Malaikah
Muslims believe that angels, or , were created before humans with the purpose of following the orders of Allah and communicating with humans. Muslims believe that angels, like all other creatures, were created by God. In Islamic belief, angels communicate messages from Allah to humanity.
The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], ‘We make no distinctions between any of His messengers.’ And they say, ‘We hear and obey. [We seek] your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.’ (Qur’an 2:285)
According to Islamic belief, the angels constantly praise God:
They exalt him night and day and do not slacken.
Angels in Islam have the following qualities:
- They are made from light.
- They have no .
- They tell Allah about the behaviour of humans.
- They are limitless.
- They are invisible. However, they may reveal themselves to humans on special occasions. An example is when the Angel revealed himself to Prophet Muhammad.
Important angels in the Qur'an
Angels named in the include:
- Jibril – The bringer of good news. He is mentioned in both the Qur’an and the . The Angel Jibril revealed Allah’s words in the form of the Qur’an to Muhammad on the Night of Power. Because of this, he is also known as the Angel of Revelation, as he played a vital role in communicating Islam to humanity. The Angel Jibril is known as the Angel Gabriel in Christian scriptures. In the Qur’an, Allah makes it clear that anyone who opposes Jibril or the other angels will become an enemy of Allah:
Whoever is an enemy to Jibril – it is [none but] he who has brought the Qur’an down upon his heart, by permission of Allah, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Jibril and Mika’il – then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.
- Mika’il – The Angel Mika’il (known as Michael in Christianity) is a friend to humanity. He is known as the giver of rain, which waters the land and helps to provide food for people. He is believed to guard places of worship and reward people’s good deeds. As the Angel of Mercy, he asks Allah to forgive people’s sins. It is believed that both the Angel Jibril and the Angel Mika’il will be present on the .
- Izra’il – The Angel of Death, who takes the souls from bodies when people die.
- Israfil – The angel who will be present on the day of . It is believed that the Angel Israfil will blow a trumpet to announce the .
- Munkar and Nakir – The angels responsible for questioning the soul of a person who has died.
Angels communicate with Allah and humans to ensure the direct word of Allah is given to humans correctly.
Muslims also believe that angels are with them at all times. They have two angels, which sit on either shoulder and are known as Al-Kiram and Al-Katibun. One of the angels records the good things the person has done and the other records the bad things the person has done. Allah will judge each person based on these deeds, deciding whether they are worth of Paradise ( or Hell ().
