Ibnu Abi Jamarah (rahimahullah) says: “The dreams of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) are compared to the light of dawn because the sun of prophethood had not yet risen. Just as the light of dawn portends the rising of the sun, similarly true dreams were an introduction to the imminent advent of the sun of prophethood.” It was as though the ‘dawn’ of pious dreams was proclaiming: “Soon, the sun of prophethood will rise.” Just as the brightness of the morning continues to increase gradually, similarly the light of these true dreams continued to increase until the sun of prophethood extended to light up the mountains of Faaraan (in Makkah Mukarramah). People such as Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who possessed the spiritual vision of the heart came before this sun and benefited from its brilliance whilst people like Abu Jahal, whose hearts were blind, closed their eyes like bats, as soon as this sun rose, as they were unable to endure the radiance of this brilliant sun of prophethood.

“If the bat is unable to see during the day, what is the fault of daylight? The face of the sun is naturally radiant, ill-fated is the bat.”

The remainder of the people were between the ranks of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Abu Jahal. Each and every person benefited from this sun of prophethood according to the level of his spiritual vision and the luminance of his heart.

(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/129-130)