1. Angels
• Existence of Angels  Beings of Noor [Sahih Muslim]
– Beautiful [an-Najm 53:5-6]
• Angels have bodies (not just spirits)
– Even wings
[Fatir 35:1] “Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the
earth, Who made the angels, messengers with wings,- two, or three, or four (pairs):
He adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things.”
– Jibril (a.s.) covered the whole sky
[Hadith Bukhari] Ibn Mas'ud (r.a.) informed the sahabah that the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬
had seen Jibril having 600 wings."
– Change forms (human form)
• They are always obedient to Allah
• Love for the angels
[al-Baqarah 2:97-98] “Say: "Whoever is an enemy to Jibrael (let him die in his fury),
for indeed he has brought it (this Qur'ân) down to your heart by Allah's Permission,
confirming what came before it (Torah and the Injeel) and guidance and glad tidings for
the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibrael and
Mikael, then verily, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers."
5 mentioned in the Qur’an
• Jibril (a.s.)
• Meekaeel (a.s.)
Haroot & Maroot
• Maalik
[32:11] “Say: The angel of death (malak-al-maut) who is given charge of you shall
cause you to die, then to your Lord you shall be brought back.”
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2. Angels in ahadith
• Israfeel (blowing of the horn)
• Munkar & Nakeer (grave)
FUNCTIONS OF ANGELS
• Breathe the soul into our bodies
• Angel of death
The Angel of Death is sent to remove the soul:
"Verily when the believing slave (of Allah) is at the point of departure from the worldly life, and is about
to enter the next life, Angels descend from Heaven. Their faces are white (and bright) like the sun. They
carry with them a shroud from the clothes of Paradise, and embalmment from the fragrance of Paradise.
They sit away from him at the limit of his eyesight. The Angel of Death then arrives, sits by his head and
says, "O good and peaceful soul, depart to Allah's Forgiveness and Pleasure!" On hearing this, the soul
leaves the body (as easily) as water pours out from the spout of a water-skin container; and he (the Angel
of Death) takes it... there emanates from the soul the best smelling scent of musk perfume that ever existed
on the surface of the Earth... And verily, when a disbelieving (or disobedient) slave (of Allah) is at the
point of departure from the worldly life, and is about to enter the Hereafter, strong hulking Angels with
dark faces descend to him from the Heavens. They bring with them course fabric from the Fire. They sit
away from him at the limit of his eyesight. The Angel of Death arrives, sits by his head and says, "O
malicious soul, depart to the Wrath and Anger of Allah!" On hearing this, it becomes terrified, and clings
to the body; but he extracts it by force, like a thorny skewer is pulled from wet wool, causing the veins and
nerves to burst... and from it emanates the most repugnant odour of a decaying cadaver that ever existed
on the surface of the Earth." (Hadith)
[This was narrated by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (1/93) and classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in
Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz (no. 108). The hadeeth is also narrated in al-Sunan. Ibn Tooloon compiled in his book
al-Tahreer al-Mursakh fi Ahwaal al-Barzakh (p. 75-112) the hadeeths and reports which speak of this
matter.]
The Angels ascend towards Heaven with the souls believer's record is written in a Book
called Illiyun (signifying highness), whereas the disbeliever's record is written in a Book
called Sijjeen (signifying constriction).
"The Angels then ascend with it (the believer's soul). As they pass by gatherings of Angels, they ask them,
"What is this good soul? They (the Angels holding it) reply, "This is so and so, the son (or daughter) of so
and so," using the best names with which he had been addressed in the first life. When they reach the
lowest Heaven, they ask for permission to enter; and the gates open for them. The most elite (Angels) of
each Heaven escort him to the next one, until the soul reaches the Seventh Heaven. Allah then says,
"Write My servants records in Illiyun. And what will make you know what Illiyun is? A Register
inscribed. To which bear witness those who are nearest (to Allah, i.e. the Angels) (Quran 83:19-21).
Thus, the souls records are inscribed in Illiyun; and the Angels are told, "Take him back to the Earth,
because I promised them that; from it (Earth) I created them, into it I shall return them, and from it I
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3. shall Resurrect them once again." (Quran 20:55) He is returned to Earth; and his soul is returned to his
body, so that he hears the thumping of his companion's shoes as they walk away from his grave... The
Angels then ascend with it (the disbeliever's soul) As they pass by gatherings of Angels, they ask them,
"What is this malicious soul? They (the Angels holding it) reply, "This is so and so, the son (or daughter)
of so and so," using the worst names with which he had been addressed in the first life. When they reach
the lowest Heaven, they ask for permission to enter; and the gates are not opened for him. "For them (the
disbelievers), the gates of Heaven will not be opened; and they will not enter Paradise until the camel
goes through the eye of a needle!" (Quran 7:40). Allah then says, "Write his records in Sijjeen in the
lowest Earth." And the Angels are told, "Take him back to the Earth, because I promised them that;
from it (Earth) I created them, into it I shall return them, and from it I shall Resurrect them once
again." (Quran 20:55) His soul is cast down to Earth without regard; and his soul falls into his body.
"As for the one who joins partners with Allah, it is as if he plunges down from the skies, whereupon
birds snatch him off, or the wind casts him away to a remote place (away from Allah's Mercy)." (Quran
22:31) His soul is restored to his body, so that he hears the thumping of his companion's shoes as they
walk away from his grave..." (Hadith)
• Recording angels (Kiraman katibeen)
• 19 guarding hell
• Gate keeper of hell – Maalik
[At-Tahrim 66:6] “O you who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire
whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who
flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what
they are commanded.”
[Al-Muddathir 74:30-31] “Over it are Nineteen. And We have set none but angels as
Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in
order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase
in Faith…”
[Az-Zukhruf 43:77] “They will cry: "O Malik! Ask your Lord to put an end to us!" He will
say, "Nay, but you shall abide!"
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4. 4 angels with every person (Ibn Kathir in his tafsir)
A man said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib: “A group from (the tribe of) Muraad wanted to
kill you.” ‘Ali said, “With every man there are two angels who protect him from
everything that is not decreed; when the decree comes, they withdraw and do not
stand between him and it. A man's decreed lifespan is his protection.”
The angel on the right records hasanaat (good deeds) and the angel on the left records
sayi’aat (bad deeds).
It was reported from Abu Umaamah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angel on the left does not write down
anything until six hours have passed after a Muslim does a bad deed. If he regrets
it and asks Allaah for forgiveness, he casts it aside [does not write it down],
otherwise he writes down one (sayi’ah/bad deed).”
(Narrated by at-Tabaraani, classed as sahih by Shaykh al-Albaani)
• Angels in Paradise
• Carriers of Allah’s throne
One of these carriers: The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is
equivalent to a 700-year journey.
(Sunan Abu Dawood)
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