Angels in Islam

Muhammad receiving his first revelation from the angel Gabriel. From the manuscript Jami' al-Tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, 1307 AD.

In Islam, angels (Template:Lang-ar; plural: Template:Lang-ar or Template:Lang-fa) are believed to be heavenly beings, created from a luminous origin by God. The Quran is the principal source for the Islamic concept of angels, but more extensive features of angels appear in hadith literature, Mi'raj literature, Islamic exegesis, theology, philosophy, and mysticism.

Generally, belief in angels is one of the core tenets within Islam, as it is one of the six articles of faith. Angels are more prominent in Islam compared to Judeo-Christian tradition. The angels differ from other spiritual creatures in their attitude as creatures of virtue, in contrast to evil devils (Template:Lang-ar or Template:Lang-fa) and ambiguous jinn (Template:Lang-ar or Template:Lang-fa). Despite being considered to be virtuous beings, angels are not necessarily bringers of good news, as per Islamic tradition, angels can perform grim and violent tasks.

Angels are conceptualized as servants of God. As such, they are said to lack passion and bodily desires. If angels can nevertheless fail, is debated in Islam. Thr Atharist scholars (and to the extent, also the modern contemporary salafists) followed the recorded opinions of salaf generations (i.e. Sahabas and Tabi'uns); that the angels are always obedient and never fail to perform their tasks. On the other hand, Māturīdites say that the heavenly creatures are tested, and angels may fail such a test, whereupon they are dismissed from their duties. Some Ashʿarite likewise argue that angels can fail. In contrast, most Mu'tazilites, including some Asharis such as al-Razi, consider angels to be infallible. Though some Muslim scholars may accept a certain degree of angelic fallibility, these angels do not rebel on their own part against God but fail to complete their task properly.

In Sufism, angels are related to the nature of reason ('aql). According to Sufi cosmology, they connect the higher realms of the intellect with the lower world of matter. Thus, the human mind is conceptualized to form a connection with the heavenly spheres (malakūt) through such heavenly entities associated with (nūr). In contrast, the devils attempt to disturb the connection by diverging the mind to the lower spheres, thus associated with fire (nār).

Etymology

Angel Blowing a Woodwind, ink and opaque watercolor painting from Safavid Iran, c. 1500, Honolulu Academy of Arts.

The Quranic word for angel (Template:Lang-ar) derives either from Malaka, meaning "he controlled", due to their power to govern different affairs assigned to them, or from the triliteral root '-l-k, l-'-k or m-l-k with the broad meaning of a "messenger", just as its counterpart in Hebrew (malʾákh). Unlike the Hebrew word, however, the term is used exclusively for heavenly spirits of the divine world, as opposed to human messengers. The Quran refers to both angelic and human messengers as rasul instead.

Characteristics

Angel in a Persian miniature, in the style of Bukhara, 16th century.

In Islam, angels are heavenly creatures created by God. They are considered older than humans and jinn. Although Muslim authors disagree on the exact nature of angels, they agree that they are autonomous entities with subtle bodies. Yet, both concepts of angels as anthropomorphic creatures with wings and as abstract forces are acknowledged. Angels play an important role in Muslim everyday life by protecting the believers from evil influences and recording the deeds of humans. They have different duties, including their praise of God, interacting with humans in ordinary life, defending against devils (shayāṭīn) and carrying on natural phenomena. Angelic qualities, just as devilish ones, are assumed to be part of human's nature, the angelic one related to the spirit (ruh) and reason (aql), while the devilish one to egoism. Angels might accompany aspiring saints or advise pious humans. Angels are believed to be attracted to clean and sacred places.

