Gabriel and Michael.”(267) Is it possible that if such a hero of Islam says he saw them, he had not seen them?

Also, Abu Sufyan b. Harith b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s cousin, relates in an authentic narration: “At the Battle of Badr, we saw horsemen dressed in white between the sky and the earth.”(268)

Also, Hamza pleaded with the Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) to see Gabriel. So he showed him to Hamza in the Ka‘ba, but he could not endure it and fell to the ground unconscious.(269)

There were numerous occurrences like these of angels being seen. They all demonstrated one sort of the Miracles of Muhammad (PBUH), and show that the angels too were like moths drawn to the lamp of his prophethood.

When it comes to jinns, it was not only the Com-panions, it frequently occurs that ordinary members of the Muslim community meet with them and see them. But the most certain and authentic reports are given us by the leading scholars of Hadith, who say: Ibn Mas‘ud related: “I saw the jinn on the night they accepted Islam at Batn al-Nakhl. I likened them to the Zut,

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(267) Bukhari, Maghazi 18; Libas 24; Muslim, Fada’il 46-7 no: 2306; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa: i, 361.
(268) Musnad i, 147, 353; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa: i, 362; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa: iii, 281; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa: i, 735.
(269) Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa: i, 362; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa: iii, 282; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa: i, 736.