. Please provide me with details of Angels (Malaaik). The purpose of their creation
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Mr. Burhan
Assalaamu Alaikum
This is, again asking for your help. Please provide me with details of Angels
(Malaaik). The purpose of their creation, Created by Noor (Light)or something
else, their duties, their life-time, their shape, color and size, details of
any angels if they got punished etc.
(The story of Harut and Marut) This I needed to respond to an infidel who
denies angels and revelation brought by Gibrael (Alaih Salaam) to our Prophet
(SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Please allow me to use your response freely,
in my dealings with anyone. It is my responsibility to see that your message do
not get distorted or twisted while I respond to anyone.
With Best Regards
JazaakAllah
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Who are angels?
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Q-1: Please provide me with details of Angels (Malaaik).
The purpose of their creation.
Just as the Supreme and Majestic Lord created everything
in existence, He created the Angels who are by nature absolutely and
unflinchingly obedient to Him, worship Him, Praise Him, and fulfill the
commands they receive from their Lord to its full.
Each of the Angels have been assigned a duty by their
Lord, and it is in the created nature of the Angels that they never ever fail
in their duties.
Unlike the creation of man and jinn who have been given a
‘free will’ and thus put to a test by their Lord, the Angels do not have a
‘free will’; they are created to do exactly as commanded by the Lord
All-Mighty.
Q-2: Created by Noor (Light)or something else
Sahih Muslim HadithH 7134 Narrated by Aisha
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The Angels
were created out of ‘noor’ (light), and the Jinns were created out of
the flame of fire, and Adam was created as he has been defined (in the Qur'an)
for you (i.e. he is fashioned out of clay).’
Q-3: their duties
Each amongst the Angels have been assigned a specific duty
by their Lord, which they fulfill exactly as they are commanded by their Lord. Allah Subhanah Alone has Perfect Knowledge of
the number of Angels He has created, and He Alone has the Perfect Knowledge of
the errands and the duties He has commanded them to fulfill.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 19 Surah
Maryam verse 64: (The Angels say:) "We descend not
but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us, and what is
behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget"
Some amongst them are appointed by their Lord to breathe
life into the unborn human baby when still in their mother’s womb.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.315 Narrated by Anas bin Malik
The Prophet (saws) said, "At every womb
Allah appoints an Angel who says, 'O Lord! A drop of semen, O Lord! A clot. O
Lord! A little lump of flesh." Then
if Allah wishes (to complete) its creation, the Angel asks, ‘(O Lord!) Will it
be a male or female, a wretched or a blessed, and how much will his provision
be? And what will his age be?' So all
that is written while the child is still in the mother's womb."
Some amongst them are appointed by their Lord as Angels of
Death, who take the souls of the human beings when the term decreed for each
has expired.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 79 Surah
Naziaat verses 1-2:
1 By the (Angels) who tear out (the souls
of the wicked) with violence;
2 By those (Angels) who gently draw out
(the souls of the blessed);
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah
Anaam verse 61: He (Allah) is the Irresistible (watching)
from above over his worshippers and He sets guardians (Angels) over you. At length when death approaches one of you,
Our Angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.
Some amongst them are appointed to bear the Throne of the
Majestic Lord.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 60 Surah
Haaqaah verses 15-18:
15 On that Day (of Judgment) shall the
(Great) Event come to pass
16 And the sky will be rent asunder, for it
will on that Day be flimsy
17 And the Angels will be on its sides, and
eight will that Day bear the Throne of thy Lord above them.
18 That Day shall ye be brought to Judgment:
not an act of yours that ye hide will be hidden.
Some amongst them have been appointed by their Lord to
protect mankind.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah
Raad verse 11: For each (such person) there are (Angels)
in succession before and behind him: they (the Angels) guard him by command of
Allah.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 82 Surah
Infitar verses 10-12:
10 But verily over you (are appointed Angels)
to protect you
11 Kind and honorable, writing down (your
deeds):
12 They know all that ye do.
Some amongst them have been appointed by their Lord to
bring destruction to a people or nation at the command of their Lord.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 51 Surah
Dhariyat verses 31-34:
31 (Abraham) said: "And what O ye
Messengers (Angels) is your errand (now)?"