One of the Islamic major characteristic is their lack of bodily desires; they never get tired, do not eat or drink, and have no anger. According to a Hadith tradition recorded by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, angel is solid creatures which doesn't have any cavity or hollow space within their body. Various Islamic scholars such as Ibn Kathir, Ibn Taymiyya, Al-Tabari, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, and Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar also quoted that angels do not need to consume food or drinks. They are also described as immortal, unlike jinn. In Islamic traditions, they are described as being created from incorporeal light (Nūr) or fire (Nar). Ahmad Sirhindi, a 17th-century Indian scholar, has added, that angels can take various shapes. Some scholars assert that such circumstances might interfere with an angels' work and thus impede their duty. For example, dogs, unclean places, or something confusing them might prevent them from entering a home.

Nobility

As with other monotheistic religions, angels are characterized by their purity and obedience to God. Groups of modern scholars from Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Yemen and Mauritania issued fatwa that the angels should be invoked with blessing Islamic honorifics (ʿalayhi as-salāmu), which is applied to human prophets and messengers. These fatwas were based on the ruling from Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya. Medieval Hanafite jurist Ibn Abi al-Izz further emphasising the importance of belief in angels existence in Islamic tenet in his commentary of al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya, whereas he condemn that any doubts of angel existence were regarded as sign of heathen.

Angels usually symbolize virtuous behavior, while humans have the ability to sin, but also to repent. Humans are considered to be able to reach a higher level than angels due to their ability to choose to avoid sin. Angels are free from such inferior urges and therefore superior, a position especially found among Mu'tazilites and some Asharites. A similar opinion was asserted by Hasan al-Basri, who argued that angels are superior to humans and prophets due to their infallibility, originally opposed by both Sunnis and Shias. This view is based on the assumption of superiority of pure spirit against body and flesh. Maturidism generally holds that angels' and prophets' superiority and obedience derive from their virtues and insights to God's action, but not as their original purity. The al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, a book of prayers attributed to Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, contains a chapter praying for blessings for the angels.

Purity

Angels believed to be engaged in human affairs are closely related to Islamic purity and modesty rituals. Many hadiths, including Muwatta Imam Malik from one of the Kutub al-Sittah, talk about angels being repelled by humans' state of impurity. It is argued that if driven away by ritual impurity, the Kiraman Katibin, who record people's actions, and the guardian angel, will not perform their tasks assigned to the individual. Another hadith specifies, during the state of impurity, bad actions are still written down, but good actions are not. When a person tells a lie, angels nearby are separated from the person from the stench the lie emanates. Angels also depart from humans when they are naked or are having a bath out of decency, but also curse people who are nude in public. Ahmad Sirhindi has mentioned that the angels nobility are because their substances are created from luminous light.

Obedience

The possibility and degree of angels errability is debated in Islam. In general, there are two major opinions whether Harut and Marut are fallen angels or not. The first opinion came from the traditions of ibn Abbas that the angels always obedient; while the opposing opinion came from later era scholar al-Tabari (which followed by Al-Qurtubi); that angels such as Harut and Marut can be disobedient or commit sins. Although Wilferd Madelung insisted that it was about the opinion of Ibn Abbas (Infallible) and Hasan al-Basri (fallible); However, the translations of Ibn Kathir has given that Hasan al-Basri does not supported the fallibility of angels. Instead, Hasan only opined that "Harut and Marut was not angels". Hasan al-Basra, who brought out his argumentation based on Hadith from Sahih Muslim which authored from Aisha, wife of Muhammad, where Muhammad stated that the angels created from light while djinn were created from fire. Furthermore, Hasan al-Basri said that the doctrine of angelic impeccability, Hasan al-Basri interpreted verses implying fallen angels differently, and argued that Harut and Marut were human kings but not angels. Likewise, he was a strong advocate for rejecting Iblis' angelic origin. However, the approach of Hasan al Basri interpretation were not universally accepted among Muslim scholars who rather held the view that Harut and Marut are indeed angels, yet they also infallible, as this interpretation of Hasan al-Basri, which followed by Al-Tabari, were rejected by Muhammad ibn Kathir who wrote his interpretation In Tafsir Ibn Kathir, that he argues, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, with the transmission from Abu Ja'far ar-Razi, Rabi ibn Anas, into Qays bin Abbad; that ", that Harut and Marut were not humans, but they were indeed an angels which are sent by God with a mission to test the mankind. Thus by this interpretation, Ibn Kathir argued about this verse of Al-Baqara 2:102 that actually Harut and Marut were simply carrying noble task from God to test whether or not the mankind would fall into temptation of sins and black magic which brought by Harut and Marut, not the angels can be tempted to commit sin or error. Thus Ibn Kathir explained that according to the salaf (First three generations of Muslims), Harut and Marut were doing what they tasked for, not out of malice, as a notion that angels are immune from errors.

