Allah and Elohim - Are they the Same Go? - Part 16

Holy Spirit - Angel Gabriel?

According to Muslims and some translations of Quran angel Gabriel is considered as Holy Spirit. Is it a confusion of Allah or of people who think Holy Spirit is angel? Bible tells us that Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The following is a portion of my conversation with one Muslim friend. MF is used for Muslim Friend and Me for me

MF: Below are just a few Quranic verses speaking of "RUH" [i.e. spirit and Gabriel]. I hope that the verses will speak for themselves in disproving your [unintentional] misrepresentation of the Quran to support your Jesus = God case. Should you fail to see the proof in such verses, then I shall know that your article was not posted due to "unintentional" misunderstanding, but rather due to pre-meditated and evil reasons.

Therein come down the angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] by Allah's permission, on every errand: [97:4]

The Day that the Spirit [al-ruh] and the angels will stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted by (Allah) Most Gracious, and he will say what is right. [78:38]

The angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years: [70:4]

Me: I read all the verses very very carefully which you have quoted here. But I did not find any verse which says that Ruh = Muhammed or Ruh = Angel Gabriel... And I am sure it is not there in whole Quran. Because the meaning of RUH is purely SPIRIT. Yes, I agree with you that angels are spiritual beings and that they are spirits but it does not mean that they are Spirit of God. We also have a spirit (Human Spirit) does it mean that we are angels? NO. OK, let us go through your verses one by one: -

MF: Therein come down the angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] by Allah's permission, on every errand: [97:4]

Me: It says "angels" and "the Spirit".. does not it differentiate between both angels and the spirit?

MF: The Day that the Spirit [al-ruh] and the angels will stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted by (Allah) Most Gracious, and he will say what is right. [78:38]

Me: It says the same thing!!

MF: The angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years: [70:4]

Me: It says the same thing and I think it is making it clear that angels and the spirit are different things.

MF: Thou wilt not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit [bi-ruh-in] from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that will achieve Felicity. [58:22]

Me: OK, now this verse says that, "and strengthened them with a spirit [bi-ruh-in] from Himself" Notice here, A spirit from Himself means "Spirit of God." So obviously it is not angel because it is Spirit of God.

MF: He doth send down His angels with inspiration [bil-ruh] of His Command, to such of His servants as He pleaseth, (saying) "Warn (Man) that there is no god but I: so do your duty unto Me." [16:2]

Me: This verse says about angels with INSPIRATION and again it does not say that angels are spirit of God or angel Gabriel or Muhammed.

MF: NOTICE THE "TO ANY OF HIS SERVANTS", NOT ONLY TO "JESUS" ABOVE.

Me: If Holy Spirit is coming upon every servant of God, does it mean that Holy Spirit is Angel Gabriel? I think not!

MF: With it came down the Spirit of Faith and Truth [al-ruh al-ameen], [26:193]

Say, the Holy Spirit [ruh al-qudus] has brought the revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims. [16:102]

Me: This verse simply talks about spirit of Truth i.e. Holy Spirit or Spirit of God. If you read all these verses you can notice that these verses are distinguishing the Spirit of God and angels..

MF: Then will Allah say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit [bi-ruh al-qudus], so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee when thou didst show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: This is nothing but evident magic.' [5:110]

Me: Now notice, here it says Holy Spirit and the word in brackets are the same that was for Spirit of God. And the same thing Bible says that Jesus was anointed by the mighty power of Holy Spirit and did mighty miracles. When Holy Spirit(Spirit of God) comes upon a person he/she does mighty miracles by the mighty power of God. And it is happening even today itself.

MF: You start by misleading the reader, as usual! Where in the world did I say [or any muslim for that matter] that ruh=Muhammad? Then you reiterate your false notion that there is no where in the quran where it says that ruh=gabriel! Let's see your misrepresentation and lack of understanding of the quran from your words:

Therein come down the angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] by Allah's permission, on every errand: [97:4]

Me: Can you please show me where it says Ruh= Gabriel? Gabriel is a "NAME" of an angel. Is it possible that a name can be spirit(ruh)? In every language there are two different words for "angel" and "spirit" like in

English "angel" and "spirit" and in

Urdu "Farishte" and "Ruh" and in

Hindi "Swargdoot" and "atma"

And I am sure there are different words in Arabic for Angel and Spirit. And yes, they are both different things. You can not say that spirit and angels are one thing. If Quran says this it means, Allah is confused in this matter.

