(part 1 of 3): Made to worship and obey God
Muslims believe in the existence of angels. There are six beliefs in Islam; the belief in God, the one and only, the creator and provider of everything that exists, the belief in His angels, His books, His messengers, in The Last Day and in divine predestination.
Angels are part of the invisible world, but Muslims certainly believe in their existence because God and His Messenger Muhammad have given us information about them. The angels were created by God to worship and obey Him.
„… they are not disobedient to God in what He commands them, and they do everything that is commanded to them.“ (Quran 66: 6)
God created the angels of light. The Prophet Muhammad, God’s blessing be upon him, said: “The angels were created from light.” [1] We have no knowledge of when the angels were created, but we do know that it was before the creation of mankind. The Quran explains that God communicated to the angels His intention to create a governor on earth. (2:30)
Muslims know that angels are beautiful creatures. In Quran 53: 6, God describes the angels as dhuu mirrah, this is an Arabic term that recognized scholars [2] define as great and beautiful in appearance. The Quran (12:31) also describes the Prophet Joseph as beautiful as a noble angel.
Angels have wings and can be very large. There is nothing in the Quran or in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad that indicates that angels are winged babies or have any gender. [3] However, we do know that angels are winged and some are extraordinarily large. From the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad we know that the size of the angel Gabriel „filled the space between heaven and earth“ [4] and that he has six hundred wings. [5]
“… Who made the angels messengers with two, three and four (pair) wings each …” (Quran 35: 1)
There are also differences in the status of the angels. Those angels who participated in the first battle, the Battle of Badr, are known as the „best“ of the angels.
“The angel Gabriel came to the Prophet and asked: ´How do you evaluate the people of you who were with Badr? ´ Muhammad, God be upon him, said: ´They are the best of the Muslims´, or something similar. Gabriel then said: ‚It is the same with the angels who were with Badr.‘ ”[6]
Muslims believe that angels do not need to eat and drink. Your care consists of praising God and repeating the words, there is no God but God. (Quran 21:20).
„. . . so those who are with your Lord praise Him by night and day, and they are tireless in it. ” (Quran 41:38)
The story of the Prophet Abraham in the Quran also suggests that the angels do not need food. When angels in the form of men visited the Prophet Abraham to bring him the news of the birth of a son, he prepared a calf in their honor. But they refused to eat, and he was afraid when they revealed to him that they were angels. (Quran 51: 26-28)
There are many angels, but only God knows their exact number. During his heavenly journey, the Prophet Muhammad visited a house of worship known as the „frequently visited house“ or in Arabic al Bayt al-Mamur, the heavenly equivalent to the Kaaba. [7]
Then I was brought to the ‚frequently visited house‘: every day seventy thousand angels visit and leave it, they never return, another (group) comes after them. ”[8]
Prophet Muhammad also told us that hell is brought on the day of judgment and shown to people. He said: „Hell will be brought on seventy thousand ropes, seventy thousand angels will pull on each of them.“ [9]
The angels have great powers. They have the ability to take different forms. Before the prophets Abraham and Lot, they appeared as men. The angel Gabriel appeared before Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a man (Quran 19:17) and he appeared before the prophet Muhammad as a man, whose clothes were exceptionally white and whose hair was extraordinarily black. [10]
The angels are strong. Four angels hold the throne of God and on the day of judgment their number is increased to eight. Among the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad there is one that describes the angels who hold the throne of God. „The distance between his earlobes and his shoulders corresponds to a journey of seven hundred years.“ [11]
Angels carry out various duties and responsibilities. Some are responsible for the affairs of the universe. Some are responsible for the oceans, the mountains or the wind. Once after visiting Ta’if, a town near Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad was thrown at stones. Then the angel Gabriel and the angel of the mountains came to him.
The angel of the mountains offered to destroy the unruly people by burying them up close under the scree of two mountains. The Prophet Muhammad declined the offer because he believed that they should first have a chance to calm down and look at Islam, then they would accept it and love God. [12]
The angels carry out God’s commands without hesitation or hesitation. Every angel has an obligation or a function. Some angels protect and accompany people, others are messengers. In the second part, we will examine these commitments and learn the names of some angels who carry them out.
Footnotes:
[1] Sahieh Muslim.
[2] Ibn Abbas & Qutadah.
[3] The use of the term he is used for grammatical simplicity and in no way suggests that the angels are male.
[4] Sahieh Muslim
[5] The Musnad of Imam Ahmad.
[6] Sahieh Al-Bukhari
[7] The cube-shaped building in the middle of Saint Masjid in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
[8] Sahieh Al-Bukhari
[9] Sahieh Muslim
[10] Ibid.
