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To believe in the angels is one of the pillars of eemaan, as indicated by the famous hadeeth when Jibreel went to the Messenger of Allaah in the form of a man and said:

أخبرني عن الإيمان، قال: أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر والقدر كله خيره وشره

‘Tell me about eemaan. He (SAW) said: ‘It is to believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in Divine Destiny, both the good and the evil.’ Jibreel then said: ‘you have spoken the truth.’’ (Saheeh Muslim and Imaam an-Nawawi’s Forty Haadeeth, hadeeth no. 2)

From the moment an individual is conceived in his mother’s womb, until his death and beyond, the angels play a great and important role in our life. They send blessings upon the believers, bring forth the soul of the dying person, question you in your grave, inspire you to do good, protect your children from harm and also curse you and punish you in your grave (if you were from among the sinners).

These angels are so honourable and obedient to their Lord, always making dhikr and worshipping Allaah (SWT) day and night. They are infallible whilst having free will (they have the capability to disobey but never do) and they were the ones who bowed down to us when Allaah ordered them to do so, unlike the arrogant Kaafir Iblees.

This article (Inshaa’-Allaah) will examine their (the angels) relationship with the sons of Aadam (AS) in general, as well as their relationship between the believers, the disbelievers and the environment.

a.  The Angels and Man

1.  Their role in the creation of man

As mentioned above, the angels have a great role to play with the sons of Aadam (AS). They are present whenever a person is born in order to record his fate. The proof for this can be found in the following hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas’ood that the Messenger (SAW) said:

إن أحدكم يجمع خلقه في بطن أمه أربعين يوما. ثم يكون في ذلك علقة مثل ذلك. ثم يكون في ذلك مضغة مثل ذلك. ثم يرسل الملك فينفخ فيه الروح. ويؤمر بأربع كلمات: بكتب رزقه، وأجله، وعمله، وشقي أو سعيد

‘Each one of you comes together in the mother’s womb for forty days, then becomes an ‘alaqah (clot) for a similar period of time. Then he becomes a mudghah (lump of flesh) for a similar length of time. Then Allaah sends an angel to him who is commanded with four things. It is said to him: ‘Write down his deeds, his provisions, and whether he is doomed (destined for Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise).’ Then the soul is breathed into him.’’ (Saheeh Muslim, Book of Fate, chapter 1 hadeeth no. 2643)

2.  The angels guard the son of Aadam

Allaah (SWT) says:

سَوَاءٌ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِاللَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ

لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ

“It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day.

For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah...” (EMQ ar-Ra’d, 13:10-11)

Ibn ‘Abbaas (RA) explained that the word mu’aqqibaat (angels in succession) refers to the angels whom Allaah appoints to guard a person from before and from behind. Then when the Decree of Allaah comes, which Allaah wills should befall him, they withdraw from him.

Mujaahid (RA) said: ‘There is no person who does not have an angel appointed to protect him when he is asleep and when he is awake, from the jinn, other men and savage beasts. None of these come to him, but the angel tells it, ‘keep away!’ except for that which Allaah has given permission to befall him.’

3.  Recording the good and bad deeds of the sons of Aadam

The angels are appointed to record the deeds of the sons of Aadam, both good and evil. Allaah (SWT) says:

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ

كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ

يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

“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.” (EMQ al-Infitaar, 82:10-12)

For every person Allaah has appointed two angels who are always present and who never leave him and they record in detail all which he says and does. Allaah says:

إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ

مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

“Remember that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being after he or she has attained the age of puberty), 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).” (EMQ Qaaf, 50:17-18)

The angels who are appointed to watch a person write down everything he or she says, and they leave nothing out as Allaah says: ‘Not a word does he (or she) utter but…’

Each person will find that his book (of deeds) contains everything that he said and did from the moment he reached the age of responsibility. When the Kuffaar see their book of deeds on the Day of Resurrection they will cry out:

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ لا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلا كَبِيرَةً إِلا أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا وَلا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا

“And the Book (one’s Record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer, and in the left hand for a disbeliever), and you will see the Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists, sinners, non-Muslims etc.), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: ‘Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!’ And they will find all that they did placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.” (EMQ al-Kahf, 18:49)

Ibn Katheer also narrated concerning the aayah: “Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)”, that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: ‘Everything that you say, good or bad is written down. Even when a person says, ‘I ate’, ‘I drank’, ‘I went’, ‘I saw’.’

