FORMS OF REVELATION TO THE PROPHET ﷺ

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (May ALLĀH have mercy on him) mentioned: "ALLĀH granted Prophethood to the Prophet ﷺ in several stages.

1  The Prophet ﷺ used to see a dream and it would come true, as bright and truthful as the daybreak.

2 The angel Jibril (peace be upon him) used to inspire the Prophet's heart, without the Prophet ﷺ seeing him.

3 The angel used to come to ALLĀH'S Apostle ﷺ in the shape of a man and would speak to him, until the Prophet ﷺ would comprehend what he wanted to convey to him.

4 The angel would come upon the Prophet ﷺ as the ringing of a bell. This was the hardest form of revelation.

5 The Prophet ﷺ saw the angel in the original shape ALLĀH created him in, and the angel then inspired the Prophet ﷺ with what ALLĀH decided to inspire him with.

6 ALLĀH ﷺ revealed to the Prophet what HE willed, while the Prophet ﷺ was above heavens during the night of Israa and [Mi'raj], such as ordaining prayer on him.

7 ALLĀH spoke to the Prophet ﷺ without sending the revelation through an angel.

Some scholars added an eighth form of revelation. They said that ALLĀH spoke directly to the Prophet ﷺ without a barrier, meaning by removing all of HIS Veils, between them. This is the opinion of those who said that the Prophet ﷺ saw ALLĀH [during Lailatul-Israa wa-l-Mi'raj]. However, there is a difference of opinion between the Salaf and the Khalaf on this matter. Most of the companions, rather, all of them agree with Aishah [that the Prophet ﷺ did not see his Lord during the night of Israa]

{Summarized from Zad-ul Ma'ad, 1/113-118}

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