Patricia Crone has considered Hasan al-Basri as one of the first who asserted the doctrine of angelic infallibility, although other modern commentaries such as Muhammad Al-Munajjid, and Hikmat ibn Bashir ibn Yasin, Qur'anic tafsir researcher from Islamic University of Madinah; has found out several traditions from Tafsir Ibn Kathir that Ibn Abbas, along with Tabi'un scholars such as as-Suddi, and Ikrima Mawla ibn Abbas also opined to the angels are always obedient. Others accepted the possibility of fallible angels, with most debated topic in Islam were the story about competing angels and humans in the tale of Harut and Marut, who were tested to determine, whether or not, angels would do better than humans under the same circumstances, a tradition opposed by some scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyya, but still accepted by others, such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

On the other hand, Ibn Kathir also mention Tahrim 6:6:

[6] O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by formidable and severe angels, who never disobey whatever Allah orders—always doing as commanded.

Ibn Kathir in particular has recorded an exegesis tradition on the authority from Ikrima Mawla ibn Abbas, where he opined this verse are not meant to be limited for the angels who guarded hell only, but this characteristic of always obedient and never failed to perform their tasks are applied to every angels in general. Almost similar interpretation also stated by Abdul-Rahman al-Sa'di,and Wahbah al-Zuhayli, also reviewing the Al-Kahf 18:59 as another proof about the creed of Angels infallibility according to Quran, while also asserted the notion that Iblis (Satan) was not an angel. and Abdul-Rahman al-Sa'di, who also said that the end description of the verse is mention about the general characteristic of every angel's obedience. Ibn Taymiyya also supported the opinion that angels are always obedient, in his book, Majmu' al-fatawa, that he quoted the verse of Al-Kahf 18:50:

[50] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam; they made obeisance but Iblis (did it not). He was of the jinn, so he transgressed the commandment of his Lord. What! would you then take him and his offspring for friends rather than Me, and they are your enemies? Evil is (this) change for the unjust.

Ibn Taymiyya interpreting it lexically the letter "fa'" (so) in the verse above indicates causality, which according to Ibn Taymiyyah, if the devil were an angel like the other angels who bowed down to Adam, of course the devil would not disobey the order to bow. ibn Taymiyya also further considered the verse as Istithna Munqathi in Arabic linguistic form, or the form of exclusions of the subject from the main grouping, which indicating the verse meant the exclusion of Iblis from angel as species, as he considered Iblis hailed from jinn species. Azza bint Muhammad ar-Rashid from the Islamic university of Minnesota faculty of Islamic creed; has compiled that several other notable scholars aside from Ibn Kathir who supported the notion that "Iblis was not an angel" were Ibn Hazm, Al-Mawardi, Al-Baghawi, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, and Al-Uthaymin.

In a comment by Gibril Haddad on Qadi Baydawi's defense on angelic fallibility in his Tafsir al-Baydawi it is said that the angels' "obedience is their nature while their disobedience is a burden, while human beings' obedience is a burden and their hankering after lust is their nature."

Meanwhile, Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia; defended the infallibility of angels by quoting Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 as an evidence that only humans and Jinns who burdened with obligation, since only them, and not angels, which can fall into sin or perform disobedience.

