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The Malaaikahs, aka Angels, of Allah, Part 1

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A good article on the nature, functions and nonsense of Allah's angels...

“Truly, it is the speech of a noble Messenger” [Surah at-Takwir, 19]

“He is the Raiser of ranks, the Possessor of the Throne, He sends the Spirit by His command to whichever of His servants He wills so that he may warn mankind about the Day of Meeting” [Surah Ghafir, 15]

“It is nothing but Revelation revealed, taught him by one immensely strong, possessing power and splendor. He stood there stationary” [Surah an-Najm, 4-6]

“And veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. She said, 'I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful if you guard against evil.' He said, 'I am only your Lord's messenger so that He can give you a pure boy.' She said, 'How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I am not an unchaste woman?' He said, 'It will be so! Your Lord says, "That is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us." It is a matter already decreed.” [Surah Maryam, 17-21]

Lately, Hollywood has come out with a spate of movies on Angels or Angelic beings. There was 'Meet Joe Black, City of Angels', 'Michael' and ‘Legion’ to name a few…

According to most religious beliefs, there are indeed Angels all around mankind! But, these beings are not visible to the human eye. We cannot see these Angels because they are made of things imperceptible to human eyes. But all the same, the Muslims know that these Angels (known as Malaaikahs) are there, because Allah has told so. Sometimes, Muslims can even feel the presence of these Malaaikahs. Apart from the Prophets, no human being has the ability to see these Angelic beings in their original forms? Over the years, our religious history has recorded several instances where Malaaikahs appeared in the forms of pleasant-looking men to certain individuals, including to Prophets Muhammad (SAW), bibi Hazrat Maryam (A.S.), Hazrat Ibraheem (A.S.) and Hazrat Looth (A.S.) and also to communities, such as the inhabitants of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Malaaikahs are created by Allah, just as a Muslim and everything else has been created by Him. Malaaikahs obey Allah; they are His servants. They perform many tasks and keep the world in being by obeying Allah’s commands. The Malaaikahs are neither a male nor female, and these beings do not eat, drink, sleep nor have any desires. They are created in such a way that they always obey and never go against the Divine commandments of Allah, and never tire of serving Allah. For Muslims, the second ‘Article of Faith’ stipulates that Muslims must believe in these Malaaikahs, whose population is infinite. Belief in Malaaikahs is one of the six pillars of belief or faith, without which one cannot be a Muslim! Whosoever does not believe in any of the basic Islamic pillars is not a believer (mu’min).

These Islamic pillars are the belief in: 1) only Allah, 2) His Malaaikahs (Angels), 3) His Koran (holy Book), 4) His Messengers, 5) the Last Day, and 6) predestination that both good and bad comes from Allah. This command is contained in the Koranic verse:

"Uprightness is not to turn your faces towards east or west, but uprightness is to believe in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets." [2:177]

As a rule and commandment, all Muslims are required to know the names and functions of 10 leading Malaaikahs of Allah. They are:

  1. Hazrat Jibreel (A.S.) – to deliver the Divine Revelations from Allah to His chosen Messengers from among the prophets and the creator of Malaaikahs*
  2. Hazrat Mikaaeel (A.S.) – to manage man's mundane necessities, bring forth rain and oversee the cultivation of crops.
  3. Hazrat Israafeel (A.S.) – to blow the Trumpets: once, for the destruction of the universe; and again, for the Resurrection of all accountable beings to face Allah on Judgment Day.
  4. Hazrat Izraaeel (A.S.) – the Angel of Death, the most fearsome of them all, who does not delay nor expedite the hour of claiming the Muslim’s soul.
  5. Hazrat Maalik (A.S) – the Guardian of Hell, an unwelcome sight, for the unfortunate and the wretched dwellers of the eternal Hell fires of Jahannum.
  6. Hazrat Ridhuan (A.S.) – the Guardian of Heaven, who welcomes the Prophets of Allah and the righteous, who have been blessed by Allah.
  7. Hazrat Munkar (A.S.) – to question the dead on such issues relating to his/her God, prophet, religion, belief, deeds, etc. by the orders of Allah.
  8. Hazrat Naakir (A.S.) – to question the dead on such issues relating to his/her God, prophet, religion, belief, deeds, etc. by the orders of Allah.
  9. Hazrat Raqeeb (A.S.) – who sits on man's right shoulder to record his/her good deeds by the orders of Allah.
  10. Hazrat Ateed (A.S.) – who sits on man's left shoulder to record his/her evil deeds by the orders of Allah.

