Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 167
sahih

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

There appeared before me the apostles, and Moses was among men as if he was one of the people of Shanu'a, and I saw Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) and I saw nearest in resemblance with him was 'Urwa b. Mas'ud, and I saw Ibrahim (blessings of Allah be upon him) and I see your companions much in resemblance with him, i. e. his personality, and I saw Gabriel (peace be upon him) and I saw Dihya nearest in resemblance to him; but in the narration of Ibn Rumh it is Dihya b. Khalifa.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ عُرِضَ عَلَىَّ الأَنْبِيَاءُ فَإِذَا مُوسَى ضَرْبٌ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَأَنَّهُ مِنْ رِجَالِ شَنُوءَةَ وَرَأَيْتُ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ - فَإِذَا أَقْرَبُ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ بِهِ شَبَهًا عُرْوَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ وَرَأَيْتُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا أَقْرَبُ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ بِهِ شَبَهًا صَاحِبُكُمْ - يَعْنِي نَفْسَهُ - وَرَأَيْتُ جِبْرِيلَ - عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ - فَإِذَا أَقْرَبُ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ بِهِ شَبَهًا دِحْيَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ رُمْحٍ ‏"‏ دِحْيَةُ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 1, Hadith 328
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 1, Hadith 321 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) describes and likens some prophets to individual Muslims. He saw some prophets presented to him, either in real life, as souls, during a dream, or during the Journey of ascension as the other narration in the two Sahihs clarified. He showed that Prophet Moses (ﷺ) was thin and tall like the people of Uzd Shanou'a, a Yamani tribe. He likened Prophet Jesus (ﷺ) with the companion Urwa ibn Mas'oud Ath-Thaqafy. He was one of the Meccan leaders who contributed to make the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the narration of Bukhari, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “As for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested.” The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Prophet Ibrahim (ﷺ) who was the closest one in resemblance to him. He also saw Gabriel, the angel, who was entrusted with conveying revelation to prophets. The closest one in resemblance to him was the companion Dehya ibn Khalifa Al-Kalby. He was one of the most handsome people who was responsible for meeting kings. Gabriel, the Angel, used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Dehya's appearance. The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel, the Angel, in his real form as Abdullah ibn Mas'oud narrated in the two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel with six hundred wings..
Related hadiths2
Compare isnād across 2 related chains →