Reality of 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.” (Qur'an 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.[1]
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.” (Qur'an 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...” (Qur'an 2:97)
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.” (Qur'an 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.
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