|
Belief in Angels
of Allah
Religious history has recorded
several instances where Angels appeared in the form of pleasant-looking
men to certain individuals, including Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
Maryam (mother of Prophet Jesus Christ), Ibraheem (a.s.) and
Prophet Lot; and also to communities, such as the inhabitants
of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Neither male nor female, these
intelligent beings do not eat, drink, sleep nor have desires.
They are created from light (noor) and in such a way that
they always obey and never go against Divine commands and
never tire of serving Almighty Allah. For Muslims, this Article
of Faith stipulates that they must believe in the Angels,
whose population is infinite. This command is contained in
the Qur'anic verse:
"Uprightness is not to
turn your faces towards east or west, but uprightness is to
believe in Allah (SWT) and the Last Day, the angels, the Book
and the Prophets,…." [Al-Baqarah: 177]
Names of few of the angels
and their brief description is mentioned below:
Jibreel:
To deliver the Divine Revelations from Allah Almighty to His
chosen Messengers from among the Prophets.
Mikaaeel:
To manage man's mundane necessities, bring forth rain and
oversee the cultivation of crops.
Israafeel:
To blow the Trumpet: once, for the destruction of the universe;
and again, for the Resurrection of all accountable beings
to face Judgment Day.
Izraaeel:
Angel of Death, the most fearsome of them all, who does not
delay nor expedite the hour of claiming the soul.
Apart from the above
ten, there are numerous other angels whose duties are:
- To carry the throne of Allah
- To glorify Allah and to continuously prostrate
to Him
- To beg forgiveness from Allah for believers
and those who have repented.
- To beg for goodness for those human beings
doing good deeds, and to beg for the destruction of those
reluctant to donate a portion of their wealth in the way
of goodness
- To say Ameen (Amen) together with those
praying to Allah in congregation
- To take turn guarding humans all day and
night, with the changing of the guard occurring in the late
afternoon and at dawn.
In a hadeeth (sayings of the
Prophet Muhammad - pbuh) narrated by Aishah, Prophet Muhammad
said:
"The Angels are created
from light, the Jinn from the burning fire, and Adam from
what has been expounded to you (i.e. fashioned out of clay)."
[Muslim]
Although man is created from
clay and Angels from light, the Qur'an categorically states
that Man is the 'jewel of creation'. Evidence of this is seen
in the following Qur'anic verse:
"Verily, We created man
of the best stature (mould)" [At-Teen: 4]
|