Apart from these 10 Angels, there are numerous others, whose duties are mentioned below:

Muslims (humans) have been created from clay and Malaaikahs from light, but the Kor'an categorically states that Man (a Muslim) is the jewel of all creations. Evidence of these is seen in the following Koranic verse: "Verily, We created man of the best stature (mould)" [Surah at-Teen 95:4]

Here are some characteristics of these Malaaikahs of Allah:

  1. Malaaikahs are the creation of Allah, made from "Noor" (Light).
  2. Malaaikahs are "Masoom" (sinless). They are pure from all types of small and large sins.
  3. Malaaikahs are obedient servants of Allah. They do what Allah commands them to do.
  4. They are countless in number. Only Allah really knows how many Malaaikahs there are created. As Allah has also shown their exact numbers to his special servants like the Ambiyahs (Prophets) and Auwliyahs (Saints).
  5. Malaaikahs are neither male nor female in gender.
  6. Malaaikahs have been given the strength by Allah to turn into whatever shape or form they wish, whether it be of a human or of another creation.
  7. As Allah  has given Malaaikahs many types of duties; some of these Angels have a fixed duty of taking out the Muslim’s souls, whilst some bring rains to Muslim lands, some Malaaikahs have been given the tasks to create the face of a child in the Muslim mother's womb, whilst some to write the deeds of a Muslim individual, some Malaaikahs writing down a Muslims’ daily actions, some are attending Islamic functions like Zikr, Moulood-un-Nabi and Urs-e-Shareef, some Malaaikahs sending Duroodhs Shareefs and Salaams upon Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) grave and taking our Duroodhs and Salaams to him. Some Malaaikahs are in the constant position of Sajdahs, Rukuhs, and Qiyaams, and some are busy remembering the Almighty Allah all the time in prayers, etc.
  8. There is a river in Heaven (Jannah tul Firdaus), wherein, whenever Malaaikah Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.) submerges his mighty wings and shakes it, small droplets of water drip from it. From each droplet a Malaaikah (an Angel) is created. Indeed, one cannot estimate the droplets of water that drip from the wings of Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.). Why? Simply because Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.) has 600 wings and each wing is so huge that when it spreads out, it casts a shadow over the entire sky.
  9. Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.) is the Leader of  Malaaikahs (Angels).
  10. The names of the four famous Malaaikahs are: Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.), Hazrat Mikaaeel (A.S.), Hazrat Izraeel (A.S.), and Hazrat Israfeel (A.S.). Names of a few more Malaaikahs are: Hazratein Kiraaman, Khaatibeen, Munkar, Nakeer, Ridwaan and Maalik.
  11. To believe that the Malaaikahs as "Kadeem" (always have been in existence or always will be in existence) or to believe them as the creators is Kufr. And also the slightest form of insult for a Malaaikah is also Kufr. While some people call their enemies or oppressors as "the Angel of death". To say such things is not allowed and close to Kufr (infidelity) to Allah.
  12. To reject the existence of Malaaikahs (Angels) or to say that the strength of all good is known as Malaaikahs and that there are no such things as Malaaikahs are all to be taken as acts of Kufr indeed for all Muslims.

The Angels were commanded to prostrate to Hazrat Adam (A.S.) to show their respect, because his level of degree in the sight of Allah was greater than Malaaikahs. So, all these Angels fell down to prostrate Hazrat Adam, except for Iblees aka Shaytaan. [Surah 7:11]

Allah asked:

"What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" Iblees said: "I am better than he: You created me from fire and him from clay." [Surah 7:12]

The reason for Iblees's capacity to disobey Allah can be learnt from the following verse:

"And (remember) when We said to the Angels: "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Iblees (Satan). He was one of the Jinn’s; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord" [Surah al-Kahf 18:50]

Here we see that although Iblees was a dweller of Paradise, he was not from the angel community. He, as Jinn, is created from fire whereas the Malaaikahs are of light. Unlike the Malaaikahs, who are bound to serve and obey Allah, the Jinn are not free from sins (ma'soom). In this respect, they are more like humans: “they may be obedient or disobedient to their Creator”. As the Jinn are also generally invisible to the human eye, some people falsely regard them as gods. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"Yet they make the Jinn equals with Allah, though Allah did create the Jinn; and they falsely, having no knowledge, attribute to Him sons and daughters. Praise and glory be to Him! (for He is) above what they attribute to Him!" [Surah al-An'aam 6:100]

The Malaaikahs are nothing like we see in the movies. We only know about them what Allah has revealed in the Koran and how the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) described them in the ahaadiths. But, the Muslims do know that they are pure, sinless beings created from light with the mission to faithfully obey and serve their Lord, Allah.

“And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but Iblees (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers. [Surah 2:34]

The above verse speaks of a weaker Almighty Allah, whom has failed before Iblees (Shaytaan). Allah commanded him to do something and Iblees right away refused it.

It can be due to two reasons:

  1. Either Allah is unable to control Iblees (Shaytaan), or,
  2. Iblees (Shaytaan) is similar in nature and authority to the Almighty Allah.

Hence, if Allah is Almighty, then Iblees (Shaytaan) should tremble before Him and will have no way but to obey Him. But here, it is clearly narrated that Iblees told Allah to mind His own business. What do you think of Masha Allah?

To be continued…