[11] Sunan Abu Dawud
[12] Sahieh Al-Bukhari, Sahieh Muslim
(part 2 of 3): God gave abilities and strength to
the angels The angels were created by God out of light. They carry out the duties that have been imposed on them without hesitation or hesitation. Muslims understand the angels from the Quran and the authentic traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. In the first part, we found that angels are beautiful winged creatures that come in different sizes and can change shape with God’s permission. The angels have names and duties that they must carry out.
The name most common to Muslims and non-Muslims is Gabriel (Jibriel). The angel Gabriel also comes in the Jewish and Christian traditions as archangel and messenger of God and he has a special position in all three monotheistic religions.
„… this word (this Quran) is really a word of a noble messenger Gabriel), who is endowed with power and is respected by the Lord of the Throne, who is obeyed (by the angels) and who is faithful.“ (Quran 81: 19-21)
Gabriel brought the words of God – the Quran – to Prophet Muhammad.
„… Jibriel – he brings (the revelation) down to your heart with the will of God, an affirmation of what has gone before and guidance and good news for the believers.“ (Quran 2:87)
Michael (Mikaiel) is the angel responsible for the rain and Israfiel is the angel who will blow the horn on the day of judgment. Because of the importance of their duties, these three are among the greatest angels. Each of their duties revolves around one aspect of life. The angel Gabriel brought the Quran from God to Prophet Muhammad, and the Quran cares for the heart and soul. The angel Michael is responsible for the rain and he supplies the earth and thus our mortal bodies, the angel Israfiel is responsible for the blowing of the horn and it signals the beginning of eternal life, be it in paradise or in hell.
When the Prophet Muhammad got up to pray at night, he began his prayer with the words: “O God, Lord of Jibriel, Mikaiel and Israfiel, creator of heaven and earth, connoisseur of the hidden and the obvious. You are the judge of matters in which your servants disagree. Guide me to the truth with your permission regarding questions of dispute, you lead who you want on the straight path. ”[2]
We also know the names of various other angels. Malik is the angel known as the gatekeeper of hell. And they will shout: „O Malik, let your master put an end to us!“ (Quran 43:77) Munkar and Nakier are the angels who are responsible for questioning the people in their graves. We know these names and understand that we are questioned by the angels in the grave because this is the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad.
“When the deceased is buried, two blue-black angels come to him, one of them is called Munkar and the other is Nakier. They ask him: ‚What did you use to say about this man?‘ and he says what he used to say: ‚He is the servant and messenger of God: I testify that there is no deity except God and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of God.‘ They say: ‚We knew this before You used to say.´ Then the grave will expand for him to a size of seventy cubits to seventy cubits and it will be illuminated for him. Then they say to him: ´Sleep.´ He says: ´Go back to my family and report to them.´ They say to him: ´Sleep like a groom that nobody will wake up except what he loves the most.´ to God let him rise … ”[3]
In the Quran we also find the story of two angels named Harut and Marut who were sent to Babylon to teach people magic. The use of magic is forbidden in Islam, but these angels were sent to test people. Before Harut and Marut taught them magic, they warned Babylonians about it and explained that the buyers of magic would have no part in the hereafter, that is, they would go to hell. (Quran 2: 102)
Although it is sometimes assumed that the angel of death is Azrail, there is nothing in the Quran and the authentic traditions of the Prophet Muhammad to indicate this. We don’t know the name of the angel of death, but we do know what it does and we know it has assistants.
„Say:“ The angel of death who has been placed above you will be recalled; then you will be brought back to your Lord. “ (Quran 32:11)
… until finally, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take his soul there, and they neglect nothing, then they are brought back to Allah, their Lord, verily, His is the judgment, and He is the fastest in arithmetic. ” (Quran 6: 61-62)
There is a group of angels who travel the world in search of people who remember God. From the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad we know that “God has angels who travel the streets looking for people who remember God. When they find people who commemorate God, they shout to one another: „Come, here is what you are looking for!“ And they spread their wings, stretch them to the lowest sky. Your master then asks, „What do my servants say?“ They answer: „They glorify, boast, praise and praise you.“ He asks: „Have you seen me?“ They say, „No, by God, they didn’t see you.“ He asks, „How about if you saw me?“ They say, „You would be even more fervent and devoted in praising and worshiping.“ He asks, „What are you asking for?“ They say: „They ask you for paradise.“ He asks: „And did you see it?“ They say: „No, by God, you didn’t see it.“ He asks: „And how about if you had seen it ? „They say:“ Then they would be even more eager and they would beg you more seriously. “ He asks: „And what are you asking for My protection from?“ They say: „In front of the fire of hell.“ He asks: „Have you seen it?“ They say: „No, by God, you have not seen it.“ asks: „And how about if you had seen it?“ They say: „Then they would fear it even more and would fearfully want to escape it.“ God sat: „You are my witnesses for the fact that I forgave them. „One of the angels says,“ The-and-he isn’t really one of them; he came (to the congregation) for some other reason. „Allah says:
Muslims believe that angels have certain duties that affect people. They protect and protect them and two angels write down their good and bad deeds. They are witnesses to their prayers and one is even responsible for the fetus in the womb. In the third part, we will go into more detail and describe the connections between angels and people.