Infallible

Islamic scholars which supported the notion that angels were infallible and rejected the entire concept of the fallen angel, as they based Quran describes angels in At-Tahrim 66:6 "not disobeying", Al-Anbiya 21:19 of "not acting arrogant", and in Al-Anbiya 21:27 of "not presumptuous", where those verses used by various modern contemporary scholars as a base for the doctrine of angelic impeccability. This notion of angel absolute obedience to fulfill their duties based on that verse were supported by Fethullah Gülen.

Aside from the narration al Kahf, similar narration from Al-Hijr 15:30-31 also quoted by Muhammad Sulaiman Al-Ashqar, Quran exegesis expert from Islamic University of Madinah, and Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid, Imam of Masjid al-Haram, to interpret the similar case about the exclusion of Satan and the purity of angels. Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz has quoted Qur'an chapter al-Hejr 15:27 as further evidence that Jinn are not angels.

This view were followed by most modern scholars of Salafism, that they rejecting account of fallen angels entirely, and choosing the interpretation of Ibn Kathir in defending Harut and Marut innocence in this case.

On the other hand, unlike philosophers, who accepted view to a certain degree that angels might commit error, most mutakallimūn such as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi is an exception and agrees with the Mu'tazilites that angels cannot commit sin. He goes further and includes to the six articles of faith not only belief in angels, but one must also believe in their infallibility.

Fallible

The angels Harut and Marut punished by hanging over the well, condemned to teach sorcery. (c. 1703)

Those who support that angels could commit sins or are fallible argue that if angels couldn't sin, there was no reason to praise them for obedience. Al-Maturidi (853–944 CE) states that, like humans, the angels were tested and concludes angels have free-will:

By calling the stars adornment of the heavens, we can deduce another meaning: that is, the inhabitants of the heavens themselves are put to the test to see which of them is the best in deeds, exactly as the inhabitants of the earth were put to test by these very adornments, for don't you see that God has said in Sūrat al-Kahf [Q. 18:7], We have made what is on earth an adornment for them, that they be tested which of them is best in deeds. Thus, God in this verse is stating that adornment is there for testing here for testing. (anna'l-zīna li'l-imtihãn).

Asharite scholar al-Baydawi also added that "certain angels are not infallible even if infallibility is prevalent among them — just as certain human beings are infallible but fallibility is prevalent among them." Similarly al-Anbiya (21:29) stresses out that if an angel were to claim divinity for himself, he would be sentenced to hell, implying that angels might commit such a sin. This verse is generally associated with Iblis (Satan), who is generally thought of as an angel in these reports. In response to the reference to Iblis as "one of the jinn" somewhere else in the Quran, an alternative translation reads "became one of the jinn", indicating that took away his angelic qualities. Yet others say that the term doesn't refer to the (genus of) jinn at all, but calls Iblis and his angels "al-jinn" due to their origin in jannah. The presence of two fallen angels referred to as Harut and Marut, further hindered their complete absolution from potentially sinning.

İsmail Hakkı reports that only the "angels of the earth" (ملائكة الارض), who battled the jinn, were the ones disputing the creation of Adam. Among them were also Harut and Marut, as well as Iblis, known as ʿAzāzīl at that moment. Due to their abode on earth, their perception of heavenly wisdom is veiled, unlike that of the angels in the "higher realms". İsmail Hakkı concluded that the angels in the higher heavens are considered infallible, but the angels of the earth are subject to misguidance, along with the jinn and devils.

Abu Hanifa (d. 767) also supported the fallibility of angels as he ranked angels based on their examples in the Quran and distinguishes them from the devils and jinn.

Al-Taftazani (1322 AD –1390 AD) accepted that angels might slip into error and become disobedient, like Harut and Marut, but agrees with al-Basri that angels wouldn't become unbelievers, like as Iblis did.

