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Fatwa CenterProphet Saw Jibreel in the Real Form in which Allah Created Him Twice But Not the Companions
Question
Is it true that sahaabah saw the angel Jibreel in his real form? Who exactly saw him apart from the Prophet (phub) and when?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is established by Sharee‘ah evidence that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw Archangel Jibreel (Gabriel) 
in the form in which Allah, The Exalted, created him twice. As-Suyooti 
counted it as one of the unique characteristics with which Allah, The Exalted, distinguished His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He said in Al-Khasaa’is Al-Kubra: “…and seeing Jibreel in the true form in which Allah, The Exalted, created him, as Al-Bayhaqi stated.” [End of quote]
Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer: “We do not know of any Companion who saw Jibreel in his true form in which Allah, The Exalted, created him. He often came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the likeness of the honorable Companion Dihyah ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi. Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar said in Fat-h Al-Baari: ‘Dihyah is the well-known Companion Dihyah ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi, who was a handsome man. Jibreel often came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in his likeness.’” [End of quote]
As for what was narrated, that Ibn ‘Abbaas 
saw Jibreel, it may mean that he saw him in a human form. In his book Sharh Al-Arba‘een An-Nawawiyyah, Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin Al-‘Abbaad said:
"Question: Ibn Daqeeq Al-‘Eed said: ‘It was authentically reported that he (Ibn ‘Abbaas) saw Jibreel twice, is this true?’
Answer: ‘I do not know of the authenticity of this narration, but if it means that he saw Jibreel in human form, then it was reported that he (Jibreel) came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the form of an unknown man, as stated in the famous Hadeeth about him: ‘…a man with very dark hair, dressed in very white clothes, came in. There were no signs of the fatigue of travel on him, and he was not known to any of us.’ Moreover, he also appeared in the likeness of the Companion Dihyah ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi. So if what is meant is that he saw Jibreel in that form, then the Companions did see him in that form. However, if what is meant is that he saw him in his true form in which Allah, The Exalted, created him – with six hundred wings filling the horizon – then I do not know. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw Jibreel in his true form in which Allah, The Exalted, created him twice, once on earth when he filled the horizon, and once on the night of Al-Mi‘raaj (Ascension) when he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha (i.e. lote-tree of the utmost boundary, beyond which none can pass). As for Ibn ‘Abbaas, perhaps the intended meaning is that he saw Jibreel twice when he appeared in a human form.’” [End of quote]
Allah Knows best.
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