Belief in Angels

 

In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions.  Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head.  In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses.

They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God’s associates running different districts of the universe.  Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to God.  They all submit to God and carry out His commands.

In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels.  Human beings do not become angels after death.  Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels.

Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is rare.  Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture.

Angels form different cosmic hierarchies and orders in the sense that they are of different size, status, and merit.

The greatest of them is Gabriel.  The Prophet of Islam actually saw him in his original form.  Also, the attendants of God’s Throne are among the greatest angels.  They love the believers and beseech God to forgive them their sins.  They carry the Throne of God, about whom the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of God who carry the Throne.  The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.” (Abu Daud)

They do not eat or drink.  The angels do not get bored or tired of worshipping God:

“They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever slacken.” (Quran 21:20)
The Number of Angels

How many angels there are? Only God knows.  The Much-Frequented House is a sacred heavenly sanctuary above the Kaaba, the black cube in the city of Mecca.  Every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, followed by another group

• The Names of Angels
  

Muslims believe in specific angels mentioned in the Islamic sources like Jibreel (Gabriel), Mika'eel (Michael), Israfeel, Malik - the guard over Hell, and others.  Of these, only Gabriel and Michael are mentioned in the Bible.
Angelic Abilities

The angels possess great powers given to them by God.  They can take on different forms.  The Muslim scripture describes how at the moment of Jesus’ conception, God sent Gabriel to Mary in the form of a man:

“…Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” (Quran 19:17)

Angels also visited Abraham in human form.  Similarly, angels came to Lot to deliver him from danger in the form of handsome, young men.  Gabriel used to visit Prophet Muhammad in different forms.  Sometimes, he would appear in the form of one of his handsome disciples, and sometimes in the form of a desert Bedouin.

Angels have the ability to take human forms in some circumstances involving common people.

Gabriel is God’s heavenly messenger to mankind.  He would convey the revelation from God to His human messengers.  God says:

“Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by God’s will..

• Tasks of the Angels
  

Some angels are put in charge of executing God’s law in the physical world.  Michael is responsible for rain, directing it wherever God wishes.  He has helpers who assist him by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as God wills.  Another is responsible for blowing the Horn, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Day of Judgment.  Others are responsible for taking souls out of the bodies at the time of death: the Angel of Death and his assistants.  God says:

• “Say: the Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your Lord.” (Quran 32:11)
• Then there are guardian angels responsible for protecting the believer throughout his life, at home or traveling, asleep or awake.
• Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad.  These are known as the “honorable scribes.”
• Two angels, Munkar and Nakeer, are responsible for testing people in the grave.
• Among them are keepers of Paradise and the nineteen ‘guards’ of Hell whose leader is named ‘Malik.’
  

There are also angels responsible for breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provisions, life-span, actions, and whether it will be wretched or happy.

Some angels are roamers, traveling around the world in search of gatherings where God is remembered.  There are also angels constituting God’s heavenly army, standing in rows, they never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, always worshipping God.

As we learn from above, the angels are a grandiose creation of God, varying in numbers, roles, and abilities. God is in no need of these creatures, but having knowledge and belief in them adds to the awe that one feels towards God, in that He is able to create as He wishes, for indeed the magnificence of His creation is a proof of the magnificence of the Creator.
Angels are another kind of creature created by God, known to mankind, commonly dwelling 

in the heavenly spheres. Although the Quran does not mention the time when angels were created, they are generally considered as the first creation of God. According to Tabari, the angels had been created on Wednesday,[6] while other creatures on the following days. Although not mentioned in the Quran,[7] angels are believed to be created from a luminous substance, repeatedly described as a form of light. What is probably the most famous hadith regarding their origin is reported in Sahih Muslim: "The Angels were created out of light and the Jann was created out of a mixture of fire and Adam was created out of what 

characterizes you."[8][9] Nur, the term used for the light from which the angels are created from, usually corresponds to the cold light of night or the light of the moon,[10] contrasted to nar, which corresponds to fire or the diurnal and solar light from which the angels of punishment are said to be created of.[11] Dividing angels into two groups created from different types of light is also attested by Tabari,[12] Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi,[13] Al-Jili[14] and Al-Suyuti.[15] Suyuti distinguishes in his work Al-Hay’a as-samya fi l-hay’a as-sunmya angels as created from "fire that eats, but does not drink" in opposition to devils created from "fire that drinks, but does not eat" which is also identified with the fire of the sun.[16] 

Scholars also argued that there is no distinction between nur and nar at all. Although not his conclusion,Tabari argued that both can be seen as the same substance, since both pass into each other but refer to the same thing on different degrees.[17] Asserting that both fire and light are actually the same but on different degrees can also be found by Qazwini and Ibishi.[18][19] The lack of distinction between fire and light might be explained by the fact that both are closely related morphologically and phonetically.[20] Al-Baydawi argued that light serves only as a proverb, but fire and light refers actually to the same substance.[21] Apart from light, other traditions also mention exceptions about angels created from fire, ice or water.

