2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا
لِّجِبْرِيلَ
فَإِنَّهُ
نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى
قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ
اللّهِ...
2: 97. Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will,
C101. A party of the Jews in the time of Muhammad ridiculed the Muslim believe that Gabriel brought down revelations to Muhammad Mustafa.
Michael was called in their books "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people": (Daniel 12:1). The vision of Gabriel inspired fear (Daniel, 8:16-17).
But this pretence - that Michael was their friend and Gabriel their enemy - was merely a manifestation of their unbelief in angels, apostles, and Allah Himself; and such unbelief could not win the love of Allah.
In any case it was disingenuous to say that they believed in one angel and not in another.
Muhammad's inspiration was through visions of Gabriel. Muhammad had been helped to the highest spiritual light, and the message which he delivered and his spotless integrity and exemplary life were manifest Signs which every one could understand except those who were obstinate and perverse. Besides, the verses of the Quran were in themselves reasonable and clear.
... مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٩٧﴾
a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe.
مَن
كَانَ عَدُوًّا
لِّلّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ
وَرُسُلِهِ
وَجِبْرِيلَ
وَمِيكَالَ
...
2: 98. Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and apostles, to Gabriel and Michael,
... فَإِنَّ اللّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٩٨﴾
Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject faith.
2: 97
Asad Say [ O Prophet]: “Whatever is an enemy of Gabriel” – wo, verily, by God’s leave, has brought down upon they heart this [divine writ] which confirms the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations], and is a guidance and a glad tiding for the believers -:
Pickthall Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel! For he it is who hath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers;
Transliteration Qul man ka_na 'aduwwal li jibrila fa innahu_ nazzalahu_ 'ala_ qalbika bi iznilla_hi musaddiqal lima_ baina yadaihi wa hudaw wa busyra_ lil mu'minin(a).
2: 98
Pickthall Who is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael! Then, lo! Allah (Himself) is an enemy to the disbelievers.
Transliteration Man ka_na 'aduwwal lilla_hi wa mala_'ikatihi wa rusulihi wa jibrila wa mika_la fa innalla_ha 'aduwwul lil ka_firin(a).
[ Ali’s note 101: 101 A party of the Jews in the time of Muhammad ridiculed the Muslim belief that Gabriel brought down revelations to Muhammad Mustafa. Michael was called in their books "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people": (Daniel xiii. 1). The vision of Gabriel inspired fear (Daniel, viii. 16-17). But this pretence - that Michael was their friend and Gabriel their enemy - was merely a manifestation of their unbelief in angels, apostles, and God Himself; and such unbelief could not win the love of God. In any case it was disingenuous to say that they believed in one angel and not in another. Muhammad's inspiration was through visions of Gabriel. Muhammad had been helped to the highest spiritual light, and the message which he delivered and his spotless integrity and exemplary life were manifest Signs which every one could understand except those who were obstinate and perverse. Besides, the verses of the Qur-an were in themselves reasonable and clear. (2.97)]
[ Asad’s note 80: According to several authentic traditions, some of the learned men from among the Jews of Medina described Gabriel as “the enemy of the Jews”, and this for three reasons: firstly, all the prophecies of the misfortune which was befall the Jews in the course of their early history were said to have been transmitted to them by Gabriel, who thus became in their eyes a “harbinger of evil” (in contrast ot the angel Michael, whom they regarded as a bearer of happy predictions and therefore, as their “friend”); secondly, because the Quran states repeatedly that it was Gabriel who conveyed its message to Muhammad, whereas the Jews were of the opinion that only a descendant of Israel could legitimately clazim divine revelation; and, thirdly, because the Quran – revealed through Gabriel – abounds in criticism of certain Jewish beliefs and attitudes and describes then as apposed to the genuine message of Moses,……..]