The Angels

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Angels are unseen beings of a luminous and spiritual substance that
act as intermediaries between God and the visible world. Belief in
their existence enters into the definition of faith itself: "The
Messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and the
believers: Each one believes in God, His angels, His Books, and His
Messengers" (Quran II:285; cf. II:177, IV:136).
The word for angel, malak, whoseroot meaning is "messenger", occurs
more than eighty times in the Quran and repeatedly in the Hadith. The
Islamic concepts of creation, revelation, prophecy, theevents that
occur in the world, worship, the spiritual life, death, resurrection,
and the central position of man in the cosmos cannot be understood
without reference to the angels.
In philosophical and Sufi texts, angelology is often an essential
component of both cosmology and spiritual psychology, since the angels
enter into the definition of both the macrocosmand the microcosm.
Angels in Qur'an & Hadith
The angels belong to the "world of the unseen" ('alam al-ghayb). When
the unbelievers asked why an angel had not been sent down with the
Prophet Muhammad, Godreplied, "Had We made him an angel, yet assuredly
We would have made him a man" (VI, 9).
Even if the angels were to be seen by the outward eye, they would
appear in forms suitable for the visible world (al-shahadah).
Moreover, if God had sent down an angel, then"the matter would be
judged, and no respite would be given [to mankind]" (VI, 8)
For, "upon the day when they seethe angels -- no good tidings that day
for the sinners ... On the day when the heavens and the cloudsare
split asunder and the angels are sent down in a grand descent,the
dominion that day will belongtruly to the All-Merciful; it will be
aharsh day for the unbelievers" (XXV, 25-26)
The Quran often refers to the angels' eschatological function not only
at the resurrection, but also at death and in heaven and hell: "The
angel of death, who hasbeen charged with you, will gather you; then to
your Lord you will be returned" (XXXII, 11).
"If you could only see when the evildoers are in the agonies of death
and the angels are stretching out their hands: 'Give up your souls!' "
(VI, 93)."Believers, guard yourselves and your families against a Fire
whose fuel is men and stones, and over which are harsh,
terribleangels" (LXVI, 6).
"Gardens of Eden which they shallenter ... and the angels shall enter
unto them from every gate" (XIII, 23).
Several of these angels are mentioned by name. Ridwan
("Good-pleasure", IX, 21; LVII, 20) is taken to be the proper name of
the angel given charge of paradise, whereas Malik ("Master",XLIII, 77)
rules over hell. Nakir and Munkar, the two angels who question the
dead in their graves, are mentioned in many hadiths; traditions also
speak of Ruman, who subjects the dead to various trials.
The sacred history of the Prophet's mission provides many examples of
explicit angelic activity in key events. As an infant, the Prophet was
visited by"two men clothed in white, carrying a gold basin full of
snow."
In the Prophet's own words, these angelic beings "split open my breast
and brought forth my heart. This also they split open, taking from it
a black clot which they cast away. Then they washed my breast with the
snow."
God revealed the Quran to the Prophet by means of the angel Gabriel,
who also acted as his guide on the Night of Ascension (Laylat
al-mi'raj). Many witnesses reported the participation of angels in
battles fought by the nascent community.
Concerning the battle of Badr, the Quran itself says: "When thy Lord
revealed to the angels, 'I am withyou, so confirm the believers. I
shall cast terror into the unbelievers' hearts, so strike off their
heads and smite their every finger'" (VIII, 12).
In this world, before death the angels record the deeds of men:"There
are over you watchers, noble writers, who know whatever you do"
(LXXXII, 10-12)."Over every soul there is a watcher" (LXXXVI, 4). The
Prophet added, "They mind your works: when a work is good, they praise
God, and when one is evil, they ask Him to forgive you."
The Prophet also reported that angels take turns watching over men and
assemble together at theafternoon and dawn prayers."Those who spent
the night among you then ascend, and their Lord asks them -- though He
is best informed about you -- how they left His servants. They reply,
'We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they
were praying.' "
In the same way, when people gather together to remember (dhikr) God,
"the angels surround them, mercy covers them, peace descends on them,
and God remembers them among those who are with Him."

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