جبريل في الأحاديث – بين الخيال والتصوّر الشعبي

 

مع مرور الوقت، قدّمت كتب الحديث والتفسير صورة أوسع لجبريل عليه السلام، وأضافت إليها الكثير من التفاصيل عن شكله وتصرفاته ومشاعره، وهي تفاصيل لا نجدها في القرآن الكريم.

 

وفيما يلي بعض الأمثلة التي أثّرت في تكوين الصورة المنتشرة عن جبريل  :

 

 

 

This last narration is particularly revealing: Jibril is depicted physically preventing Fir'auns repentance by filling his mouth with mud, a dramatic image nowhere found in the Quran.

In the Qur’an’s own account (10:90–92), God alone addresses Fir'aun in judgment, with no mention of any intermediary or “mud-stuffing.”

 

Furthermore these hadith portray Jibril almost like a companion, chatty, instructive, in combat...  - which sharply contrasts with the Quran’s reverent tone and mystery around this being.

 

 

What does the Quran actually say about Jibril?

 

Jibril is mentioned by name only three times in the Quran; in 2:97, 2:98, and 66:4. These verses, when read carefully, give us his role and also, intriguingly, what he is not.

 

 

قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Quran 2:97

 

مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِلَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ

Quran 2:98

 

إِنْ تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ

Quran 66:4

 

 

Notice something subtle but significant:

Jibril and Mikal are never directly called “Malaika/Angels” in the Quran. In fact, in verses 2:98 and 66:4, they are clearly listed separately from the  Malaika.

 

If the Quran intended to classify Jibril as a Malak, why make this distinction twice?

 

Jibril and the Holy Spirit - Are they the same?

 

In 2:97, Gabriel is said to have brought down (nazzala) the Quran by God’s permission.

قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Quran 2:97

 

But elsewhere, the Quran says:

 

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

Quran 16:102

 

The same verb, nazzala (“brought down”), is used for both Jibril and the Holy Spirit, strongly suggesting they refer to the same agent of revelation. Thus, in Quranic language, Jibril = the Holy Spirit (Ruh al-Qudus), not necessarily an “angel” in the classical sense.

 

 

The Spirit (Ruh) / Separate from Malaika

 

The Quran consistently distinguishes “the Spirit/ Ruh” from “the Malaika”:

 

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا

Quran 78:38

 

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

Quran 70:4

 

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

Quran 97:4

 

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَىٰ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ أَنْ أَنْذِرُوا أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاتَّقُونِ

Quran 16:2

 

 

Each time, the Spirit is mentioned as a separate category, not as part of the Malaika. This distinction cannot be accidental. The Quran uses precise language and where the Spirit is meant, it says Ruh, not Malak.