I was in Mohammad's cave when...

I was in Mohammad’s cave when the Archangel Gabriel embraced him. The story of the First Revelation is well-known. What are not so well-known are these:  the Prophet was not alone, nor was he aware that I was sitting not too far behind him. What is also not known is that he was not the first person embraced by Gabriel in that cave. I was.

One day before Mohammad arrived at the Cave of Hira for his historic encounter, I was alone in that very same cave. For it was my habit, as well as that of the Prophet, to seek out an isolated cave and mediate. As you can imagine, I was shocked to be embraced by this entity and ordered to “Read.” Unlike Mohammad, I knew how to read, so I asked, “What am I to read?” When I was presented with a vision of the holy text, the entity calling himself Gabriel (but how am I to know for sure?) once again said, “Read!”

And I said… “No.”

Here I will pause for a moment and tell you what is rarely even contemplated – there are people who actually say “No” to God, even when they’re sure It’s really God Who is trying to engage them. This should not surprise you, though, for do we not have free will? And does not God respect that? After all, He has His purposes, and (if it’s quite alright) so do I.

When I said “No,” the entity released me from its embrace and said no more. But I remained in that cave to think about what just happened. The next day, Mohammed enters. He did not notice me crouched in the back for he seemed preoccupied. It wasn’t long, though, until he was embraced as I had been. I didn’t see or hear anything, though I heard the Prophet’s replies.

That was back in the year 610 AD, over 1400 years ago. And I am still alive but Mohammad isn’t. [Maybe that is my punishment, though I don’t feel that way.] I go back as far as the Pharaohs, having even seen some of them from a distance. And I am not the only one like this; we even find each other on occasion. Being a recluse (I have my reasons), I always keep my distance from the celebrated and powerful.

Mohammad left the cave, still not having seen me. In the years that followed, we never spoke or made direct eye contact. From a distance, I followed his career and that of his faith, as I’ve followed the careers of others – genuine and false. To this day, I don’t know what had embraced Mohammad (and, earlier, me) in the Cave of Hira.

I’ve often wondered how Mohammad feels, from wherever he happens to be, about the Muslim community and the turns it’s taken. I guess I should say “Muslim communities” – for that seems to be the problem. Maybe it’s true, that which is written: All things fade over time.

The entity said to each of us that he was Gabriel. It’s not that I didn’t believe him – I didn’t care one way or the other. Other entities have beckoned me since then, and before then, but I’ve ignored them all – especially when they ask me to do something.

I can’t account for my long life except to say that maybe I am here only to be a witness. Actually, that’s quite a big job. Toward that end, I sometimes disguise myself to get closer to people. Once I even disguised myself as a Sunni Muslim and got quite close to members of one rural small community in Egypt in the early 1800’s.

I’d managed to save a bit of money to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, since it’s a prime religious obligation to do that at least once in a lifetime. I’d actually saved “a bit” several times, but I never went. As I’d prepare to go, without fail I would encounter some desperately poor family and would give them my money.

I hope that was alright.

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Steven Searle, just another member of the
Virtual Sangha of the Lotus and
former candidate for US President (in 2008 & 2012)

“                                            “ – Steve.

Contact me at bpa_cinc@yahoo.com