MF: O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) A Messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding [ruh-un] from Him: so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One Allah: glory be to Him: (far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. [4:171]

Me: In this verse, Jesus was called "HIS WORD" and "SPIRIT FROM HIM" so these two sentence makes it clear that Jesus is the very God and there is no doubt in it. This is Christian Trinity all about

1. God Himself
2. His Word (Jesus)
3. His Spirit (Holy Spirit)

If God has a spirit and God has a word in Quran then God of Quran also is a triune God. Without your knowledge you are worshipping a 3 phase God but I do not think you are worshipping the God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob!

MF: We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers; We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit [bi-ruh al-qudus]. Is it that whenever there comes to you a Messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called imposters, and others ye slay! [2:87]

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our angel [ruhana], and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. [19:17]

And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Spirit [ruhina], and We made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. [21:91]

But He fashioned him [Adam] in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give! [32:9]

NOTICE HOW ADAM HAD A BREATH OF ALLAH'S SPIRIT, SO MUCH FOR THE UNIQUENESS OF JESUS AS MISREPRESENTED IN YOUR ARTICLE [FROM A QURANIC VIEW]!

Me: Sure Adam had, God breathed into his nostrils, His Spirit (Holy spirit) or breath of life it does not mean that God breathed an angel into his nostrils. I do not think that an angel went in side the body of Adam and made him alive.. NO, but God breathed His Spirit and made him alive. Angel and Holy Spirit are different things..

MF: No, it does not! Based on the following facts:

1. Angels are God's creatures entrusted to serve God, they carry out what they are ordered and have different ranks and responsibilites. Al-ruh (the spirit) is the archangel Gabriel, who is entrusted by God to deliver the revelations to God's prophets. Why would we have "angels" & "the spirit" if they meant the same?

Me: True, angels are God's creation but it does not mean that al-ruh (The Spirit) is the archangel Gabriel. The verse you have quoted does not say so. But it says "angels" and "the Spirit" means two different things. It does not say "angels" or "the Spirit"

MF: Read 2 below;

2. Who was the angel that visited Mary to give glad tidings of Jesus? It was Gabirel. Who visited Daniel in his vision? Gabriel. Who is gabriel? An angel of God. Why does the bible say angel of God at times, and says Gabriel at other instances? Isn't an angel just an angel?

Me: True, Angel visited Mary and Daniel and the angle's name was Gabriel. Nowhere in the Bible it says that angels and spirit are the same thing. Nowhere! Not only the Bible but Quran also differentiate both 'angel' and 'spirit' because they are two different things. But either you are confused with this matter or Allah gave this type of confusing message.

MF: you start by misleading the reader, as usual! Let's see your misrepresentation and lack of understanding of the quran from your words:

Therein come down the angels and the Spirit [al-ruh] by Allah's permission, on every errand: [97:4]

Me: Yes, Again you could not prove to me that Ruh = Gabriel. The verse you have quoted does not even mention the name of Gabriel. Again Gabriel is the name of an angel. It does not mean that angel Gabriel and Holy Spirit are one. Let me tell you that, there are different types of SPIRIT.

1. Human Spirit - we are made up of 3 parts i.e. soul, spirit and body.

One day we all will die it would be our physical death but spirit will live forever no matter whether in heaven or in hell.

2. Spirit of God - Holy Spirit, Bible describes about Holy Spirit that He is the Spirit of God and God is Holy, God is truth so do His spirit. Jesus said in John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

3. Angels are spirits too. But they are different as our Human Spirit is different from God and angels..

4. Demonic spirits or Evil spirit which torments people.

So we can see that Ruh-al-Qudus" Holy Spirit and angel Gabriel are totally different things. If we take the literal meaning of Ruh-al-Qudus then also we can see that it is no where showing any sign of angel Gabriel. Let us see what does these words mean?

Ruh = Spirit and Qudus = Holy

angel = angel and Gabriel = Gabriel (name)

So when you are comparing Holy Spirit and angel Gabriel then you are saying like this:

Tomato = Mango = Chair

And there is no way to prove that Tomato = Mango = Chair

So angel Gabriel cannot be Holy Spirit. If Allah spoke this means he is another god who does not really know what Holy Spirit is and who is the Spirit of God. If Allah is the same God then he should have known it.

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Allah or Elohim - Are they same God? Part -1 to 22

3 God or 1 God?