How sound and accurate is the explanation of the Hadith narrated by Ibn Abd al-Barr in "Al-Tamheed lima fi al-Muwatta' min al-Ma'ani wal-Asaneed," which states: "Among the prophets, there were those who heard a voice and thus became a prophet, and among them were those who saw in a dream and thereby became a prophet, and among them were those in whose ear and heart a whisper was blown and thereby became a prophet, and indeed Gabriel comes to me and speaks to me, just as one of you speaks to his companion"?

No one has subjected this tradition to detailed criticism. In its chain of narration is Khalid ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Khurasani, whom Ibn Ma'in authenticated, but some of his narrations contain oddities which might be from those who narrated from him. As for the meaning of the hadith, it indicates the different ways prophets received revelation. Some heard it as a voice, some saw it as a vision, and some were spoken to directly by the angel. Ibn Abd al-Barr used this hadith as evidence for the superiority of prophethood and prophets. The forms of revelation are many, some come as the ringing of a bell, or are inspired into the heart, or by seeing Jibril in his original form or in the form of a human, or by revelation coming like the break of dawn. Scholars have agreed that the Quran was not revealed through inspiration or dreams, but rather the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, received it through the angel Jibril.