The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 123
122 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI UL-WASĀWIS From this statement, every intelligent person can understand that those AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE The fact is well established and none of the Ummah's eminent scholars deny it that the period of revelation is verily the period of reve- lation, but even before that period, the angels of reve- lation were closely accom- panying the Holy Prophet sas at every moment and every time. Accordingly, Gabriel was a friend and compan- ion for every moment up to twenty-nine years preceding the revelation of the Quran. Moreover, this scenario is completely contrary to rea- son that when the revela- tion of the Quran was not occurring, the angel Gabriel was present and remained a companion every moment and every minute during that period, but when the time for the revelation of the Quran came-additionally putting forth the need for a perpetual companion—then Gabriel abandons his earlier practice, ascends to the heav- ens, and leaves him all alone, sometimes disappearing for several months at a time. AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE Shaikh Abdul-Haqq, the Muḥaddith of Delhi, has writ- ten in Madārijun-Nubuwwat that Jibra'il did not descend physically with revelation; [rather] he remains in his abode in the heavens and his reflection appears with the prophetic revelation. earlier virtuous people—who have written that Hadrat Jibra'il, for instance, was a con- stant companion of the Holy Prophet, may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him, for 29 years leading up to the prophetic call- could never have held the belief that Jibra'il also used to ascend to heaven sometimes; for, leaving and departing at any time is contrary to the idea of constant proximity and unin- terrupted companionship. But when we examine the second belief of these gentlemen that heaven is the permanent abode of Jibra'il, peace be on him, and he brings every waḥy from heaven itself, the contradiction that arises from combining these two beliefs can only be resolved by holding the belief that Hadrat Jibra'il's, peace be upon him, descent from the heavens is not to be understood lit- erally, but symbolically. When the descent is understood symbolically, there is no issue with Jibra'il, peace be upon him, being with the Prophets, peace be them, at all times in every moment, and at every blink of an eye, in his symbolic form, because in his true form he remains in the heavens. upon Shaikh Abdul-Haqq, the Muḥaddith of Delhi, has confirmed and approved the same view in his book Madārijun- Nubuwwat. On page 45 of his book, he states that some discerning individuals have regarded Jibra'il's descent, which sometimes took place in the shape of