Oh Malik, how unfortunate. So this is one of the things you misunderstood that led you to leave Islam?
Poor you. Truly, poor you.
You said the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) was foolish to respond to Angel Jibreel with, “I cannot read,” when he was asked to read. You concluded: how could he be so “daft” — we seek refuge with Allaah — as to be unable to repeat what was being recited to him, especially since both of them were speaking Arabic?
Poor you, Malik.
Let’s address your twisted logic.
If you are not a science student, and a teacher approaches you and says, “Get ready for Physics. Now, repeat these laws of Physics after me,” won’t you naturally protest, “Sir, I’m not a science student!”?
So you see, your reasoning is flawed.
This is the problem with many atheists and agnostics: you subject everything to reason, even when your own life experience proves that reason alone hasn't helped you grasp deeper realities.
But that’s just an aside.
Allaah referred to the Qur’an as a Book — and He said its words are so weighty that if they were revealed upon mountains, the mountains would crumble.
And in His Infinite Wisdom, Allaah chose a Prophet who could neither read nor write. He could not read what was written, nor could he write what he was told.
So when Angel Jibreel appeared — in the human form of someone he had never seen before — and commanded him to "Read," it was clear to the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) that this was a command involving reading and perhaps writing. But he was not humanly equipped for that task.
Then Jibreel drew him close, embraced him tightly — a symbolic act of supernatural transformation.
After this, the Prophet (ﷺ) became calm. He had been granted spiritual strength, just as Jibreel once gave to Maryam (the mother of 'Eesa) when he caused her to conceive miraculously.
Remember: Jibreel also appeared to Maryam in the form of a man — just like the two angels who visited Prophet Ibraaheem appeared to him in human form, before proceeding to the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
But why am I even telling you all this? Can your mind grasp it? You’ve truly lost your way.
Nevertheless, we shouldn't lose hope in you. There is no heart Allaah cannot guide.
Now, to clarify: in the entire first revelation scenario, there's nothing that proves the Prophet (ﷺ) wasn’t shown a book.
In fact, Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalaani said in Fatḥ al-Baari (8/718):
> “It is reported in the mursal narration of ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmayr, as recorded by Ibn Isḥāq, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Jibrīl came to me with a piece of brocade in which there was a book. He said: “Read.” I said: “I am not a reader.”’”
Al-Suhaylī added: “Some of the Mufassirīn said that the verse: (Alif, Lām, Mīm. That is the Book in which there is no doubt) [al-Baqarah: 1–2] refers to the same book that Jibrīl brought when he said: ‘Read!’”
End quote.
This mursal narration is accepted by many scholars due to various supporting factors — including the fact that Allaah Himself refers to the Qur’an as a Book, and that the foundational narrative (the aṣl) is confirmed in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
So, O Malik — there is nothing to disprove that a book was shown to him. You simply jumped to baseless conclusions.
As we say in simple logic:
عدم الذكر لا يستلزم عدم الوجود
The absence of mention does not imply the absence of existence.
As for your question regarding whether the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) saw Jibreel in his true angelic form during the first encounter — the answer is no. He saw Jibreel in his true form only twice:
1. On a later occasion after the first revelation,
2. And during the event of Israa’ wal Mi‘raaj.
So relax.
Yes, the Prophet (ﷺ) was understandably frightened after the first encounter — he had no idea who or what he had just seen. But his wife Khadeejah comforted him, and Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian Arab and relative of Khadeejah, affirmed to him that it was indeed the Angel Jibreel.
In the second encounter, Jibreel appeared in his full angelic form, with wings covering the horizon. He said to him, “O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allaah, and I am Jibreel.” (Ibn Hishaam)
Malik, may Allaah heal your heart.
This is a mini-response I prepared for you after Facebook accidentally showed me your video this morning.
