Angels (Malaikah)

How does God communicate with humanity?

• God is perfect and transcendent, communicates with humanity and displays his imminence.

• These are accounted for through angels.

• Angels are regarded as intermediaries sent directly from Allah who obey his commands in all things.

How are angels described?

• Angels are made of light, sexless.

• They have consciousness and full awareness of all matters, but do not have free will.

• They are totally obedient to Allah.

What is a key quote about angels obedience?

• ‘They do not come before Him in speech and only according to His commandment do they act.’

How are angels in contrast to humans?

• They are contrasted to humans who are made of earth, have free will and can chose between right and wrong.

• This is why humans will be judged.

• This is why humans are considered the best of God’s creation.

When were angels created and does this make them superior to humans?

• There are several instances in the Quran where Allah converses with angels before the universe was created.

• Suggests that Angels were created before humans.

• However, angels are not superior to humans.

What are 2 reasons to show angels are not superior to humans?

• When Adam was created they were ordered to prostrate before him as a sign of greeting and respect - plus he had knowledge they did not.

• Islam teaches Iblis was a jinn - Iblis means rebel.

• Angels are good whereas humans have to face evil and temptation and then choose to the right or wrong thing.

What are angels said to be like?

• Angels are said to be like ‘mirrors’ (Turner) meaning they reflect Allah/give a glimpse of God.

• It is believed that angels exist because humans need them not because Allah does.

What is a key quote about angles being made from light?

• ‘Angels are a special creation of Allah. The have been created from divine light to perform specific duties.’ - Ghulam Sarwar

What kind of creatures are angels, and what is their major role?

• They are spiritual creatures, who never eat, drink or sleep.

• Their major activity is to serve Allah, obey his orders and glorify him all the time.

What do Muslims object to doing regarding angels.

Muslims object any attempts to draw pictures of angels as this can be misleading.

Why are angles so important?

• If angels did not exist then revelations to humanity from Allah would be impossible.

• The belief in angels is crucial for Islam, they are one of the 6 articles of faith.

• (The others being Tawhid, prophets, scriptures, afterlife, divine decree.)

What are the tasks of angels?

• Their main task is to convey God’s message to His chosen prophets.

• They help believers to the extent of fighting on their sides in times of war - holy war.

• They attend to and watch over humans. They keep a record of our good and bad deeds - never does a word we mention pass without being registered.

• To be close to pious people.

• To pray for forgiveness of believers.

• To worship and glorify Allah.

What are the angels mentioned in the Quran referred to as and why?

• There are numerous angels - each of them have different tasks.

• The ones mentioned in the Quran are referred to as archangels because they are believed to be closer to God.

Who are the archangels?

• Jibril/Gabriel

• Mikail/micheal

• Israfil

• Izrail

• Rakib and Atheed

• Munkar and Nakir

What is Angel Jibril/Gabriels role and what is a key quote?

• The angel of revelation - the angel sent with the books to all the messengers.

• Passages in the Quran referring to the Holy spirit are said to refer to Angel Jibril.

• He appears in several hadiths in the form of a man, suddenly appearing out of the desert to question the prophet about matters of religion.

• It was Jibril who came to the prophet in the cave of Hira with the first revelation, and reviewed the Quran in its entirety with the Prophet each Ramadan to ensure its accuracy.

• ‘I saw Jibril descending from heaven, his great size filled the space between heaven and earth.’ - Prophet Muhammad/night of power.

What can Muslims learn from angel Jibril?

• The holy spirit guides you, meaning Angel Jibril guides Muslims.

• Could be in Muslims hearts and souls.

• People may hear the ‘holy spirit.’

• Shows that the religion is genuine and the truth as Muhammad could obviously answer being questioned by Jibril.

• Shows the accuracy of the Quran - as Jibril reviewed it with the Prophet every Ramadan.

• Shows Jibril has great power as ‘His great size filled the space between heaven and earth.’

What is angel Mikail/Michael’s role and what is a key quote?

• Mikail is in charge of the plants and the rain.

• Muslim scholars have interpreted it to mean that Mikail’ duties are to provide material food for the body and spiritual food for the soul.

• I.e. he is the angel of sustenance.

• Also responsible for the rewards given out to good people in this life.

• In Islam, Mikail and Gabriel were the first angels to bow before Adam.

• ‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed Allah is an enermy to the disbelievers.’ - Quran

What can Muslims learn from Angel Mikail/Michael?

• Because Mikail was one of the first to bow down to Adam it shows great respect.

• Shows you should respect, sustain the natural world as Mikail is in charge of life.

• Sese of reliance.

• Sustain ourselves physically and spiritually.

What is angel Israfil’s role and what is a key quote?

• Israfil is the angel given the trumpet.

• Israfil will blow 2 times, the first one the doomsday will occur, the second resurrection will occur.

• ‘Israfil is awaiting the order of blowing while He grasps the trumpet.’ - Prophet Muhammad.

What can Muslims learn from angel Israfil?

• Muslims should prepare for the day of judgement as it is bound to happen.

• ‘while he grasps the trumpet’ shows the sense of urgency.

What is angel Izrail’s role and what is a key quote?

• Responsible for parting the soul from the body - referred to as the angel of death in the Quran not Izrail.

• Hence some Muslims are reluctant to call him by this name and is the most feared angel.

• Famous incident in regards to Musa - the angel of death approached Musa to take his soul but Musa was able to delay this - Allah granted him this favour for being faithful.

• The angel of death asked for permission to enter Prophet Muhammad’s house before taking his soul.

• ‘You will be returned to your Lord.’

• ‘The Angel of death is at his door 7 times a day looking to see if there is anyone he has been ordered to take.’ - Prophet Muhammad.

What can Muslims learn from angel Izrail/angel of death

• Rewards for being faithful/pious.

• Even Prophet Muhammad had to die - shows death is certain.

• Death is unexpected.

What are angels Rakib and Atheed’s role and what is a key quote?

• Their role is to write down and record every action, thought, feeling a person has each day.

• One sits on the right shoulder - records all good deeds.

• Another sits on the left shoulder - records all bad deeds.

• The book the angels are writing in is the cumulative record of a persons deeds.

• After that persons death, on judgement day, each person will be confronted with this record - and the two angels will be present to tell God of what the person did.

• ‘Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared to record.’

What can Muslims learn from angels Rakib and Atheed?

• Constant reminder that we are always being watched.

• Encourages us to do well.

• When Muslims pray they greet both shoulders to acknowledge them.

• 6 hours to repent - encourages turning to Allah.

What are angels Munkar and Nakir’s role?

• Question everyone after they die in the grave.

• Munkar and Nakir means unknown, unrecognised and unaccustomed.

• They are called this way because they come to the dead in a way they have not seen before.

• These two question the dead using the questions as follows - and treat them based on the answers they receive:

• ‘Who is your lord’ ‘What is your religion’ ‘Who is your prophet.’

What can Muslims learn from angels Munkar and Nakir?

• Life after death is unknown.

• You have been told how to prepare.

What can Muslims learn from the belief in angels?

• The unlimited power of Allah.

• Examples of righteous servants.

• Never tired of serving Allah.