Ruh al-Qudus
Definition
Ruh al-Qudus — the Holy Spirit — is the Quranic title for the angel Jibril (Gabriel), who was sent to Maryam in the form of a perfect human being to announce the birth of Isa and to breathe the divine command into her. Ibn Kathir is careful to establish the Islamic understanding: the Holy Spirit is not a third divine person in a trinity but the angel who serves as Allah's primary instrument of revelation and miraculous intervention. When Jibril appeared to Maryam, she said 'I seek refuge with the Most Merciful from you, if you are God-fearing' — indicating that she perceived a human form and was afraid. His announcement — 'I am only the messenger of your Lord, to give you a pure boy' — transformed her fear into the most extraordinary moment in a woman's life.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Kathir and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Ruh al-Qudus.
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"Son of Mary, remember my favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit, meaning when I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, meaning Gabriel. You spoke to people in the cradle and in maturity, and I taught you the book and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And when you created from clay the likeness of a bird, and the entire verse, and when I made the poor your companions and helpers, you were pleased with them, and they were pleased with you as a guide and leader to paradise. Know that there are two great traits, that whoever meets me with them has met me with the purest and most"
— Ibn Kathir, The Story of Isa
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"Thabit in the mosque where he would stand and defend or boast about the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet peace be upon him said, Indeed Allah supports Hassan with the Holy Spirit as long as he defends or boasts about the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him. Chapter what has been narrated about the words of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him regarding evening conversations. Aisha narrated that one night the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him shared a story with his wives. One of the women said it seems that this story is like the story of Kurafa. He asked do you know what Kurafa is? Kurafa was a man from the tribe of Adra who was"
— Imam al-Tirmidhi, Al-Shamā'il al-Muhammadiyya — The Sublime Beauty of the Prophet ﷺ
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"the Most High, who is the Most Truthful, said, When Allah said, O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit. You spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity, and when I taught you the book and wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel, and when you created from clay what was like the form of a bird by My permission, and you breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leper by My permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My permission, and when I restrained the children of Israel from you when you came to them with"
— Ibn Kathir, The Story of Isa
Appears in
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