Waraqah ibn Nawfal
Encyclopedia
Waraka Ibn Nawfal was the parental cousin of Khadija
, the first wife of the prophet
Muhammad
, and was also the son of Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf's half brother Nawfal ibn Abd Manaf
. Waraka was a Christian
Ebionite priest
and is revered in Islamic tradition
for being one of the first monotheists to believe in the prophecy of Muhammad
.
Ebionite priest living in Mecca
, and one who had made detailed studies of the Gospel
s and the Old Testament
scriptures. Muslim
tradition
maintains that Waraka was one of the believers in the Age of Ignorance, meaning that he was a believer before the prophecy of Muhammad
. Waraka would frequently contemplate and pray at the Kaaba
and began to read the Biblical texts
in their original language and even learned to read Hebrew. Around this time, Waraka, with another member of his tribe, is said to have found Muhammad
as a young infant and immediately returned him to Abdul Muttalib
, which has been interpreted to be a foreshadowing to his acceptance of Muhammad's prophecy. As Muhammad grew in age, Waraka's knowledge of the sacred
scriptures increased. Several years later, when told of Muhammad's first revelation (which is understood to be Q. XCVI: 1-5), Waraka recognized his call to prophecy as authentic and tradition recounts Waraka saying: "There has come to him the greatest Law that came to Moses
; surely he is the prophet of this people". Waraka, upon accepting Muhammad's prophecy, remained a Christian
and, in later accounts, was counted among Muhammad's companions. Muhammad is later said to have said of Waraka: "Do not slander Waraka ibn Nawfal, for I have seen that he will have one or two gardens in Paradise."
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
Khadījah bint Khuwaylid or Khadījah al-Kubra was the first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. She was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad and Fatimah bint Za'idah and belonged to the clan of Banu Asad. She is important in Islam as Muhammad's first wife, and one of the "mothers of the believers"...
, the first wife of the prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, and was also the son of Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf's half brother Nawfal ibn Abd Manaf
Nawfal ibn Abd Manaf
Nawfal ibn Abd al-Manaf was one of the Sahaba's ancestors . He forms an important link between his notable father Abd Manaf ibn Qusai, and the tribe he is a progenitor of, the Banu Nawfal.-See also:...
. Waraka was a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Ebionite priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and is revered in Islamic tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
for being one of the first monotheists to believe in the prophecy of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
.
Life
According to the Islamic sources, Waraka was a ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Ebionite priest living in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, and one who had made detailed studies of the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
s and the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scriptures. Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
maintains that Waraka was one of the believers in the Age of Ignorance, meaning that he was a believer before the prophecy of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Waraka would frequently contemplate and pray at the Kaaba
Kaaba
The Kaaba is a cuboid-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam. The Qur'an states that the Kaaba was constructed by Abraham, or Ibraheem, in Arabic, and his son Ishmael, or Ismaeel, as said in Arabic, after he had settled in Arabia. The building has a mosque...
and began to read the Biblical texts
Text (literary theory)
A text, within literary theory, is a coherent set of symbols that transmits some kind of informative message. This set of symbols is considered in terms of the informative message's content, rather than in terms of its physical form or the medium in which it is represented...
in their original language and even learned to read Hebrew. Around this time, Waraka, with another member of his tribe, is said to have found Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
as a young infant and immediately returned him to Abdul Muttalib
Abdul Muttalib
Abdul Muttalib, , a.k.a. 'Abd al-Muttalib or Shaiba ibn Hashim, grandfather of MuhammadAbdul Muttalib may also refer to:...
, which has been interpreted to be a foreshadowing to his acceptance of Muhammad's prophecy. As Muhammad grew in age, Waraka's knowledge of the sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
scriptures increased. Several years later, when told of Muhammad's first revelation (which is understood to be Q. XCVI: 1-5), Waraka recognized his call to prophecy as authentic and tradition recounts Waraka saying: "There has come to him the greatest Law that came to Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
; surely he is the prophet of this people". Waraka, upon accepting Muhammad's prophecy, remained a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and, in later accounts, was counted among Muhammad's companions. Muhammad is later said to have said of Waraka: "Do not slander Waraka ibn Nawfal, for I have seen that he will have one or two gardens in Paradise."