It is said that while Muhammad was on retreat in the Cave of Hira, at Jabal al-Nour near Mecca, the angel Gabriel appeared before him and commanded him to "Read!".

[4] The remainder of the surah, claimed to have been revealed later, questions the morality and beliefs of mankind, who "thinks himself self-sufficient", unaware that all things will return to their Lord.

The Qur'an commands Muhammad (and by inference all believers) to continue the prayer regardless, as those who persecute the faithful are unaware that God sees what they do.

More specifically, ayahs 9–14 were revealed when Muhammed first began praying publicly near the Kaaba because the Meccans didn't comprehend what he was doing.

When they replied in affirmative he said: "by the gods Al-Lat and Al-Uzza, if I ever catch him in that act of worship (salah), I will set my foot on his neck and rub his face in the dust."

Abu Jahl wanted to follow through on his threat, but when he saw Muhammed he stepped forward, motioned to put his foot on his neck, but then became frightened and left.

"[7] Professor Abdul Haleem mentions that "ʻalaq" can also mean anything that clings: a clot of blood, a leech, even a lump of mud.

"[8] The term ʻalaqah is the second stage of human prenatal development (sura Al-Mu’minoon 23:12–14) which "descriptively encompasses the primary external and internal features" of the early embryo.

In Hebrew there is עֲלוּקָה‎ alûqāh (or alukah), the generic name for any blood-sucking worm or leech,[10] and in Aramaic and Syriac there are words with apparently similar meanings.

[13] Ḥadīth (حديث) is literally "speech" or "report", that is a recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with Sirah Rasul Allah these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah.

1–3: These verses are talking about how God created human beings from Alaq (The Clot of blood or The Clinging Thing).

9–10: In this verse "the one who discourages" references Abu Jahl when he tried to stop Muhammed from making devotions towards Allah, and anyone else for that matter.

[citation needed] 15–19: These verse explain why the person who interrupts someone in prayer is said that they will be dragged from their "lying, sinful, forelock."

Besides, Ibn Abbas, Abu Musa al-Ashari and a group of the Companions also are reported to have stated that these were the very first verses of the Quran to be revealed to Muhammad.

[citation needed] The second part was revealed later, when Muhammad began to perform the prescribed prayer in the precincts of the Kaaba, and Abu Jahl tried to prevent him from this with threats.