Footnotes:
[1] The use of the term he serves grammatical simplicity and in no way indicates that the angels are male.
[2] Sahieh Muslim
[3] Sunan At Tirmidhi. Abu Isa said: It is a ghareeb hasan hadith. He was rated as hasan in Sahieh al-Jaami ‚, no. 724.
[4] Sahieh Al-Bukhari
(part 3 of 3): Protected by angels
Muslims believe that angels play an active role in people’s lives. This begins soon after conception and continues until the moment of death. Angels and humans interact even in the afterlife. Angels assign their places to people in paradise and guard the gates of hell. Belief in the angels is one of the fundamental foundations of Islam.
We know from the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad that a few months after conception, life is breathed in with the will of God. Then an angel writes the answers to four questions in the book of deeds of the human being. Will it be male or female? Will this person be happy or sad? How long will his or her lifespan be and will this person do good or bad deeds? [1]
There are angels who are responsible for protecting people throughout their lives.
“He (man) has protectors in front of and behind him; they keep him at God’s command. ” (Quran 13:10)
Each person is assigned two angels. These angels have honorable scriptures and their duty is to write down all good and bad deeds.
„. . . He sends guardians over you (who note the good and bad deeds). . . ” (Quran 6:61)
“Or do you think that We do not hear what you keep secret and what you discuss? Yes, and our messengers write it down with them. ” (Quran 43:80)
“When the two receiving (angels) write down, sitting on the right and left, he does not utter a word without a watchdog who is always ready (ready to record it) next to him” (Quran 50: 17-18)
„And surely there are guardians above you, Kiraaman kaatibien – noble writers who know (and write down) what you do.“ (Quran 82: 10-11)
The angels report in an honorable but also strict manner. Not a single word is left untouched. However, as always, the grace of God is obvious. The Prophet Muhammad, God’s blessing and peace be upon him, explained that God defines precise details about the method of reporting good and bad deeds. “Whoever intended to do a good deed but did not do so will be recorded as a complete good deed. If he actually did the good deed, it will be written down to him as ten good deeds or up to seven hundred or more. If a person intended to do a bad deed but didn’t do it, it will be recorded as a good deed, whereas if he had put the thought into action,
The well-known Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir commented on the Quran 13: 10-11, saying: “Every person has angels who guard him alternately day and night, who protect him from bad and accidents, just like other angels alternately his Actions that write the good and the bad, day and night. ”
“Two angels, one on the right and one on the left, report his deeds. The one on the right writes down the good deeds, the one on the left writes down the bad deeds. Two other angels watch over him and protect him, one behind him and one in front of him. So there are four angels a day and four more at night. ”
Aside from the four angels who are constantly with a man who protect and report from them, other angels visit people regularly. In his traditions, the Prophet Muhammad reminded his followers that they are constantly visited by the angels. He said: “Angels come to you one after the other at night and during the day, and all of them gather at the time of Fagr (early morning) and Asr (afternoon) prayer. Those who have spent the night with you ascend (to heaven) and God questions them, although He knows everything very well: „In what condition did you leave My servants?“ The angels answer: „When we left, we had they prayed and when we came to them they prayed. ”[3] They gather to witness the prayer and to listen to the Quran recitation.
From this it can be understood that angels are very involved in human life and these interactions do not end when the angel of death takes away the soul, and not even after the angels questioned the deceased in the grave [4]. Angels are the gatekeepers of paradise.
“And those who feared their Lord will be brought to paradise in droves until, when they reach it, his gates open and his guardians say to them:“ Peace be upon you! Be happy and go there and stay in it forever. ” (Quran 39:73)
„And the angels will come to them through every gate.“ Peace be with you, since you have been patient; see how wonderful the wages of the dwelling are! ” (Quran13: 23)
Angels are also the gatekeepers of hell.
“And how do you know what Saqar is? It spares nothing and leaves nothing behind and is perceived by people from a great distance; it is monitored by nineteen (angels). And we have made angels to keep the fire.
And We did not set their number except to test those who disbelieve so that those to whom the book was given can be certain and that those who believe will increase in faith ”(Quran74: 27-31)
God created the angels of light. They cannot disobey Him and they follow His orders without hesitation and hesitation. Angels worship God. It is their food. These noble creatures play an important role in people’s lives. They guard and protect them, record and report them, and they gather with the people who remember God.
Footnotes:
[1] Sahieh Al-Bukhari
[2] Sahieh Al-Bukhari, Sahieh Muslim
[3] Ibid.
[4] See part 2
Source: https://www.islamland.com/deu/articles/engel