Islamic view of angels
Encyclopedia
Angels are mentioned many times in the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...

 and Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....

. Islam is clear on the nature of angels in that they are messengers of God. They have no free will
Free will in theology
Free will in theology is an important part of the debate on free will in general. This article discusses the doctrine of free will as it has been, and is, interpreted within the various branches of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism...

, (unlike humans or jinn
Jinn
Jinn are supernatural beings in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings.Jinn may also refer to:* Jinn , a Japanese band* Qui-Gon Jinn, a character in the Star Wars universe...

) and can do only what God
God in Islam
In Islamic theology, God is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator, sustainer, ordainer, and judge of the universe. Islam puts a heavy emphasis on the conceptualization of God as strictly singular . God is unique and inherently One , all-merciful and omnipotent. According to the Islamic...

 orders them to do. An example of a task they carry out is that of testing of individuals by granting them abundant wealth and curing their illness. Believing in angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...

s is one of the six Articles of Faith
Articles of Faith
Articles of faith are sets of beliefs usually found in creeds, sometimes numbered, and often beginning with "We believe...", which attempt to more or less define the fundamental theology of a given religion, and especially in the Christian Church....

 in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

.

Angel hierarchy

There is no standard hierarchical organization in Islam that parallels the division into different "choirs" or spheres, as hypothesized and drafted by early medieval Christian theologians
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...

. Most Islamic scholars agree that this is an unimportant topic in Islam, especially since such a topic has never been directly mentioned or addressed in the Qur'an. However, it is clear that there is a set order or hierarchy that exists between angels, defined by the assigned jobs and various tasks to which angels are commanded by God. The angel Jibraaiyl
Holy Spirit (Islam)
The Holy Spirit in Islam is mentioned several times in the Quran, and is interpreted by many muslims as referring to the angel Gabriel.-The Holy Spirit, al-Ruh al-Quds, in the Quran:...

 (Gabriel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...

) is the most recognizable angel, as in Islam this angel delivers the message of God (Allah) to the Islamic prophet
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...

, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...

. This message is the Qur'an. Angels can take on different forms, including human.

Some scholars suggest that Islamic angels can be grouped into fourteen categories as follows, of which numbers 2-5 are considered archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...

s. Due to varied methods of translation from Arabic and the fact that these angels also exist in Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

 contexts and the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

, several of their Christian and phonetic transliteral names are listed:
  • Hamalat al-'Arsh, Those who carry the 'Arsh (throne of God
    Merkabah
    Merkabah is the throne-chariot of God, the four-wheeled vehicle driven by four "chayot" , each of which has four wings and the four faces of a man, lion, ox, and eagle...

    )
  • Jibraaiyl/Jibril
    Holy Spirit (Islam)
    The Holy Spirit in Islam is mentioned several times in the Quran, and is interpreted by many muslims as referring to the angel Gabriel.-The Holy Spirit, al-Ruh al-Quds, in the Quran:...

    (Judeo-Christian
    Judeo-Christian
    Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...

     Gabriel
    Gabriel
    In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...

    ), the angel of revelation, who is said to be the greatest of the angels. Jibraaiyl is the archangel responsible for revealing the Qur'an to Muhammad, verse by verse. Jibrayil is widely known as the angel who communicates with (all of) the prophets and also for coming down with Allah's blessings during the night of Laylat al-Qadr
    Laylat al-Qadr
    Lailatul Qadr , the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan...

     ("The Night of Destiny").
  • Israfil/Israafiyl
    Israfel
    Israfel or Israfil , is the angel of the trumpet in Islam, though unnamed in the Qur'an. Along with Mikhail, Djibril and Izra'il, he is one of the four Islamic archangels.-In religious tradition:...

    (Judeo-Christian Raphael
    Raphael (archangel)
    Raphael is an archangel of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, who in the Judeo-Christian tradition performs all manners of healing....

    ), who will blow the trumpet twice at the end of time. According to the Hadith
    Hadith
    The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....

    , Israafiyl is the angel responsible for signaling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgment Day
    Last Judgment
    The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...

    ) by blowing a horn. The blowing of the trumpet is described in many places in Qur'an. It is said that the first blow will bring all to attention. The second will end all life, while the third blow will bring all human beings back to life again to meet their Lord for their final judgement.
  • Mikail
    Michael (archangel)
    Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...

