Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
muslim:177dIbn Numayr > Abū Usāmah > Zakariyyāʾ > Ibn Ashwaʿ > ʿĀmir > Masrūq

I said to 'A'isha: What about the words of Allah:" Then he drew nigh and came down, so he was at a distance of two bows or closer still: so He revealed to His servant what He revealed" (al-Qur'an, liii. 8-10)? She said: It implies Gabriel. He used to come to him (the Holy Prophet) in the shape of men; but he came at this time in his true form and blocked up the horizon of the sky.  

مسلم:١٧٧dوَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَشْوَعَ عَنْ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ قَالَ

قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ فَأَيْنَ قَوْلُهُ { ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى * فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى * فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى} قَالَتْ إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ جِبْرِيلُ ﷺ كَانَ يَأْتِيهِ فِي صُورَةِ الرِّجَالِ وَإِنَّهُ أَتَاهُ فِي هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةِ فِي صُورَتِهِ الَّتِي هِيَ صُورَتُهُ فَسَدَّ أُفُقَ السَّمَاءِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī
bukhari:3235Muḥammad b. Yūsuf > Abū Usāmah > Zakariyyāʾ b. Abū Zāʾidah > Ibn al-Ashwaʿ > al-Shaʿbī > Masrūq

I asked Aisha "What about His Statement:-- "Then he (Gabriel) approached And came closer, And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer?" (53.8-9) She replied, "It was Gabriel who used to come to the Prophet ﷺ in the figure of a man, but on that occasion, he came in his actual and real figure and (he was so huge) that he covered the whole horizon."  

البخاري:٣٢٣٥حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ الأَشْوَعِ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ قَالَ

قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ ؓ فَأَيْنَ قَوْلُهُ {ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى * فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى} قَالَتْ ذَاكَ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ يَأْتِيهِ فِي صُورَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَإِنَّهُ أَتَاهُ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ فِي صُورَتِهِ الَّتِي هِيَ صُورَتُهُ فَسَدَّ الأُفُقَ