• Characteristics

One of the Islamic major characteristic is their lack of bodily desires; they never get tired, do not eat or drink and have no anger.[23] As with other monotheistic religions, angels are characteristics of their purity and obedience to God.[24] However, their constant loyalty, towards God, emphasized by some Quranic verses such as 16:49, does not necessarily imply impeccability,[25] and the motif of erring angels is also known to Islam.[26] Some 

scholars on the other hand, among Hasan of Basra as one of the first,[27] extend their loyalty towards God to assume general impeccability. Those who accept the possibility of erring angels, advocate that actually only the messengers among the angels are infallible,[28] since the Quran also describes angels as being tested.[29] Al-Baydawi argued, that angels only remain impeccable if they do not fall. Ibn Arabi stated that angels may err in opposing Adam as a vice-regent and fixing on their way of worshipping God to the exclusion of other creatures.

Angels are usually described in anthropomorphic forms combined with supernatural images, such as wings, being of great size, wearing heavenly clothes and great beauty.[32] Some angels are identified with specific colors, often with white, but some special angels have a distinct color, such as Gabriel being associated with the color green.[33]

The Quran says that the angels were considered to be daughters of God and worshipped in Pre-Islamic Arabia,[34] while newborn girls were often killed, which is condemned in Islam.[35] This is also mentioned concerning Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manāt.[36] The notion that God created the angels as females and fathered daughters is rejected in the Quran.[37]

Scholars debated whether human or angels rank higher. The prostration of angels before Adam is often seen as evidence for humans' supremacy over angels. Nevertheless, other hold angels to be superior, as being free from material deficits, such as anger and lust, Angels are free from such inferior urges and therefore superior, a position especially found among Mu'tazilites and some Asharites.[25] A similar opinion was asserted by Hasan of Basri, who argued that angels are superior to humans due to their infallibility, originally 

opposed by both Sunnis and Shias.[38] This view is based on the assumption of superiority of pure spirit against body and flesh. Contrarily argued, humans rank above angels, since for a human it is harder to be obedient and to worship God, hassling with bodily temptations, in contrast to angels, whose life is much easier and therefore their obedience is rather insignificant. Islam acknowledges a famous story about competing angels and humans in the tale of Harut and Marut, who were tested to determine, whether or not, angels would do better than humans under the same circumstances,[39] a tradition opposed by later 

scholars, such as ibn Taimiyya, but still accepted by earlier scholars, such as ibn Hanbal.[40] Some Sufi traditions argue that a human generally ranks below angels, but developed to Al-Insān al-Kāmil, he ranks above angels.[41] Comparable to another major opinion, that prophets and messengers among humans rank above angels, but the ordinary human below an angel, while the messengers among angels rank higher than prophets.[25] Maturidism generally holds that angels' and prophets' superiority and obedience derive from their virtues and insights to God's action, but not as their original purity.[42]

• Purit

Angels believed to be engaged in human affairs are closely related to Islamic purity and modesty rituals. Many hadiths, including Muwatta Imam Malik from one of the Kutub al-Sittah, talk about angels being repelled by humans' state of impurity.[43] Such angels keep a distance from humans, who polluted themselves by certain actions (such as sexual intercourse). However, angels might return to an individual as soon as the person (ritually) purified himself or herself. The absence of angels may cause several problems for the 

person. If driven away by ritual impurity, the Kiraman Katibin, who record people's actions,[44] and the Guardian angel,[45] will not perform their tasks assigned to the individual. Another hadith specifies, during the state of impurity, bad actions are still written down, but good actions are not. When a person tells a lie, angels nearly are separated from the person from the stench it emanates.[46] Angels also depart from humans when they are naked or are having a bath out of decency, but also curse people who are nude in public.