In philosophy

Inspired by Neoplatonism, the medieval Muslim philosopher Al-Farabi developed a cosmological hierarchy, governed by several Intellects. For al-Farabi, human nature is composed of both material and spiritual qualities. The spiritual part of a human exchanges information with the angelic entities, who are defined by their nature as knowledge absorbed by the Godhead. A similar function is attested in the cosmology of the Muslim philosopher Ibn Sina, who, however, never uses the term angels throughout his works. For Ibn Sina, the Intellects have probably been a necessity without any religious connotation. Islamic Modernist scholars such as Muhammad Asad and Ghulam Ahmed Parwez have suggested a metaphorical reinterpretation of the concept of angels. According to Seyyed Hossein Nasr, human and angels. Muslim philosophers usually define angels as substances endowed with reason and immortality. Humans and animals are mortal, but only men have reason. Devils are unreasonable like animals, but immortal like angels.

However, Muslim theologians, such as al-Suyuti, rejected the philosophical depiction on angels, based on hadiths stating that the angels have been created through the light of God (nūr). Thus, angels would have substance and could not merely be an intellectual entity as claimed by some philosophers. This view is similar to the Salafi methodology of Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymin. He puts emphasis on that the belief in angels as literal, physical, and sentient creatures, is one of the The Six Articles of Faith in Islam.

Sufism

1543 illustration of the Mi'raj from an edition of the Khamsa of Nizami Ganjavi created for Shah Tahmasp I

Just as in non-Sufi-related traditions, angels are thought of as created of light. Al-Jili specifies that the angels are created from the Light of Muhammad and in his attribute of guidance, light and beauty. Influenced by Ibn Arabi's Sufi metaphysics, Haydar Amuli identifies angels as created to represent different names/attributes of God's beauty, while the devils are created in accordance with God's attributes of Majesty, such as "The Haughty" or "The Domineering".

Andalusian scholar ibn Arabi argues that a human generally ranks below angels, but developed to Al-Insān al-Kāmil, ranks above them. While most earlier Sufis (like Hasan al-Basri) advised their disciples to imitate the angels, Ibn-Arabi advised them to surpass the angels. The angels being merely a reflection of the Divine Names in accordance within the spiritual realm, humans experience the Names of God manifested both in the spiritual and in the material world. This reflects the major opinion that prophets and messengers among humans rank above angels, but the ordinary human below an angel, while the messengers among angels rank higher than prophets and messengers among humans. Ibn Arabi elaborates his ranking in al-Futuhat based on a report by Tirmidhi. Accordingly, Muhammad intercedes for the angels first, then for (other) prophets, saints, believers, animals, plants and inanimate objects last, this explaining the hierarchy of beings in general Muslim thought.

In later Sufism, angels do not appear as merely models for the mystic but also their companions. Humans, in a state between earth and heaven, seek angels as guidance to reach the upper realms. Some authors have suggested that some individual angels in the microcosmos represent specific human faculties on a macrocosmic level. According to a common belief, if a Sufi can not find a sheikh to teach him, he will be taught by the angel Khidr. The presence of an angel depends on human's obedience to divine law. Dirt, depraved morality and desecration may ward off an angel. A saint might be given the ability to see angels as gift (karāmāt) from God.

Ahmad al-Tijani, founder of the Tijaniyyah order, narrates that angels are created through the words of humans. Through good words an angel of mercy is created, but through evil words an angel of punishment is created. By God's degree, if someone repents from evil words, the angel of punishment may turn into an angel of mercy.

The Sufi Muslim and philosopher Al Ghazali (c. 1058–19 December 1111) divides human nature into four domains, each representing another type of creature: animals, beasts, devils and angels. According to al-Ghazali, humans consist of animalistic and spiritual traits. From the spiritual realm (malakut), the plane in which symbols take on form, angels and devils advise the human hearth (qalb). However, the angels also inhabit the realm beyond considered the realm from which reason ('aql) derives from and devils have no place.

While the angels endow the human mind with reason, advices virtues and leads to worshipping God, the devil perverts the mind and tempts to abusing the spiritual nature by committing sins, such as lying, betrayal, and deceit. The angelic natures advices how to use the animalistic body properly, while the devil perverts it. In this regard, the plane of a human is, unlike whose of the jinn (here: angels and devils) and animals, not pre-determined. Humans are potentially both angels and devils, depending on whether the sensual soul or the rational soul develop.

