Seeing the Leader of Angels in his Original Form

Matchless Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Seeing the leader of angels in his original form (2^nd and final part)

Maulana Kashif Shahzad Attari

One of the exclusive honours that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمreceived from his Lord was that he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمsaw the leader of the angels Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامtwice in his original form.^[1]

Some points were mentioned regarding this topic in the previous issue. Below are further details in this regard.

Seeing angels in their original form

Shaykh-ul-Islam Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattvi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـهstates: ‘Apart from the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, no other human (including the Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَامand saints رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ) can see angels in their original form. And if they were to see them, they would die at once. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمsaw Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَمtwice in his original form: the first time was on a mountain close to Makkah after the first revelation, and the second time was on the Night of Mi’raaj near Sidrah al-Muntaha. However, if an angel takes the form of a human, it is possible for the distinguished to see them, such as the prophets, companions, saints and the righteous.^[2]

Visiting the prophets صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامvisited Prophet Adam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام12 times, Prophet Idrees عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامfour times, Prophet Nuh عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام50 times, Prophet Ibrahim عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام42 times, Prophet Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام400 times and Prophet Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام10 times. Furthermore, he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامvisited the leader of all Prophets Sayyiduna Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم24,000 times.^[3]

The reason for visiting so often

All angels, including Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, only descend with the command of Allah Almighty. This is evident from what Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامsaid, which has been mentioned in the Quran:

وَ مَا نَتَنَزَّلُ اِلَّا بِاَمْرِ رَبِّكَۚ-

We, the angels, do not descend but by the command of the Lord of your respected self.^[4]

No doubt, for Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامto visit the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم24,000 times was due to the command of Allah Almighty. Amongst those who love the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمwho have referred to this in an affectionate and faith-enhancing manner is Maulana Jameel-ul-Rahman Qadri Rizwi; he wrote:

Na lagta tha Sidrah peh Jibraeel ka dil,

Gawara na thi unko furqat Nabi ki^[5]

Sayyiduna Jibraeel’s عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامsearch

Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامonce said to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: ‘I searched the entire world, the east and the west, but I did not find a man more superior than Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم,nor did I find a family better than Banu Hashim.’^[6]

Fear of a bad ending was removed

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمonce asked Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام: ‘هَلْ اَصَابَكَ مِنْ هٰذِهِ الرَّحْمَةِ شَيْءٌ’, meaning, ‘Have you received a share of my mercy?’ Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامreplied: ‘Yes. Previously, I feared a bad end, but when Allah Almighty praised me with these words (in the Holy Quran that was revealed to you):

ذِیْ قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِی الْعَرْشِ مَكِیْنٍۙ(۲۰)

The one who is powerful, honoured in the Majestic Court of the Owner of the Throne.^[7]

I attained assurance of safety.’^[8]

Sayyiduna Jibraeel’s عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام request

On the Night of Mi’raaj, when Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامstopped at Sidrah al-Muntaha and said he could not proceed further, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمsaid: ‘هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ’, meaning ‘O Jibraeel! Do you have any need [for me to present in the court of Allah Almighty]?’ Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامreplied:

‘سَلِ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِيْ اَنْ اَبْسُطَ جَنَاحِيْ علَى الصِّرَاطِ لِاُمَّتِكَ حَتّٰى يَجُوْزُوْا عَلَيْهِ’, meaning, ‘Ask Allah Almighty to allow me to spread my wing over the Bridge of Siraat for your Ummah so that they can walk on it and cross the Bridge of Siraat.’^[9]

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan’s رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه poetry in praise of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمcomplies with Islam’s principles and is reflective of the Quran and Hadith. Referring to this narration, he wrote:

Ahl-e-Siraat Ruh-e-Ameen ko khabar karayn,

Jaati hay Ummat-e-Nabawi farsh par karayn^[10]

As a request to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he also wrote:

Pul se utaro rah guzar ko khabar na ho,

Jibreel par bicha`ayn to par ko khabar na ho^[11]

The request of Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام

When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمattained unique proximity to Allah Almighty, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was made to forget Sayyiduna Jibraeel’s عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام request due to the majesty and awe of Allah Almighty and the beauty of His speech. However, the Almighty showed His mercy and reminded him by saying: ‘وَاَيْنَ حَاجَةُ جِبْرِيْل’, meaning, ‘Where is Jibraeel’s request?’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمsaid: ‘اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّكَ اَعْلَمُ’, meaning, ‘O Allah! You know better.’ Allah Almighty replied: ‘O Muhammad! I have accepted the request of Jibraeel Ameen. However, this is only for the one who loves you and adopts your company.’^[12]

The fortune of the one who acts upon the Sunnah

The author of Seerah al-Halabiyyah Allamah Noor al-Din Ali Bin Ibrahim al-Shaafi’i al-Halabi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـهwrites: ‘I say that the statement of Allah Almighty ‘مَنْ صَحِبَکَ’, meaning, ‘The one who adopts your company’ likely refers to the one who follows his (the Prophet’s) religion and acts upon his Sunnah. The wish of Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَامto spread his wing over the Bridge of Siraat for the Prophet’s Ummah is in reference to the fortunate Muslims who act upon the Sunnah.’^[13]

The deprivation of the companion’s enemies

Fulfilling the wish of Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, Allah Almighty granted him permission to spread his wing over the Bridge of Siraat for the pious and righteous people from the Prophet’s Ummah. This honour will not be granted to the one who ruins his faith by disobeying Allah Almighty, such as an individual who has animosity and hatred towards any of the Prophet’s companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ.^[14]

May Allah Almighty grant us true love and respect for the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ. For the sake of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, may the Almighty grant us success in crossing the Bridge of Siraat on the Day of Judgement.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم