His fear increased to the point that --- and please don't be...

His fear increased to the point that --- and please don't be surprised by an authentic report in Bukhari --- the Prophet (pbuh) preferred to take his own life rather than to be touched by evil, to be tampered with, corrupted, or polluted." But according to the accounts of the Shia Muslims, Muhammed Mustafa, far from being suprised, much less frightened, by the sudden appearance of Archangel Gabriel, welcomed him as if he had been expecting him.

Gabriel brought the tidings that Allah had chosen him to be His Last Messenger to Mankind, and congratulated him on being selected to become the recipient of the greatest of all honors for a mortal in this world. Muhammed had no hesitation in accepting the mission of prophethood nor he had any difficulty in repeating the verses of the First Revelation. He read them or repeated them effortlessly, spontaneously.

Gabriel, in fact, was no stranger to him, and he also knew that as the slave of Allah, his own raison d'etre was to carry out the mission imposed upon him by Allah. He was "mission-oriented" even before Gabriel's visit. Gabriel only gave him the signal to begin. The Shia Muslims also say that one thing that Gabriel didn't have to do, was to apply physical pressure on Muhammed to read.

If he did, it would truly be a bizarre mode of imparting to Muhammed, the ability to read - by squeezing him or choking him.

They further maintain that Muhammed Mustafa did not contemplate suicide at any time in his life, even in its most desolate moments; and that it never occurred to him that he could ever be touched by "evil" or that he could be "tampered with, corrupted or polluted." In this context, the Shia Muslims quote the following two verses of Quran Majid which appear to have a logical connection with this episode: (Allah said to Iblis:) "AS FOR MY SERVANTS, NO AUTHORITY SHALT THOU HAVE OVER THEM." ENOUGH IS THY LORD FOR A DISPOSER OF AFFAIRS.

(Chapter 17; verse 65) Allah Himself protects His sincere and true slaves from the clutches of Iblis (the Devil); he can have no authority over them, and they can never be tampered with or corrupted or polluted. 2. BUT GOD WILL DELIVER THE RIGHTEOUS TO THEIR PLACE OF SALVATION; NO EVIL SHALL TOUCH THEM. NOR SHALL THEY GRIEVE. (Chapter 39; verse 61) No evil could touch Muhammed, the chosen one of God Himself. Under God's protection, he was safe from every evil.

He lived under the jurisdiction of God at all times.