Belief in the Angels

This article will focus on the second pillar of Iman – the Angels

• Belief in the angels is the second pillar of Iman.
• Muslims believe that angels exist, and are created from light. Various angels have been allocated specific tasks. When Allah ﷻ orders the angels to do something, they carry out His order to perfection.
• Allah ﷻ describes the angels that He has placed in charge of Jahannam by saying:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًۭا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌۭ شِدَادٌۭ لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ( سورة التحريم ٦ )

“O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are… angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do what they are commanded.” (Soorat at-Tahreem:6)

• There are many angels and only Allah ﷻ knows their exact number. The hadeeth of Maalik ibn Sa’saa provides a general idea of the huge number of angels. He says:

فرفع لي البيت المعمور فسالت جبريل فقال هذا البيت المغمورُ يُصلِّي فِيهِ كُل يوم سبعون ألف ملك إذا خرجوا لم يعودوا إليه آخر ما عليهم)( البخاري)

“The Prophet said “I was shown Al-Bayt Al-Ma’moor. I asked Jibreel about it and he said ‘This is Al-Bayt Al-Ma’moor where 70,000 angels perform prayers everyday, and when they leave they never return to it.” (Bukhaari)

• Al-Bayt Al-Ma’moor is the house in the heavens directly above the Ka’bah in Makkah. According to ibn Katheer, Al-Bayt Al-Ma’moor is where the angels worship Allah ﷻ and they perform tawaaf around it just like the people on earth perform tawaaf around the Ka’bah in Makkah.
• Angels have names, but only a few of them are known to us. Some of the names of angels that we know are: Jibreel, Mikaeel, Israafeel, and Maalik, and each one has a specific task. The angels were given their names by Allah ﷻ There are many names of angels that we do not know and we should not think of names for them.
• Allah ﷻ mentions in the Qur’aan some of the incorrect beliefs that people have with regard to the angels.
• Angels are neither male nor female; however, some people think that the angels are females. Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’aan

( سورة الزخرف: ١٩)وَجَعَلُوا۟ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَـٰدُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ إِنَـٰثًا ۚ أَشَهِدُوا۟ خَلْقَهُمْ ۚ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَـٰدَتُهُمْ وَيُسْـَٔلُونَ

“And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Most-Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation?” (Soorat az-Zukhruf 19)

• Some people worship angels. Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’aan

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًۭا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ (سورة سبأ ٤٠ )

“And [mention] the Day when He will gather them all and then say to the angels, “Did these [people] used to worship you?” (Sooral Sabar:40)

• Others say that angels are the daughters of Allah ﷻ . Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’aan

أَفَأَصْفَىٰكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِٱلْبَنِينَ وَٱتَّخَذَ مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنَـٰثًا ۚ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلًا عَظِيمًۭا (سورة الاسراء : ٤٠)

“Then, has your Lord chosen you for (having) sons and taken from among the angels daughters? Indeed, you say a grave saying.” (Soorat al-Israa:40)

• All these beliefs are incorrect and are not Islamic. Muslims do not accept these views. Instead they believe in the angels in the exact way that Allah ﷻ mentions them in the Qur’aan and as they are described in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ .

What we learn from the lesson:

1. Angels exist.
2. Angels are neither male nor female.
3. Angels are not the children of Allah ﷻ .
4. Muslims do not worship angels.

“Discussion:”

1. How many angels visit Al-Bayt Al-Ma’moor in one year ?
2. Why do you think angels are so special ?