It is also reported that the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘The angel on the left holds up his pen (refrains from writing down) for six hours after a Muslim commits a sin. If the person regrets it and asks Allaah for forgiveness, he casts it aside (does not write it down), otherwise he writes it down as one (sayyi-ah).’ (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/212)

4.  Testing the sons of Aadam

Allaah (SWT) may send some of his angels to try the sons of Aadam and put them to the test. In al-Bukhaari and Muslim it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he heard the Prophet (SAW) say:

إن ثلاثة في بني إسرائيل. أبرص وأقرع وأعمى. فأراد الله أن يبتليهم. فبعث إليهم ملكا. فأتى الأبرص فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك؟ قال: لون حسن وجلد حسن ويذهب عني الذي قد قذرني الناس. قال فمسحه فذهب عنه قذره. وأعطي لونا حسنا وجلدا حسنا. قال: فأي المال أحب إليك؟ قال: الإبل (أو قال البقر. شك إسحاق) - إلا أن الأبرص أو الأقرع قال أحدهما: الإبل. وقال الآخر البقر - قال فأعطى ناقة عشراء. فقال: بارك الله لك فيها. قال فأتى الأقرع فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك؟ قال: شعر حسن ويذهب عني هذا الذي قذرني الناس. قال فمسحه فذهب عنه. وأعطي شعرا حسنا. قال: فأي المال أحب إليك؟ قال: البقر. فأعطي بقرة حاملا. فقال: بارك الله لك فيها. قال فأتى الأعمى فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك؟ قال: أن يرد الله إلي بصري فأبصر به الناس. قال فمسحه فرد الله إليه بصره. قال: فأي المال أحب إليك؟ قال: الغنم. فأعطي شاة والدا. فأنتج هذان وولد هذا. قال: فكان لهذا واد من الإبل. ولهذا واد من البقر. ولهذا واد من الغنم. قال ثم إنه أتى الأبرص في صورته وهيئته فقال: رجل مسكين. قد انقطعت بي الحبال في سفري. فلا بلاغ لي اليوم

إلا بالله ثم بك. أسألك، بالذي أعطاك اللون الحسن والجلد الحسن والمال، بعيرا أتبلغ عليه في سفري. فقال: الحقوق كثيرة. فقال له: كأني أعرفك. ألم تكن أبرص يقذرك الناس؟ فقيرا فأعطاك الله؟ فقال: إنما ورثت هذا المال كابرا عن كابر. فقال: إن كنت كاذبا، فصيرك الله إلى ما كنت.

قال وأتى الأقرع في صورته فقال له مثل ما قال لهذا. ورد عليه مثل ما رد على هذا. فقال: إن كنت كاذبا فصيرك الله إلى ما كنت.

قال وأتى الأعمى في صورته وهيئته فقال: رجل مسكين وابن سبيل. انقطعت بي الحبال في سفري. فلا بلاغ لي اليوم إلا بالله ثم بك. أسألك، بالذي رد عليك بصرك، شاة أتبلغ بها في سفري. فقال: قد كنت أعمى فرد الله إلي بصري. فخذ ما شئت. ودع ما شئت. فوالله! لا أجهدك اليوم شيئا أخذته لله. فقال: أمسك مالك. فإنما ابتليتم. فقد رضي عنك وسخط على صاحبيك