32 They (the Angels) said "We have been
sent to a people (deep) in sin
33 To bring on, on them (a shower of) stones
of clay (brimstone)
34 Marked as from thy Lord for those who
trespass beyond bounds."
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah
Ankabut verse 31: When Our Messengers (Angels) came to
Abraham with the good news, they said: "We are indeed going to destroy the
people of this township (of Prophet Lut): for truly they are (addicted to)
crime."
Some amongst them are appointed by their Lord to document
the deeds of each and every human being.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah
Qaaf verses 16-18:
16 It was We who created man and We know
what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than
(his) jugular vein.
17 Behold two (guardian Angels) appointed to
learn (his doings) learn (and note them), one sitting on the right and one on
the left.
18 Not a word does he utter but there is a
sentinel (Angel) by him ready (to note it).
Some amongst them are appointed by their Lord to protect
the gates of the Hell Fire.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 74 Surah
Mudhatthir verse 31: And We have set none but Angels as
guardians of the Fire;
Some amongst the Angels are appointed by their Lord to
constantly seek forgiveness from the Lord Most Merciful for the believers.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 42 Surah
Shuraa verse 5: The heavens are almost rent asunder from
above them (by His Glory): and the Angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord,
and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: Behold! Verily Allah is He,
the Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
And some amongst them are appointed to deliver the Lord’s
Message to the appointed Messengers amongst mankind at the command of their
Lord.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah
Nahl verse 2: He doth send down His Angels with
inspiration of His Command to such of His servants as He pleaseth (saying):
"Warn (man) that there is no god but I: so do your duty unto Me."
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 81 Surah
Taqvir verses 18-21:
19 Verily this (Quran) is the word of a most
honorable Messenger (Arch-Angel Gabriel (a.s.))
20 Endued with Power and with Rank before
the Lord of the Throne
21 With authority there, (and) faithful of
his trust.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah
Nahl verse 102: Say the Holy Spirit (Arch-Angel Gabriel
(a.s.)) has brought the revelation (Al-Quran) from thy Lord in Truth, in
order to strengthen those who believe and as a guide and Glad Tidings to
Muslims.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 26 Surah
Ash-Shuaraa verses 192-195:
192 Verily this (Al-Quran) is a Revelation
from the Lord of the Worlds:
193 With it came down the Spirit of Faith and
Truth (Arch-Angel Gabriel (a.s.))
194 To thy (The Prophet’s (saws)) heart and
mind ,that thou mayest admonish
195 In the perspicuous Arabic tongue.
Q-4: their life-time
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 406 Narrated by Abu Dharr
The Prophet (saws) said: ‘I see that which
you do not. The Heaven cries (on account of the heavy load of the Angels
prostrating) and is justified in doing so! There is not a space equal to four
fingers in the Heavens but is occupied by Angels who are prostrating before
Allah. By Allah, if you could know what
I know, you would laugh little and weep much; you would not enjoy your wives in
beds, and would rush into streets and jungles in search of Allah's refuge.”
Because the Angels are from amongst the creation of the
unseen, the only information available
to the believers is what is related regarding them and their lives and duties
by Allah Subhanah and His Last and Final Messenger (saws). To the best of our knowledge there is no
mention in either the Quran or the Sunnah regarding the precise life-time of
the Angels, or whether or not they too have a time appointed and taste death
like the humans and the jinns. Allah
Alone Knows Best.
Q-5: their shape, color and size,
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter FATIR 1
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.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 53 Surah
Najm verses 1-11:
1 By the Star when it goes down
2 Your Companion (Mohamed (saws)) is
neither astray nor being misled
3 Nor does he say (aught) of (his own)
Desire.
4 It is no less than inspiration sent down
to him:
5 He was taught by one mighty in Power
(Arch-Angel Gabriel (a.s.))
6 Endued with Wisdom: For he (Angel Gabriel
(a.s.)) appeared (in stately form)
7 While he was in the highest part of the
horizon:
8 Then he (Gabriel (a.s.)) approached and
came closer
9 And was at a distance of but two
bow-lengths or (even) nearer;
10 So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to
His servant; (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.
