5] Could you give us some information about the angels?

5]
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah created the angels from light. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (narrated by Muslim,2996)
The angels are by nature obedient to Allaah:
“[they, i.e., angels] disobey not, (from executing) the Commandsthey receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded
[al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning]
They are created in such away that they do not eat or drink. Their food is tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and tahleel (sayingLaa ilaaha ill-Allaah), as Allaah tells us concerning them (interpretation of the meaning):
“They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so) [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:20]
The angels bear witness to the Oneness of Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Allaah bears witness thatLaa ilaaha illa Huwa (nonehas the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in justice. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none hasthe right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:18]
Allaah has honoured some of the angels by choosing them as Messengers, just as He haschosen some of mankind as Messengers:
“Allaah chooses Messengers from angels and from men”
[al-Hajj 22:75 – interpretation of the meaning]
When Allaah created Adam and He wanted to honour him, He commanded the angels toprostrate to him:
“And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)’”
[al-Baqarah 2:34 – interpretation of the meaning]
The angels are a mighty creation, and they perform many tasks, and they are divided into many groups, which no one knows except Allaah. Some of them carry the Throne:
“Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) andthose around it glorify thepraises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those whobelieve (in the Oneness of Allaah)…”[Ghaafir 40:7 – interpretation of the meaning]
Among them is the one who brings down the Revelation to the Messengers. He is Jibreel (peace be upon him), whobrought the Qur’aan down to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
“Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down
Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners”
[al-Shu’araa 26:193 – interpretation of the meaning]
Among them is Mikaa’eel, who is appointed in charge of the rain and vegetation, and Israafeel who is appointed to blow the Trumpet when the Hour begins. And among them are the recording angels who are appointedto watch over the sons of Adam and their deeds:
“But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you,
Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen —writing down (your deeds),
They know all that you do
[al-Infitaar :10-12 – interpretation of the meaning]
Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of writing down all deeds, whether good or evil:
“(Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions)
Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)
[Qaaf 50:17-18 – interpretation of the meaning]
Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the believers:
“Those whose lives the angels take while they arein a pious state (i.e. pure from all evil, and worshipping none but Allaah Alone) saying (to them): Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be on you) enter you Paradise, because of that (the good)which you used to do (in the world)”
[al-Nahl 16:32 – interpretation of the meaning]
And among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the disbelievers:
“And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death);they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): ‘Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire’”
[al-Anfaal 8:50 – interpretation of the meaning]
Among them are the gatekeepers of Paradise and the servants of the people of Paradise:
“And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying):
Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeedis the final home!”
[al-Ra’d 13:23-24 – interpretation of the meaning]
And among them are the gatekeepers of Hell:
“O you who believe! Wardoff yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe” :->/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The reason for the existence of the honourable scribes eventhough Allaah knows all things

What is the reason for theexistence of the honourable scribes even though Allaah knows all things?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We say concerning such matters: we may or may not understand the wisdom behind it, because we do not know the wisdom behind many things, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning the Rooh (the spirit). Say: ‘The Rooh(the spirit) is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little’”
[al-Isra’ 17:85].
With regard to these creatures, if someone were to ask us: what is the reason behind Allaah making the camel in this manner, and making the horse in this manner, and making the donkey in thismanner, and making the human in this manner? and so on, if he were to ask us about the reason or wisdom behind these things, we would not know. If we were to be asked: what is the reason why Allaah has made Zuhrprayer four rak’ahs, and ‘Asr prayer four, and Maghrib three, and ‘Isha’ four, and so on? We would not be able to know the wisdom behind that.
Thus we know that with regard many matters, both in the universe and in terms of sharee’ah, the wisdom behind them is hidden from us. As that is the case, we say: if we manage to understand the wisdom behind some things in creation or in sharee’ah, if Allaah blessesus by enabling us to understand it, that is additional virtue, goodness and knowledge.If we do not understand that, that is not going to harm us in any way.
Now let us go back to the question, which is what is the reason why Allaah hasappointed honourable scribes to record what we do?
The wisdom behind that is to show that Allaah has organised and measured all things in the most perfect manner, to such an extent that He has appointed honourable scribes to record the actions and words of the sons of Adam; they are enjoined to watch over them and write down all that they do, even thoughHe knows what they are going to do before they do it. But this is a manifestation of the perfection of Allaah's care for man and His complete protection, and it shows that this universe is organised in the best possible manner, and Allaah is All Knowing, Most Wise. And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

3a] Is Iblees a jinn or an angel?