‘There were three persons in Banee Israa’eel, one suffering from leprosy, the other bald-headed and the third one blind. Allaah decided to test them. So he sent an angel who came to one who was suffering from leprosy and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful colour and fine skin and removal of that which makes me detestable in the eye of people. He wiped him and his illness was no more and he was conferred upon beautiful colour and beautiful skin. He (the angel) again said: Which property do you like most? He said: Camels, (or he said, “cow” - the narrator is, however, doubtful about it, but (out of the persons) suffering from leprosy or baldness one of them definitely said: The camel, and the other one said, “cow"). And he (one who demanded camel) was bestowed upon a she-camel, in an advanced stage of pregnancy, and while giving he (the angel) said: May Allaah bless it for you.

Then the angel went to the bald-headed person and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful hair and that (this baldness) may be removed from me because of which people hate me He wiped his body and his illness was removed and he was bestowed upon beautiful hair, and the angel said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The cow. And he was given a pregnant cow and while handing it over to him he (the angel) said: May Allaah bless you in this.

Then he went to the blind man and he said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Allaah should restore my eyesight so that I should be able to see people with the help of that. He wiped his body and Allaah restored to him his eyesight, and he (the angel) also said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The flock of sheep. And he was given a pregnant sheep and that gave birth to young ones and it so happened that one valley abounded in camels and the other one in cows and the third one in sheep.

He then came to one suffering from leprosy in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a poor person and my provision has run short in my journey and there is none to take me to my destination except with the help of Allaah and your favour. I beg of you in His name who gave you fine colour and fine skin, and the camel in the shape of wealth (to confer upon me) a camel which should carry me in my journey. He said: I have many responsibilities to discharge. Thereupon he said: I perceive as if I recognise you. Were you not suffering from leprosy whom people hated and you were a destitute and Allaah conferred upon you (wealth) He said: I have inherited this property from my forefathers. Thereupon he said: If you are a liar may Allaah change you to that very position in which you had been.

He then came to the one who was bald-headed in his (old) form and said to him the same what he had said to him (one suffering from leprosy) and he gave him the same reply as he had given him and he said: If you ‘are a liar, may Allaah turn you to your previous position in which you had been.

And then he came to the blind man in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a destitute person and a wayfarer. My provision have ran short and today there is no way to reach the destination but with the help of Allaah and then with your help and I beg of you in the (name) of One Who restored your eyesight and gave you the flock of sheep to give me a sheep by which I should be able to make my provisions for the journey. He said: I was blind and Allaah restored to me my eyesight; you take whatever you like and leave whatever you like. By Allaah! I shall not stand in your way today for what you take in the name of God. Thereupon, he said: You keep with you what you have (in your possession). The fact is that you three were put to test and Allaah is well pleased with you and He is annoyed with your companions.’ (Saheeh Muslim, Book 53, hadeeth no. 2964)‏

5.  The angels take the soul from the body when the appointed time of death comes

Allaah has appointed some of his angels to pull the soul out of the peoples’ bodies when their appointed time comes which has been decreed for them by Allaah. Allaah (SWT) says:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

“Say: ‘The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to your Lord.’” (EMQ as-Sajdah, 32:11)

The angels take the souls of the Kuffaar and sinners in a harsh and severe way, with no mercy:

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْمَلائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ

“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.’” (EMQ al-Anfaal, 8:50)

But when the angels take the souls of the believers, it is done with kindness and gentleness (note how the angels discriminate by religion, but not by race or colour):

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أَلا تَخَافُوا وَلا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

“Verily, those who say: ‘Our Lord is Allaah (Alone)’, and then they istaqaamoo (stand firm), on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) saying: ‘Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!’” (EMQ Fussilat, 41:30)

6.  Their relationship with man in his grave, on the Day of Resurrection and in the Hereafter

The angels also have a great relationship and roles with man in his grave and in the Hereafter, but this can be studied be referring to the Descriptions of Hell and Paradise.

From thesavedsect.com