Wednesday, August 29, 2012



"From ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, who said: the Messenger of Allah saw Jibreel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls and rubies, only Allah knows about them." It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid.

The Messenger of Allah said, describing Jibreel: "I saw Jibreel descending from heaven, and his great size filled the space between heaven and earth." (Reported by Muslim, no. 177).

Among the greatest angels are those who carry the Throne (of Allah), who were described in the following report:

"From Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah from the Prophet , who said: ‘I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of Allah who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.’" (Sunan Abee Daawood, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab fi’l-Jahamiyyah)

They have wings
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings - two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things." [Faatir 35:1]

Their beauty
Allah said, describing Jibreel, upon whom be peace (interpretation of the meaning):

"He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power, Dhoo Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), then he rose and became stable." [al-Najm 53:5-6]

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: "‘Dhoo Mirrah means that he has a beautiful appearance." Qutaadah said: "He is tall and beautiful."

The idea that angels are beautiful is firmly established in all people’s minds, so much so that they liken a beautiful human to an angel, as the women said about Yoosuf:

". . . When they [the women] saw him, they did extol him and (in their amazement) cut their hands: they said: ‘Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!’" [Yoosuf 12:31]

Their differences in size and status
The angels are not all of one size or status; there are differences between them just as there are differences in virtue. The best of them are those that were present at the battle of Badr, as is stated in the hadeeth narrated by Mu‘aadh ibn Rifaa‘ah al-Zuraaqi from his father, who had been one of the people present at Badr. He said: "Jibreel came to the Prophet and asked, ‘How do you rate the people among you who were present at Badr?’ He said: ‘They are the best of the Muslims,’ or something similar. [Jibreel] said: ‘So it is with the angels who were present at Badr.’" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 3992).

They do not eat or drink
This is indicated by the conversation between Ibrahim, the "friend" of Allah and the angels who visited him. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Then he (Ibrahim) turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, and placed it before them. He (Ibrahim) said, ‘Will you not eat?’ (When they did not eat), he conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not,’ and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge." [al-Dhaariyaat 51:26-28]

Elsewhere, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"But when he [Ibrahim] saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of the. They said: ‘Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.’" [Hud 11:70]

They do not get bored or tired of remembering and worshipping Allah
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit." [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:20]

". . . For in the presence of your Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never flag (nor feel themselves above it)." [Fussilat 41:38]

Their number
The angels are many, and their number is known only to Allah. The Prophet said, described the Much-Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma‘moor) in the seventh heaven:

"Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another [group] coming after them." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 3207).

‘Abdullaah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels." (Reported by Muslim, no. 2842).

Their names
The angels have names, but we know only the names of a few of them. We have to believe in the names reported in the Qur’aan and Sunnah texts, as a part of general belief in the angels. Among the names of angels that are known to us are:
(1) Jibreel (Gabriel) and
(2) Mikaa’eel (Michael)

"Say: Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings to those who believe - Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and prophets, to Jibreel and Mikaa’eel - Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith." [al-Baqarah 2:97-98]
(3) Israafeel

From Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, who said: "I asked ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers about what the Prophet used to start his prayer with when he got up to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl). She said: ‘When he got up to pray at night, he would start his prayer (with the words): ‘O Allah, Lord of Jibreel, Mikaa’eel and Israafeel, Creator of heaven and earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You are the Judge of the matters in which Your slaves differ; guide me with regard to disputed matters of Truth by Your permission, for You guide whomever You will to the Straight Path.’" (Reported by Muslim, no. 270).
(4) Malik

He is the Keeper of Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "They [the people in Hell] will cry: ‘O Malik! Would that your Lord put an end to us!’..." [al-Zukhruf 43:77]
(5) Munkar and
(6) Nakeer

From Abu Hurayrah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah said: ‘When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They ask him, ‘What did you used to say about this man?’ and he says what he used to say: ‘He is the slave and Messenger of Allah: I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allah. They say, ‘We knew beforehand that you used to say this.’ Then his grave will be widened for him to a size of seventy cubits by seventy cubits and it will be illuminated for him. Then they tell him, ‘Sleep.’

He says, ‘Go back to my family and tell them.’ They tell him, ‘Sleep like a bridegroom whom no-one will wake up except his most beloved,’ until Allah raises him up. If (the deceased) was a hypocrite, he says, ‘I heard the people saying something so I said something similar; I do not know.’ They say: ‘We knew beforehand that you used to say this.’ The earth will be told to squeeze him, so he will be crushed until his ribs are interlocked, and he will remain like that until Allah raises him up.’" (reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 1071. Abu ‘Isa said: It is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth. It is judged hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami‘, no. 724).
(7) Haaroot and

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