3a]
[al-Jinn72;1-2]
In the same soorah, it states that the jinn said:
"'And indeed when we heard the Guidance (this Qur'aan), we believed
therein (Islamic Monotheism), and whosoever believes in his Lord shall
have no fear, either of a decrease in thereward of his good deeds or
an increase in the punishment for his sins. And of us some are
Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this
Qur'aan), and of us some are Al-Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who have
deviated from the Right Path)'..." [al-Jinn 72:13-14]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer:
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Iblees was not one of the angels, not even
for a single moment. He is the father of the jinn, just as Adam (peace
be upon him) is the father of mankind. This was narrated by al-Tabari
witha saheeh isnaad (part 3/89).
Some of the scholars said that Iblees was one of theangels, that he
was the peacock of the angels, that he was the one among the angels
who strove the hardest in worship... and other reports, most of which
come from the Israa'eeliyyaat (stories and reports from Jewish
sources), and some of which contradict the clear texts of the Qur'aan.
Ibn Katheer said, explaining this:
A lot of these reports were transmitted from the Salaf, and most of
them come from the Israa'eeliyyaat, which maybe been transmitted in
order to be examined [i.e.,as opposed to being accepted as is]. Allaah
knows best about the veracity or otherwise of many of them. Some of
them are definitely to be rejected, because they go against the truth
which we hold in our hands. In the Qur'aan we have sufficient so that
we have no need of previous reports, because hardly any of them are
free of distortions, with things added or taken away. Many things have
been fabricated in them, for they did not have people who had
memorized things precisely by heart (huffaaz) who could eliminate the
distortions created by extremists andfabricators, unlike this ummah
which has its imaams, scholars, masters,pious and righteous people,
brilliant critics andmen of excellent memory who recorded the hadeeths
and classified them, stating whether they were saheeh (sound),hasan
(good), da'eef (weak), mawdoo' (fabricated), matrook (to be ignored).
They identified the fabricators and liars, and those aboutwhom nothing
was known, and other kinds ofmen (i.e., narrators). All of this
afforded protection tothe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), the Seal of the Messengers and the Leader of Mankind, so
thatnothing would be attributed to him falsely and nothing would be
transmitted from him thathe did not say or do. May Allaah be pleased
with them and make them pleased [by rewarding them], and make the
Paradise of al-Firdaws their eternal abode. (Tafseer al-Qur'aan
il-'Azeem, 3/90).
And Allaah knows best.

3] Is Iblees a jinn or an angel?

3]
I was just wondering if Iblis was actually a jinn oran angel. This
particular issue recently sparked my curiosity when it was presented
to me by a person I know. If he is an angel, then how is it he
disobeyed Allah, when Angels have no will of their own and follow
onlyAllah's command. If he is really a jinn, then it wouldbetter
explain his disobedience as then he actually had the choice to obey or
disobey Allah. I would appreciate a response, even if it is a brief
one.
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibless – may Allaah curse him – is one of the jinn. He was not an
angel for a single day, not even for an instant. The angels were
created noble; they never disobey Allaah when He commands themto do
something and theydo what they are commanded. This is clearly stated
in the Qur'aanic texts which indicate that Iblees is one of the jinn
and not one of the angels. These texts include the following:
1. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto
Adam." So they prostrated themselves except Iblees (Satan). He was one
of thejinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Willyou then take
him (Iblees)and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me
while theyare enemies to you? Whatan evil is the exchange forthe
Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)." [al-Kahf 18:50]
2. Allaah stated that He created thejinn from
fire, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:27]
"And the jinn He created from a smokeless flame offire" [al-Rahmaan 55:15]
And it was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth that 'Aa'ishah said: the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from
smokeless fire and Adam was created from that which has been described
to you." (Narrated by Muslimin his Saheeh, no. 2996; also narrated by
Ahmad, no. 24668; by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, no. 18207 and by
Ibn Hibbaan, no. 6155).
One of the attributes of the angels is that they were created from
light, and the jinn were created from fire. It was mentioned in the
Qur'aan that Iblees – may Allaah curse him – was created from fire.
This is what Iblees himself said when Allaah, may He be glorified and
exalted, asked him the reason for his refusal to prostrate to Adam
when Allaah commanded him to do so.He – may Allaah curse him– said:
" 'I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You
created from clay'" [al-A'raaf 7:12; Saad 38:76– interpretation of the
meaning]. This indicates that he was one of the jinn.
3. Allaah has described the angels in His Book,
where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Wardoff yourselves and your families against a
Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed)
angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the
Commandsthey receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded"
[al-Tahreem 66:6]
"And they say: 'The Most Gracious (Allaah) has begotten a son (or
children).' Glory to Him! They [whom they call children of Allaah i.e.
the angels, 'Eesaa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzair (Ezra)], are
but honoured slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act
on His Command"[al-Anbiyaa' 21:26-27]
"And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in
the earth,of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they
are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allâh) with humility].
They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded"
[al-Nahl 16:49-50]
So it is not possbile for the angels to disobey their Lord, because
they are protected from sin and they are naturally inclined to obey
Allaah.
4. The fact that Iblees is not one of the angels
means that he is not compelled to obey Allaah. He has freedom of will
just as we humans do. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning);
"Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful"
[al-Insaan 76:3]
There are also Muslims and kaafirs among the jinn. It says in Soorat
al-Jinn (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): 'It has been revealed to me that a group (from
three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur'aan). They said:
'Verily, we haveheard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'aan)! It guides
to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never
join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah).'" [al-Jinn72;1-2]
In the same soorah, it states that the jinn said: :->