    (Judeo-Christian Michael
    Michael
    Michael is a given name that comes from the , derived from the Hebrew question מי כמו אלוהים? meaning "Who is like God?" In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick...

    ), who provides nourishments for bodies and souls. Mikail is often depicted as the Archangel of mercy who is responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth. He is also responsible for the rewards doled out to good persons in this life.
  • 'Azrael/'Azraaiyl a.k.a Malak al-maut
    Azrael
    Azrael is the name of the Archangel of Death in some extrabiblical traditions. He is also the angel of death in Islamic theology and Sikhism. It is an English form of the Arabic name ʿIzrāʾīl or Azra'eil , the name traditionally attributed to the angel of death in some sects of Islam and Sikhism,...

    (Judeo-Christian Azrael
    Azrael
    Azrael is the name of the Archangel of Death in some extrabiblical traditions. He is also the angel of death in Islamic theology and Sikhism. It is an English form of the Arabic name ʿIzrāʾīl or Azra'eil , the name traditionally attributed to the angel of death in some sects of Islam and Sikhism,...

    ), the angel of death
    Death (personification)
    The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...

    . He is responsible for parting the soul from the body. He is only referred as malak al-maut, meaning angel of death, in the Qur'an.

  • The angels of the Seven Heavens.
  • Hafaza
    Hafaza
    In Islamic mythology, a Hafaza is a type of angel. It is similar to the Christian concept of a guardian angel.Each person is assigned with four Hafazas, two of which keep watch during the day and two during the night. They help the soul fight attacks from the Devil and djinn. The Hafazas keep track...

    (The Guardian Angel
    Guardian angel
    A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...

    ):
    • Kiraman Katibin (Honourable Recorders
      Recording angel
      The Recording angel is, in Judaic, Christian and Islamic angelology, one or more angels assigned by God with the task of recording the events, actions, and/or prayers of each individual human...

      ), two of whom are charged with each human being; one writes down good deeds, and the other writes down evil deeds.
    • Mu'aqqibat
      Mu'aqqibat
      Al-Mu'aqqibat is the Angel of the maintain every being at the time living, traveling, time to sleep or when waking up from the dead to come time of death...

      (The Protectors) who keep people from death until its decreed time and who bring down blessings.
  • Munkar and Nakir, who question the dead in their graves.
  • Darda'il
    Darda'il
    Darda'il , are islamic angels who travel in the earth searching out assemblies where people remember God’s name.Harut and Marut are believed to be two angels who came down to Babil. The knowledge gained from these angels was misused by the evil ones in teaching sorcery to the inhabitants there....

    (The Journeyers), who travel in the earth searching out assemblies where people remember God's name.
  • The angels charged with each existent thing, maintaining order and warding off corruption. Their number is known only to God.
  • Maalik
    Maalik
    In Islamic belief, Maalik denotes an angel who guards the Hellfire, assisted by 19 zabaniya or guardians. In the Qur'an, sura 43, 77, Maalik tells the wicked who appeal to him that they must remain in Hell because "they abhorred the truth when the truth was brought to them." It is also noted that...

    is the chief of the angels who govern Jahannam
    Jahannam
    Jahannam is the Arabic language equivalent to Hell. The term comes from the Greek Gehenna, itself derived from the Hebrew geographical name for the Valley of Hinnom.-Jahannam in the Qur'an:...

     (Hell
    Hell
    In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...

    ).
  • Zabaniah are 19 angels who torment sinful persons in hell.
  • Ridwan
    Ridwan
    Ridwan means "pleased". According to Islamic traditions, Ridwan is the name of the angel in charge of maintaining Jannah or Paradise. It is also pronounced as "Rizwan" or "Rizvan" or "Ridvan" or "Rıdvan" in Turkish, Bosnian, Persian, Urdu, Pashto, Tajik, Punjabi, Kashmiri, and other languages...

    is the angel who is responsible for Jannah
    Jannah
    Jannah , is the Islamic conception of paradise. The Arabic word Jannah is a shortened version meaning simply "Garden". According to Islamic eschatology, after death, one will reside in the grave until the appointed resurrection on . Muslims believe that the treatment of the individual in the life...

     (Paradise
    Paradise
    Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...

    ).


