In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent and Most Merciful.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet and Messenger of Allah, whom Allah has made a mercy to the whole universe. May the salutations extend to his companions, his household, and those who follow their path till the Day of Judgment. Aameen.
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُوْلِىٓ أَجۡنِحَةٍ مَّثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَۚ يَزِيدُ فِى ٱلۡخَلۡقِ مَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Fātir: 1
All the praises and thanks be to Allāh, the (only) Originator [or the (Only) Creator] of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allāh is Able to do all things.
WHO ARE THE ANGELS?
The angels are beings that we cannot see. We only know about them as much as Allāh told us in His Book (the Qur’an), or as His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ told us in his Sunnah. The following are some of the angels’ qualities:
- Created from Light: Angels are created from light, unlike humans who are created from clay.
- Invisible: Angels are invisible to humans, except when they take physical form.
- Pure and Sinless: Angels are free from sin and impurity.
- Obedient: Angels are absolutely obedient to Allah’s commands.
- No Free Will: Angels do not have free will, unlike humans.
- They have no gender.
- They do not eat, drink, or sleep, unlike humans.
- They have wings.
- They are large and powerful, just as Allah wills.
- They do not get tired or bored.
WHEN WERE THE ANGELS CREATED?
We do not know exactly when the angels were created. All we know is that Allāh created them before humans. When Allāh wanted to create humans and place them on Earth, He told the angels about this, and they had a serious concern:
Al-Baqarah 2:30
وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةًۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ
And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.” They said: “Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, – while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.” He (Allâh) said: “I know that which you do not know.”
This shows that the angels were created before Adam. From what Allāh taught them, they knew that humans are creatures capable of causing evil and shedding blood on Earth. They mentioned this to Allah very politely. But Allah knew better. He knew that some of the humans, such as the prophets and sahabah, would be good individuals who would obey Allāh and strive for His cause.
HOW MANY ANGELS ARE THERE?
There are numerous angels, and only Allah knows their exact number. ‘Abdullāh Bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Hell will be pulled on the Day of Judgment with seventy thousand ropes, each rope held by seventy thousand angels.” (Muslim 2842)
Also, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is the night of the twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth (of Ramadan). Surely, during it, the number of angels on earth is more than that of pebbles.” (Musnad Ahmad 10734)
Therefore, the number of angels is far beyond what we can imagine.
WHERE ARE THE ANGELS?
The angels usually stay in the heavens. They come down to Earth when Allah orders them. They also take things up to the heavens, like the good deeds of the people and the souls of the dead. They sometimes come down in large numbers, as on Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree). Allah says about this:
Al-Qadr 97:4
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ
“The angels and the Rūh (Jibrīl) descend during it (Laylat-ul-Qadr) with all sorts of decrees by their Lord’s permission.”
ANGELS AND THEIR ROLES
JIBRĪL
- He carried the teachings of Allah to the prophets and messengers.
- He brought down the revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
- He brought the soul of Prophet ‘Isa to his mother, making her pregnant.
MIKĀ’ĪL
He brings rain, plants, and food to the creation by Allah’s permission.
ISRĀFĪL
- He will blow the horn when Allah wants to end life in this world.
- He will blow the horn for the commencement of the Day of Judgment.
MĀLIK
He is the guardian of Hell-fire.
MALAKUL-MAWT
Allah gave him the permission to take the lives of the creations in this world.
MUNKAR AND NAKĪR
- Munkar and Nakīr are two angels whose job is to question people in their graves.
- They ask about their Lord, their religion, and about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
HĀRŪT AND MĀRŪT
Hārūt and Mārūt are two angels that Allah mentions in the Qur’an. He sent them to an old city called Babylon, where the devils taught its people magic. The two angels showed the people a more powerful magic but warned them, “If you insist on learning this from us, you should know that we have only been sent to test you with this knowledge. Magic often leads to disbelief in Allah and to evil.”
Conclusion
Correct belief in the angels helps us know these sublime and righteous beings. Belief in them is one of the six articles of Īmān, which is the first pillar of our religion (Islam).
✍Ustādh Waliyy
Mu’allim at Al-waduud Institute