, for by Him who has dominion over Khadija's soul, I do hope you are the prophet of this nation. Allah would never humiliate you. You are good to your relatives, you are true of word, you aid the needy, you support the weak, and you respond to the call of the distressed."

Mohamed was reassured by her words, then peace in the form of a tranquil drowsiness overcame him and he went to sleep.

Khadija began to reflect upon what he had told her. When she saw that he slept peacefully, she decided to go and consult her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, whom she knew to be a man of knowledge. Many years earlier, Waraqa had rejected idol worship, studied religions, and become a Christian. He had translated parts of the Gospel into Arabic.