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.
tabarani:10547Muḥammad b. Hishām al-Mustamlī And Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥaḍramī > Bishr b. al-Walīd al-Kindī > Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥah > al-Walīd b. Qays > Isḥāq b. Abū al-Kahtalah > Muḥammad Aẓunnuh > ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd

[Machine] Narrated by the Prophet ﷺ , that he only saw Gabriel in his true form twice. As for the first time, Gabriel asked to show him his own form, so he showed him, and he came to him, covering the horizon. As for the second time, Gabriel was with him when he ascended during the incident of "And then he drew near and came closer until he was as close as two bow lengths or even closer. Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed." So, when Gabriel finished, he returned to his true form, as mentioned in the verse "And certainly, he saw him a second time, near the Lote Tree." The Lote Tree is the furthest point reached by Gabriel; it is in Paradise, close to the Paradise of Abode, as mentioned in the verse "Indeed, he saw him in another descent, by the Lote Tree, beyond which none may pass; near it is the Garden of Refuge." Regarding the statement "He has certainly seen of the greatest signs of his Lord," it means the creation of Gabriel.  

الطبراني:١٠٥٤٧حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ الْمُسْتَمْلِي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ قَالَا ثنا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ الْكِنْدِيُّ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ أَبِي الْكَهْتَلَةِ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَظُنُّهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَرَ جِبْرِيلَ فِي صُورَتِهِ إِلَّا مَرَّتَيْنِ قَالَ أَمَّا مَرَّةٌ فَإِنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يُرِيَهُ نَفْسَهُ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَأَرَاهُ فَأَتَاهُ يَسُدُّ الْأُفُقَ وَأَمَّا الثَّانِيَةُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَهُ إِذْ صَعِدَ فِي قَوْلِهِ {ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى} فَلَمَّا أَنْ حَسَّ جِبْرِيلُ رَبَّهُ ﷻ عَادَ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ {وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ} الْمُنْتَهَى عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى} قَالَ «خَلْقِ جِبْرِيلَ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Aḥmad
ahmad:3864Abū al-Naḍr > Muḥammad b. Ṭalḥah > al-Walīd b. Qays > Isḥāq b. Abū al-Kahtalah > Muḥammad Aẓunnuh > Ibn Masʿūd

[Machine] He said that Muhammad had only seen Gabriel in his true form twice. The first time, he asked Gabriel to show him his true form and Muhammad saw his form, which caused the horizon to distort. The second time, Gabriel ascended with him and his words were "And he was on the highest horizon. Then he approached and descended, and was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer. And he revealed to His servant what He revealed" [Surah An-Najm: 10-12]. He said that when Gabriel felt that his Lord was present, he returned in his true form and prostrated. His words were "And he certainly saw him in another descent at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary - near it is the Garden of Refuge - when there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it]. The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit]. He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord" [Surah An-Najm: 13-18]. He said that Gabriel was created by Allah, peace be upon him.  

أحمد:٣٨٦٤حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النَّضْرِ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ أَبِي الْكَهْتَلَةِ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَظُنُّهُ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا لَمْ يَرَ جِبْرِيلَ فِي صُورَتِهِ إِلَّا مَرَّتَيْنِ أَمَّا مَرَّةٌ فَإِنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ أَنْ يُرِيَهُ نَفْسَهُ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَأَرَاهُ صُورَتَهُ فَسَدَّ الْأُفُقَ وَأَمَّا الْأُخْرَى فَإِنَّهُ صَعِدَ مَعَهُ حِينَ صَعِدَ بِهِ وَقَوْلُهُ {وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى} [النجم 710] قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ جِبْرِيلُ رَبَّهُ عَادَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَسَجَدَ فَقَوْلُهُ {وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى} [النجم 1318] قَالَ خَلْقَ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