Cultural influences also might explain why the Arch Angel Gabriel was historically seen as female, yet is now seen as sexless or male. Gabri-el is the ruler of the Cherubim. Gabri-el is unique amongst an otherwise male or androgynous host, for it is certain that this great Archangel is female. She is the only angel mentioned in the Old Testament by name, except for Michael, and is said to sit on the left hand side of God which is further evidence of her being female.



[Gabriel's] attributes are a lily and a scroll inscribed with "Ave Maria Gratia Plena." She is sometimes shown with a scepter or an olive branch as a symbol of peace on earth.

In Judeo-Christian lore she is the Angel of the Annunciation, Resurrection, Mercy, Revelation and Death. As ruler of the first heaven, she is closest to Man. According to the testimony of Joan of Arc it was Gabri-el who persuaded the Maid of Orleans to help the Dauphin. Gabriel appears to Daniel in order to explain the prophet's, awesome vision of the fight between the rain and the he-goat (the oracle of the Persians being overthrown by the Greeks). She appears again to Daniel to tell him of the coming of a messiah, a message which half a millennium later she repeats to Mary in the Annunciation.

So then God's angel is also female, and is it curious that she should appear at conceptions. Before Mary she had just announced to Zacharias the coining of John the Baptist.

To Mohammedans, Jibril/ Gabriel is considered the angel of Truth.

Although devout Moslems will hardly agree to her female sex, sufi Ruzbehan Bagli spoke of a vision in which he says, "In the first rank I saw Gabriel, like a maiden, or like the moon among the stars. His hair was like a woman's, falling in long tresses... the most beautiful of angels.

Sophias presence is also found in Islam. Fatimah is a prominent female in the Islamic tradition. Muhammad revered Fatimah as if she were a divine being, saying "Allah, The Most High; is pleased when Fatimah is pleased. He is angered; whenever Fatimah is angered!" Whenever Fatimah would go to the house of Muhammad, he would stand up out of respect for her and honour her by giving her a special place to seat herself in his house. He regarded her as a sort of primordial woman, a symbol of divine womanhood giving her many holy names, such as: Siddiqah; The Honest, The Righteous; Al-Batool, Pure Virgin; Al-Mubarakah, The Blessed One; .Al-Tahirah, The Virtuous, The Pure, Al-Zakiyah ;The Chaste, The Unblemished ;Al-Radhiatul Mardhiah, She who is gratified and who shall be satisfied; Al-Muhaddathah, A person other than a Prophet, that the angels speak to; Al-Zahra, The Splendid; Al-Zahirah, The Luminous.

Shias revere the person of Fatimah, Muhammad's daughter and mother of the line of inspired imams who embodied the divine truth for their generation. As such, Fatimah is associated with Sophia, the divine wisdom, which gives birth to all knowledge of God.

Sunni Islam has also drawn inspiration from the female. The philosopher Muid ad-Din ibn al-Arabi (1165-1240) saw a young girl in Mecca surrounded by light and realised that, for him, she was an incarnation of the divine Sophia. He believed that women were the most potent icons of the sacred, because they inspired a love in men which must ultimately be directed to God, the only true object of love.

Even more surprising is the Koran’s reverence for Mary, mother of Christ. Muhammad (and also in later Islamic theological scriptures) regarded Mary as the most marvellous of all women, a high adept and living example of the pure and holy life. Later Koranic c ommentaries describe Mary as an intervening force between God (Allah) and humanity. This intervening force is characterised by Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, sweetness and humility- the embodiment of Allah’s love for creation.
 

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