• Abstract angels

In Islamic philosophy, angels appear frequently as incorporeal creatures. Al-Kindi and Ibn Sina both define angels as simple substances, which means, they belong to the Celestial spheres comparable to Ptolemaic astronomy, endowed with life, reason, and immortality, in contrast to sublunary entities such as humans and animals, who are endowed with life, and the former also with reason, but are mortal.[47][48] Similarly Qazwini assigns the angels to 

heavenly spheres, distinguishing them from among the animals, although both are said to possess the attribute of life. Significantly, Al-Damiri includes in his zoological works, animals, humans, jinn and even demons, but not angels.[49] Such cosmological thought, maintained by scholars such as Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, has strong resemblance with the Neo-Platonistic emanation cosmology, identifying the different angels in Islam with intellects, 

dividing the cosmos into different spheres. However, Islamic scholars repeatedly insist that all heavenly spheres as a whole form a single body and are moved by God, in contrast to Aristotelian cosmology in which God only moves the outer sphere.[47] According to ibn Sina, but differing from Al-Farabi, God is not part of the scheme of emanation. God emanated things in accordance with his will. In his Theologia Aristotelis he shows that through the manifestation of God, the intellects are aware of God and their role in the universe. Further Ibn Sina seems to distinguishes between two types of angels: One completely unrelated to matter, and another one, which exists in form of a superior kind of 

matter. The latter ones can carry messages between the heavenly spheres and the sublunary world, appearing in visions. Therefore, the higher angels dwell in higher spheres, while their subordinate angels appear in an intermediary realm. Ibn Sina's explanation might imply an attempt to consider revelation as part of the natural world.[23][50] Also Qazwini lists a lower type of angels; earthly angels as indwelling forces of nature, who keep the world in order and never deviate from their duty. Qazwini believed that the existence of these angels could be proved by reason and effects of these angels on their assigned object.

Islamic philosophy stressed that humans own angelic and demonic qualities and that the human soul is seen as a potential angel or potential demon.[52] Depending on whether the sensual soul or the rational soul develop, the human soul becomes an angel or a demon. Angels may also give inspirations opposite to the evil suggestions, called waswās, from Satan.

• In Ibn Abbas Mi'raj narrative
  

Muhammad requests Maalik to show him Hell during his heavenly journey. Miniature from The David Collection.

Muhammad encounters the Angel composed of fire and ice during his Night journey. Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai’s Nahj al-Faradis from The David Collection
Muhammad's encounter with several significant angels on his journey through the celestial spheres plays a major role in Ibn Abbas's version.[55][56] Many scholars such as Al-Tha`labi drew their exegesis upon this narrative, but it never led to an established angelology as known in Christianity. The principal angels of the heavens are called Malkuk, instead of Malak.

first heaven second heaven third heaven fourth heaven fifth heaven sixth heaven    seventh heaven

• Habib Angel of Death Maalik Salsa'il Kalqa'il Mikha'il (Archangel) Israfil
• Rooster angel Angels of death Angel with seventy heads Angels of the sun    -    Cherubim Bearers of the Throne
• Ismail (or Riḍwan) Mika'il Arina'il -   - Shamka'il fra'il

• Individual angels

Islam has no standard hierarchical organization that parallels the division into different "choirs" or spheres hypothesized and drafted by early medieval Christian theologians, but does distinguish between archangels and angels. Angels are not equal in status and consequently, they are delegated different tasks to perform.

• Archangel

Jibrā'īl/Jibrīl/Jabrīl (English: Gabriel),[58] the angel of revelation. Jibra'il is the archangel responsible for revealing the Quran to Muhammad, verse by verse. Jibra'il is the angel who communicates with all of the prophets and also descends with the blessings of God during the night of Laylat al-Qadr ("The Night of Divine Destiny (Fate)"). Jibra'il is also acknowledged as a magnificent warrior in Islamic tradition, who led an army of angels into the Battle of Badr and fought against Iblis as he tempted Jesus (Isa).[
 
Mīkāl/Mīkāʾīl/Mīkhā'īl (English: Michael),[60] the archangel of mercy, is often depicted as providing nourishment for bodies and souls while also being responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth.[61] Some scholars pointed out that Mikail is in charge of angels who carry the laws of nature.[62] According to legend, he was so shocked at the sight of hell when it was created that he never laughed again.
 
Isrāfīl (frequently associated with the Jewish and Christian angel Raphael), is the archangel who blows into the trumpet in the end time, therefore also associated with music in some traditions.Israfil is responsible for signaling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgment Day) by blowing a horn. On his association with Raphael, the historian Ali Olomi writes, "In esoteric circles, Israfil is the angel of the West, the Sun, and sometimes Thursday. Other times the angel of Jupiter Sarfayail is assigned to Thursday. The astrological overlap may hint at a parallel with the Jewish angel Seraphiel or Raphael."

'Azrā'īl/'Azrayl/Azrael, is the archangel of death. He and his subordinative angels are responsible for parting the soul from the body of the dead and will carry the believers to heaven (Illiyin) and the unbelievers to hell (Sijjin).[65][66]