The Qur'an also mentions angels who God has chosen to punish the sinful in hell, these angels take no pity on punishing them as they do what the Lord has commanded them to precisely and perfectly. A verse stipulates this:
Also the number of Angels guarding Hell are mentioned as nineteen:
The Qur'an also mentions that angels have qualities that may be typified by the word wings: "All praise and thanks are due to Allah the Originator of the Heavens and Earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two or three or four..." .|Qur'an, sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...

 35 (At-Fatir or Al-Mala'ikah) ayah
Ayah
Ayah or Aayah is the Arabic word for sign or proof:"These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you with truth...

 1

However, according to hadith collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari
Muhammad al-Bukhari
Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari , popularly known as Bukhari or Imam Bukhari, , was a Sunni Islamic scholar of Persia...

, Muhammad said that Gabriel had 600 wings;

The preceding sentence does not imply that all angels have two to four wings. Most notably, archangels (namely Gabriel and Michael) are described as having thousands of wings. The angels also accompanied Muhammad up to Jannah (Heaven) when he received commands from God
Isra and Mi'raj
The Isra and Mi'raj , are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey...

. Instead of riding on an angel, Muhammad rode a creature called a Buraq
Buraq
Al-Burāq is a mythological steed, described as a creature from the heavens which transported the prophets. The most commonly told story is how in the 7th century, Al-Buraq carried the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and back during the Isra and Mi'raj or "Night Journey", which is...

 whose stride spans from horizon to horizon.

In relation to some narrations (riwayah), it is stated that the angels had accompanied, and had been in the presence of Muhammad when he was born. A classic example of this is, when Muhammad was born, then in some narrations it has been said that Gibrael had swung the cot, in which Muhammad lay.

The following is a Quranic verse that mentions the meeting of an angel with Mary, mother of Jesus:
Surah Aal ‘Imran Chapter 3 verse 45
Muhammad, speaking of the magnitude of the angel Gabriel, has said that his wings spanned from the Eastern to the Western horizon.

Verses in the Qur'an that directly name Angels

Gabriel (Jibreel) and Michael (Mikaa'eel) are mentioned early on the Qur'an in Sura Al-Baqarah:
Another angel, Maalik is defined in the Qur'an as a being who is the warden of Hell. However Maalik is not an evil angel, nor a fallen one
Fallen angel
Fallen angel is a concept developed in Jewish mythology from interpretation of the Book of Enoch. The actual term fallen angel is not found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. Christians adopted the concept of fallen angels mainly based on their interpretations of the Book of...

, a notion Islam rejects, rather Maalik is merely doing what he is commanded to do by God. In Islam Iblīs or Shayṭan
Devil (Islam)
In Islam, the Devil is known as or . According to the Qurʾān, God created Iblis out of "smokeless fire or from the pure flame of fire" and created man out of clay...

 (the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...

 or Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...

) is considered by many to be a jinn
Jinn
Jinn are supernatural beings in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings.Jinn may also refer to:* Jinn , a Japanese band* Qui-Gon Jinn, a character in the Star Wars universe...

 rather than an fallen angel, since he questioned God when He ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, an act that suggested he possesses free will. An alternative view holds that rather than "defying" God, Iblis was acting in a manner predetermined by God.
Two other Angels are also mentioned directly in the Qur'an: Haaroot and Maaroot (Harut and Marut
Harut and Marut
Harut and Marut are two angels mentioned in the second Surah of the Qur'an, who were sent down to test the people at Babel or Babylon by performing deeds of magic....

):
Several angels such as Azrael, Israfil, Munkar and Nakir are not mentioned directly in the Qur'an but are explained further in the hadiths of Muhammad. They are also mentioned in traditional myths, however, they seldom retain complete originality from the hadith.

See also

  • List of theological angels
  • List of theological demons
  • Malik
    Malik
    Malik is an Arabic word meaning "king, chieftain".It has been adopted in various other, mainly Islamized or Arabized, Asian languages for their ruling princes and to render kings elsewhere. It is also sometimes used in derived meanings...

  • Sariel
    Sariel
    Sariel is one of the archangels mainly from Judaic tradition. Other possible versions of his name are Suriel, Suriyel , Esdreel, Sahariel, Juriel, Seriel, Sauriel, Surya, Saraqael, Sarakiel, Jariel, Suruel, Surufeland Sourial.Suriel is sometimes identified with Ariel, Metatron, and Uriel...

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