In Salafism

Contemporary Salafism continues to regard the belief in angels as a pillar of Islam and regards the rejection of the literal belief in angels as unbelief and an innovation brought by secularism and Positivism. Modern reinterpretations, as for example suggested by Nasr Abu Zayd, are strongly disregarded. Simultaneously, many traditional materials regarding angels are rejected on the ground, they would not be authentic. The Muslim Brotherhood scholars Sayyid Qutb and Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar reject much established material concerning angels, such as the story of Harut and Marut or naming the Angel of Death Azrail. Sulayman Ashqar not only rejects the traditional material itself, he furthermore disapproves of scholars who use them.

Classification of angels

Islam has no standard hierarchical organization that parallels the division into different "choirs" or spheres hypothesized and drafted by early medieval Christian theologians, but generally distinguishes between the angels in heaven (karubiyin) fully absorbed in the ma'rifa (knowledge) of God and the messengers (rasūl) who carry out divine decrees between heaven and earth. Others add a third group of angels, and categorize angels into İlliyyûn Mukarrebûn (those around God's throne), Mudabbirât (carrying the laws of nature), and Rasūl (messengers). Since angels are not equal in status and are consequently delegated to different tasks to perform, some authors of tafsir (mufassirūn) divided angels into different categories.

Al-Baydawi records that Muslim scholars divide angels in at least two groups: those who are self-immersed in knowledge of "the Truth" (al-Haqq), based on "they laud night and day, they never wane" (21:29), they are the "highmost" and "angels brought near" and those who are the executors of commands, based on "they do not disobey Allah in what He commanded them but they do what they are commanded" (66:6), who are the administers of the command of heaven to earth.

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 1209) divided the angels into eight groups, which shows some resemblance to Christian angelology:

• Hamalat al-'Arsh, those who carry the 'Arsh (Throne of God), comparable to the Christian Seraphim.
• Muqarrabun (Cherubim), who surround the throne of God, constantly praising God (tasbīḥ)
• Archangels, such as Jibrāʾīl, Mīkhāʾīl, Isrāfīl, and ʿAzrāʾīl
• Angels of Paradise, such as Riḍwān.
• Angels of Hell, Mālik and Zabānīya
• Guardian angels, who are assigned to individuals to protect them
• The angels who record the actions of people
• Angels entrusted with the affairs of the world, like the angel of thunder.

Angels in Islamic art

Muhammad advancing on Mecca, with the angels Gabriel, Michael, Israfil and Azrail. (Siyer-i Nebi, 16th century)

Angels in Islamic art often appear in illustrated manuscripts of Muhammad's life. Other common depictions of angels in Islamic art include angels with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, angels discerning the saved from the damned on the Day of Judgement, and angels as a repeating motif in borders or textiles. Islamic depictions of angels resemble winged Christian angels, although Islamic angels are typically shown with multicolored wings. Angels, such as the archangel Gabriel, are typically depicted as masculine, which is consistent with God's rejection of feminine depictions of angels in several verses of Quran. Nevertheless, later depictions of angels in Islamic art are more feminine and androgynous.

The 13th century book Ajā'ib al-makhlūqāt wa gharā'ib al-mawjūdāt (The Wonders of Creation) by Zakariya al-Qazwini describes Islamic angelology, and is often illustrated with many images of angels. The angels are typically depicted with bright, vivid colors, giving them unusual liveliness and other-worldly translucence. While some angels are referred to as "Guardians of the Kingdom of God," others are associated with hell. An undated manuscript of The Wonders of Creation from the Bavarian State Library in Munich includes depictions of angels both alone and alongside humans and animals. Angels are also illustrated in Timurid and Ottoman manuscripts, such as The Timurid Book of the Prophet Muhammad's Ascension (Mir'ajnama) and the Siyer-i Nebi.

