The correct answer is two.
In Islamic theology and the Seerah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it is documented that although the Archangel Jibrael (AS) was the primary medium of revelation for over twenty-three years, he appeared in his original,...
Read More
The correct answer is two.
In Islamic theology and the Seerah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it is documented that although the Archangel Jibrael (AS) was the primary medium of revelation for over twenty-three years, he appeared in his original, magnificent angelic form only twice. On all other occasions, Jibrael (AS) typically took the form of a human being—most famously appearing as a handsome man resembling the companion Dihyah al-Kalbi (RA)—to ensure that the human senses of the Prophet (PBUH) could withstand the encounter
The first time the Prophet (PBUH) saw Jibrael (AS) in his true form was during the early years of his mission in Makkah. This event occurred shortly after the initial revelations in the Cave of Hira. The Prophet (PBUH) described seeing a celestial being of such immense proportions that he sat upon a throne suspended between the heavens and the earth, effectively blocking the entire horizon from East to West.
This vision was a testament to the sheer scale of the angelic realm. Descriptions found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim state that Jibrael (AS) possessed six hundred wings. Each wing was so vast that it draped over the landscape like a massive shroud, and from these wings, rubies and pearls of unimaginable brilliance were said to fall. This encounter served as a divine confirmation of the weight and reality of the message the Prophet (PBUH) was chosen to carry.
The second instance took place during the miraculous night journey known as Isra wal Mi’raj (The Night Journey and Ascension). After traveling from Makkah to Jerusalem, the Prophet (PBUH) ascended through the seven heavens. It was at the absolute peak of this journey, at the Sidrat al-Muntaha (The Lote Tree of the Farthest Boundary), that he once again witnessed Jibrael (AS) in his original state.
The reason these appearances were so rare is due to the intense nature of the angelic light (Noor). Islamic scholars explain that the human physical form is generally not equipped to perceive the full majesty of the higher celestial world while in the earthly realm. The two instances where this did occur were moments of extreme spiritual importance: the beginning of the formal Call to Islam and the highest point of the Prophet's (PBUH) proximity to the Divine Presence.
These two historical moments remain the only times the physical veil was fully lifted, allowing a human eye to behold the true creation of the Archangel who brought the Quran to humanity.
Discussion
Leave a Comment