Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3235 ⓘ

Narrated Masruq: I asked Aisha "What about His Statement:-- "Then he (Gabriel) approached And came closer, And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer?" (53.8-9) She replied, "It was Gabriel who used to come to the Prophet in the figure of a man, but on that occasion, he came in his actual and real figure and (he was so huge) that he covered the whole horizon."

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ الأَشْوَعِ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَأَيْنَ قَوْلُهُ ‏{‏ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى * فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى‏}‏ قَالَتْ ذَاكَ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ يَأْتِيهِ فِي صُورَةِ الرَّجُلِ، وَإِنَّهُ أَتَاهُ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ فِي صُورَتِهِ الَّتِي هِيَ صُورَتُهُ، فَسَدَّ الأُفُقَ‏.‏