First Revelation Was to Read

The first revelation given to the prophet commands him to “read” ( iq’ra / اقرَأ).

96:1 Read, in the name of your Lord, who created. 96:2 He created man from an embryo. 96:3 Read, and your Lord, Most Exalted. 96:4 Teaches by means of the pen. 96:5 He teaches man what he never knew. (١) اقرَأ بِاسمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذي خَلَقَ (٢) خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (٣) اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ (٤) الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ (٥) عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

If Muhammad could not read, he would not have been able to fulfill God's request. Yet even if we say that before this revelation, he was illiterate, the verses state that God teaches man what he never knew, which means God could have allowed him to read to fulfill this command.