List of angels

A narrative transmitted from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, audited and commented by two hadith commentary experts in the modern era, Shuaib Al Arna'ut. and Muḥammad 'Abd ar-Raḥmān al-Mubarakpuri, has spoken several hadiths from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Al-Sunan al-Sughra; that Muhammad said the number of angels were countless, to the point that there is no space in the sky as wide as four fingers, unless there is an angel resting his forehead, prostrating to God.

The 13th century book Ajā'ib al-makhlūqāt wa gharā'ib al-mawjūdāt (The Wonders of Creation) by Zakariya al-Qazwini describes Islamic angelology, and is often illustrated with many images of angels. The angels are typically depicted with bright, vivid colors, giving them unusual liveliness and other-worldly translucence. While some angels are referred to as "Guardians of the Kingdom of God," others are associated with hell. An undated manuscript of The Wonders of Creation from the Bavarian State Library in Munich includes depictions of angels both alone and alongside humans and animals. Angels are also illustrated in Timurid and Ottoman manuscripts, such as The Timurid Book of the Prophet Muhammad's Ascension (Mir'ajnama) and the Siyer-i Nebi.

Archangels (karubiyin)

According to one source, there are four special angels (karubiyin) considered to rank above the other angels in Islam. They have proper names, and central tasks are associated with them:

• Jibrīl/Jibrāʾīl/Jabrāʾīl (Template:Lang-ar; also Template:Lang-ar or Jabrāʾīl; derived from the Hebrew Template:Lang-hbo) (English: Gabriel), is venerated as one of the primary archangels and as the Angel of Revelation in Islam. Jibrīl is regarded as the archangel responsible for revealing the Quran to Muhammad, verse by verse; he is primarily mentioned in the verses 2:97, 2:98, and 66:4 of the Quran, although the Quranic text does not explicitly refer to him as an angel. Jibrīl is the angel who communicated with all of the prophets and also descended with the blessings of God during the night of Laylat al-Qadr ("The Night of Divine Destiny (Fate)"). Jibrīl is further acknowledged as a magnificent warrior in Islamic tradition, who led an army of angels into the Battle of Badr and fought against Iblis, when he tempted ʿĪsā (Jesus).
• Mīkāl/Mīkāʾīl/Mīkhāʾīl (Template:Lang-ar) (English: Michael), the archangel of mercy, is often depicted as providing nourishment for bodies and souls while also being responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth. Some scholars have pointed out that Mikail is in charge of angels who carry the laws of nature.
• Isrāfīl (Template:Lang-ar) (frequently associated with the Jewish and Christian angel Raphael), is the archangel who blows into the trumpet in the end time, therefore also associated with music in some traditions. Israfil is responsible for signaling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgment Day) by blowing a horn. However, Ali Hasan al-Halabi (a student of Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani), Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen, and Al-Suyuti, have given commentary that all the hadiths that describe Israfil as the horn-blower are classified as Da'if, although given the multitude of narrative chains that support this concept, they state that it is still possible.
• ʿAzrāʾīl/ʿIzrāʾīl (Template:Lang-ar) (English: Azrael), is the archangel of death. He and his subordinative angels are responsible for parting the soul from the body of the dead and will carry the believers to heaven (Illiyin) and the unbelievers to hell (Sijjin).

These four angels were specifically regarded by Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sabith, a Tabi'un as regulator of natural orders such as windblow, rain, plants growth, death, and tasks from God about aforementioned.

However, modern Saudi scholar. Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymin, and Ibn Abi al-Izz has written their respective commentaries of Al-Aqidah Al-Waasitiyyah, that the archangels who led the angels were only consisted of three angels, which is Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil.

