Gabriel

The angel who brings God’s revelation to the prophets; Muslims believe he brought the Quran to Muhammad.

What it means

The Quran names Gabriel as the one who brought the Quran down “upon your heart” (2:97) and as “the Trustworthy Spirit” (26:193). Commentators identify him with the “Holy Spirit” (rūḥ al-qudus) who strengthened Jesus (2:87, 16:102). The Prophet saw him in his angelic form twice (53:5–18, 81:23). In the hadith of Gabriel he came in the form of a man to ask the Prophet about Islam, faith and excellence.

What the sources say

Gabriel’s role in the Bible is the same: he announces to Zechariah the birth of John and to Mary the birth of Jesus (Luke 1). Khadija’s test of him, by asking the Prophet to tell her when he came and then uncovering herself, is related in Ibn Ishaq as a sign that the visitor was an angel.

Term and Arabic as listed in Ismail al Faruqi, Toward Islamic English (International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1995), p. 27, listed as JIBRĪL. The definition is restated here.