11 The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no
way falsified that which he saw.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.448 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah
That he heard Allah's Messenger (saws)
describing the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration, and in his
description he (saws) said, "While I was walking I heard a voice from the
sky. I looked up towards the sky, and behold! I saw the same Angel (Gabriel) who
came to me in the
Allah Subhanah Alone Knows the exact shape, color and size
of the Angels He has created. In light
of the above verses of the Glorious Quran and the authentic narration of the
Prophet Mohamed (saws), what we can say with conviction is that the Angels, in
their original form are created with two, or three, or four pairs of wings;
each according to their need.
In light of the above quoted hadith of the Messenger of
Allah (saws) which confirms the verse of the Quran (53:6), where it is
described that when the Arch-Angel Gabriel (a.s.) appeared to Prophet Mohamed
(saws) in his stately and original form, it is related that his height was as
big as the distance between the earth and the skies!
Other than the confirmation from the Creator Lord in His
Quran that He created the Angels with two or three or four pair of wings, and
the specific size of Arch-Angel Gabriel (a.s.) when he appeared in his stately
and original form to Prophet Mohamed (saws), there is no mention of the size,
shape, and color of the Angels. It is
best to assume that Allah Subhanah creates them as He Wills and Pleases
according to the duties He assigns to them.
Your Question: details of any angels if they got punished
etc.(The story of Harut and Marut)
Because the Angels have not been bestowed with a ‘free
will’ like the human beings and the jinns, they do not have it in their
bestowed nature to err or disobey the commands of their Lord; they simply and
perfectly do as they are commanded by their Lord and never ever fail in their
given mission. They are not involved in
a test like the human beings and the jinns, thus they do not err or disobey the
commands of their Lord, and it is safe to assume that they do not ever get punished.
The story of the noble Angels Harut and Marut as related
in the Glorious Quran relates to the time when Allah Subhanah sent these two
angels in the form of human beings as a test to the people of the ancient city
of
It is incorrect belief to believe that the noble Angels
Harut and Marut were punished, or they taught what they taught of their own
will; but rather they simply carried out the commands of their Lord precisely
as they were commanded.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah
Baqarah verse no.102
102 They followed what the evil ones gave out
(falsely) against the power of Solomon; the blasphemers were not Solomon but
the evil ones teaching men magic and such things as came down at
This I needed to respond to an infidel who denies angels
and revelation brought by Gibrael (Alaih Salaam) to our Prophet (SallAllahu
Alaihi Wasallam).
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verse 136: O ye who believe! Believe in Allah, and his Messengers, and the Scripture
which He hath sent to His Messenger (Mohamed (saws)), and the Scripture which
He sent to those before (him). And whoever
denieth Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of Judgment,
hath gone far far astray.
To believe in the creation of the Angels is an integral
part of ‘emaan’ or faith in the unseen.
Beloved brother, if you need any further details or any further
clarifications in your noble effort to guide the brother who does not believe
in the Angels and the Glorious Revelation of the Quran, please do write to us
and we shall strive to the best of our ability to address your queries in this
noble cause you have undertaken to present the Truth to a brother in
humanity.
Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah
An-Nahl Ayat 125: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent
admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who
has gone astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.
May Allah Subhanah bestow upon you the wisdom, knowledge,
patience, and the courage to continue this noble cause of yours in inviting the
brethren who do not believe in the Revelation of the Quran to the Truth. My dear and beloved Brother in Islam, we
remind you as we remind ourselves that the only duty laid upon the believers by
our Lord Most Merciful is to invite mankind to the Truth with wisdom and in the
best manner; to believe or to deny the Truth is the option each individual has
to make for himself, and he alone will be accountable for his choice.
Your Statement: Please allow me to use your response
freely, in my dealings with anyone.
My dear and beloved brother in Islam, our only intention
in starting this humble service is to present the Truth from the Quran and the
Sunnah to all those who are willing to listen to good caution. We hold absolutely no copyright regarding the
articles we write in the service of our Lord, and if any article we write can
be used to further the Cause of Islam, we would be indebted to you if you could
forward the article or part of the article as you wish to whomever you
wish.
If our humble and modest efforts help even one brother or
sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider
ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most
Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope,
beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts your and our humble and weak
efforts, forgives us all our
shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the
Hell Fire. Ameen.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Burhan
Wister