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Intro
At the heart of Islamic teaching there is an extraordinary episode, a story that encompasses the entire essence of religion, spirituality and the path of man towards GOD. It is known as the Hadith of Gabriel, a moment in which the archangel himself — the one who, in the Hebrew, Christian and Islamic scriptures, brings the Word of the Creator — manifests himself in human form to question the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This event is not only a teaching addressed to Muslims, but a point of contact between the Abrahamic faiths, a “ray of light” that crosses the Scriptures, to illuminate the spiritual unity between believers in the One God.
Full Text
عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا قَالَ
بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، إذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، َدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ لاَ يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَى النَّبِيِّ فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ وَقَالَ : يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الإِسْلاَمِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ : ((الإِسْلاَمُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً)) قَالَ صَدَقْتَ فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الإِيمَانِ. قَالَ : ((أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاَللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ)) قَالَ صَدَقْتَ. قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَن الإِحْسَانِ. قَالَ : ((أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ)) قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ السَّاعَةِ. قَالَ : ((مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنْ السَّائِلِ)) قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا. قَالَ :((أَنْ تَلِدَ الأََمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ)). ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ : ((يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَن السَّائِلُ؟)) قُلَْتْ : اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ : ((فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ)) رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
“One day, as we were sitting with the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), a man appeared to us, dressed in white garments and with very black hair; he did not appear to be a traveler, but none of us recognized him. He sat down in front of the prophet (peace be upon him), put his knees against his and resting his palms on his thighs he said: O Muhammad, tell me what Islam is. The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Islam is to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; to perform the ritual prayer, to pay the zakat, to fast in the month of Ramadan and to make the pilgrimage to the House, if you have the possibility. You speak the truth! said the man. We were surprised that it was he who questioned the prophet and that he approved of it. He then asked him: tell me what Iman is. He replied: It is that you believe in Allah, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers and in the Last Day, and that you believe in the divine decree, both in good and in evil. You speak the truth! replied the man who then asked: “Tell me what the Ihsan (good deeds) are”. He replied: “They are that you worship Allah as if you could see him, because even if you cannot see him, he can certainly see you”. The man said: “Tell me what the Hour is”. He replied: “The one who is questioned knows no more than the one who asks the question”. The man said: “Then tell me about the warning signs”. He replied: “When the slave girl gives birth to her mistress, and when you see miserable shepherds, barefoot and naked, competing with each other in constructing the highest of buildings”. After that the man disappeared and I remained absorbed in thought. Then the prophet (peace be upon him) asked me: “Omar, do you know who questioned me?” I replied: “Allah and his messenger know best. It was Gabriel,” he said, “who came to teach you your religion.”
The HADIth: When the Archangel Gabriel Teaches
The ḥadīth opens with a surprising apparition. A man dressed in white, with black hair, showing no signs of travel, sits down in front of the Prophet and questions him respectfully and firmly. He asks three questions, each revealing a level of faith:
- What is Islām? The Prophet replies by mentioning the five pillars: the testimony of faith (shahāda), prayer (ṣalāt), almsgiving (zakāt), fasting during the month of Ramaḍān, and the pilgrimage to Mecca (ḥajj). ➤ Similarities can be found in Judaism (prayer, almsgiving, fasting) and in Christianity, where pilgrimage is an act of devotion and the profession of faith is a central foundation.
- What is Imān (faith)? The answer revolves around the six articles of faith: belief in GOD, in His angels, in His Books, in His messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and in the divine Decree (qadar). ➤ It is impressive how these concepts are shared in the Hebrew Scriptures (for example, Daniel 12), and in the letter to the Hebrews 11:1-3 of the New Testament, which defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.
- What is Ihsaan? “It is worshiping GOD as if you could see Him; because even if you cannot see Him, He certainly sees you.” ➤ Here the psalmist echoes: “You scrutinize me and know me… before I even open my mouth, Lord, you already know everything.” (Psalm 139). And also the Gospel invitation to “pray in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).
Gabriele: Messenger between the Worlds
Gabriel (Jibrīl in Arabic, Gavri’el in Hebrew) is a figure who appears in all Abrahamic sacred texts. He is the angel who:
- announces the birth of Jesus to Mary (Miryam);
- instructs the prophet Daniel;
- delivers the Revelation to Muḥammad.
He is not only a spokesman, but also an instructor — in this ḥadīth, he is even a divine pedagogue. His method of asking questions in order to teach is extraordinary, a pedagogical approach that we also find in the Gospels when Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27).
CONCLUSIONS
Gabriel’s ḥadīth can be interpreted as an extraordinary map of the human spiritual journey, a route that guides the believer through three essential levels: Islam, Iman and Ihsan, corresponding respectively to the body, the mind and the heart. Islam represents bodily obedience and visible action: adherence to the precepts, to divine law, similar to the halakhah of Judaism or the Christian observance of the commandments. Imān, on the other hand, involves the inner dimension of faith: it is believing, understanding, trusting in revealed truth – an intellectual and emotional process, rooted in theology and reflection. Finally, Iḥsān embodies the spiritual peak: love for GOD, contemplation, purity of heart. It is religion lived with intensity and authenticity, in a deep relationship where the Creator is loved not out of fear or obligation, but through intimate communion. These three levels do not contradict or exclude each other, but nourish each other: they are like three wings that lift the soul towards its eternal destiny.
It is in this context that the ḥadīth reveals its universal significance. The archangel Gabriel does not come to impose a doctrine, but to question, to make people think. The Prophet himself says to his companions: “That was Gabriel, come to teach you your religion.” This pedagogical style — questioning to teach — is a sign of a divine knowledge that respects the freedom and dignity of the human being. At a time when religions risk becoming a cause of division rather than unity, this episode reminds us of the invitation to mutual knowledge and spiritual communion: “We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other” (Koran 49:13). A message that also resonates in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9), and in the Beatitudes of Jesus: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD” (Matthew 5:8).
In a world where religion and ideology, dogma and spirituality are often confused, Gabriel’s ḥadīth emerges as an inner compass for believers and sincere seekers. It is not a sectarian text, but a luminous gem in the shared treasure of Abrahamic faiths. Reflecting on these words, meditating on them and spreading them is not only an act of personal devotion, but also a real contribution to the construction of the First World Peace — the one that will begin in the heart of every human being who, abandoning their ego, will return to walking according to the will of the One GOD.