are detailed below.

Angels as intermediaries in bringing revelation

The most important and, at the same time, the most prominent function of the angel, in the spiritual realm, is the bringing down of Divine revelation or the communication of Divine messages to the prophets. The prophet not only sees the angel but also hears his voice, and the angel is to him, therefore, a reality. This has been the universal experience of humanity in all ages. As the angel is an immaterial being, the prophet sees him sometimes in the shape of a human being and sometimes in other forms. Thus the angel Gabriel often appeared to the Holy Prophet in the shape of a man, but sometimes he saw him “in his shape” (fi ṣūrati-hī) ‘filling the whole horizon” (Bu. 59:7). It is not stated what that shape was, and probably it could not be described; only the spiritual eye could recognize it. Once, also, he saw his six hundred wings (ajniḥah) (Bu. 59:7) which no doubt stand for his immense power. On another occasion he saw him in a cloud (Bu. 59:6), the cloud itself being probably a part of the vision.

According to the Holy Qur’ān, the angel who brought revelation to the Holy Prophet is known by the name of Gabriel (2:98). The Arabic form is Jibrīl which according to ‘Ikrimah7 is composed of jibr meaning servant (‘abd) and ’īl meaning God (2:97, Bu. 65). Gabriel is also mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān as Ruḥ al-Amīn or the Faithful Spirit (26:193, 194), and Rūḥ al-Qudus or the Holy Spirit (16:102). In all these places, Gabriel or the Faithful Spirit or the Holy Spirit is said to have revealed the Holy Qur’ān to the Holy Prophet. The revelation to the prophets that appeared before him is said to have been granted in a similar manner (4:163). In Ḥadīth, Gabriel is spoken of as the great angel who is entrusted with secret messages (al-Nāmūs al-akbar), and the same Nāmūs is said to have appeared to Moses (Bu. 1:1). Gabriel is also called the messenger (rasūl) through whom God speaks to His prophets (42:51).

While Gabriel is thus spoken of as bringing revelation to the prophets, angels generally are said to bring revelation to other righteous servants of God: “He sends down the angels with revelation