Mentioned in the Quran

A 16th-century Siyer-i Nebi image of angel Gabriel visiting Muhammad

• Nāziʿāt and Nāshiṭāt, helpers of Azrail who take the souls of the deceased, which depicted in the Quran chapter Al-Nazi'at Quran 79:1-2.
  • Nāziʿāt: they are responsible for taking out the souls of disbelievers painfully.
  • Nāshiṭāt: they are responsible for taking out the souls of believers peacefully.
• Hafaza, (the Guardian angel); Mentioned in Qur'an chapter Al-Infitar Quran 82:10.:
  • Kiraman Katibin (Honourable Recorders). two of whom are charged to every human being; one writes down good deeds and another one writes down evil deeds; Mentioned in Qur'an chapter QafQuran 82:11. They are both described as 'Raqeebun 'Ateed' in the Qur'an.
  • Mu'aqqibat (the Protectors) who keep people from death until its decreed time and who bring down blessings; Mentioned in Qur'an chapter Ar-Ra'd Quran 13:11 and chapter al-An'am Quran 6:61..

Muhammad requests Maalik to show him Hell during his heavenly journey. Miniature from The David Collection.

• Angels of Hell:
  • Mālik, chief of the angels who govern Jahannam (Hell).
  • Nineteen Zabaniyah, a group of leading angels of hell beside Mālik who commanded other angels of hell to torment sinful people in hell. The nineteen angel chiefs of hell were mentioned in Quran chapter Al-Muddaththir verse Quran 74:10–11. The Saudi Arabia religious ministry released their official interpretation that Zabaniyah were collective names of angels group which included those nineteen chief angels. Those nineteen angels of hell were standing tall above Saqar, one of levels in hell. Muhammad Sulaiman al-Asqar, professor from Islamic University of Madinah argued the nineteen instead were nineteen type of hell angels which each type has different kind of form.
• Angels who distribute provisions, rain, and other blessings by God's command; Mentioned in Qur'an chapter Adh-Dhariyat Quran 51:4
• Ra'd: Angel of thunders, a name of angel who drive and regulating the clouds and rains in their task given by God were mentioned in Quran 13:13 Ibn Taymiyyah in his work, Majmu al-Fatwa al-Kubra, has quoted the Marfu hadith transmitted by Ali ibn abi Thalib, that Ra'd were the name of angel who herded the dark clouds like a shepherd. Ali further narrated that thunder (Ra'dan Template:Lang-ar) was the growling voices of Ra'd while herding the clouds, while lightning strikes (Sawa'iq Template:Lang-ar) were a flaming device used by the said angel in gathering and herding the raining clouds. Al-Suyuti narrated from the hadith transmitted from Ibn Abbas about the lightning angel, while giving further commentary that hot light produced by lightning (Barq Template:Lang-ar) were the emitted light produced from a whip device used by those angels. Saudi Grand Mufti Abd al-Aziz Bin Baz also ruled on the sunnah practice of reciting Sura Ar-Ra'd, Ayah 13 Quran 13:13 ^{(Translated by Shakir)} whenever a Muslim hears the sound of thunder, as this was practiced according to the hadith tradition narrated by Zubayr ibn al-Awwam. The non-canonical interpretation from Salaf generation scholars regarding the tradition from Ali has described that etymologically ar-Ra'd means a movement of celestial clouds caused by the compression of air inside the cloud. This analogical explanation also defined as the metaphysical movement of the angel who moved clouds, as the basic Islamic tenet agreed that every movements within the universe resulted from the action or interference of the angels. Such example that voice of a person resulted from the movement a lips, tongue, teeth, epiglottis, and throat.
• Hamalat al-'Arsh, those who carry the 'Arsh (Throne of God), Mentioned in chapter Ghafir Quran 40:7 and Al-Haqqa Quran 69:17. These angels are comparable to the Christian Seraphim.
• Harut and Marut, a pair of angels who taught humans in Babylon magic; mentioned in Quran (2:102). Some scholars, such as Hasan al-Basri, don't consider Harut and Marut to be angels. Ibn Abbas and As Suddi opined they are indeed angels, but with a mission to test humans, while al-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi opined they are fallen angels for teaching humans about knowledge of magic.

Mentioned in canonical hadith tradition

• The angels of the Seven Heavens.
• Jundullah, those who helped Muhammad in the battlefield.
• Those that give the spirit to the fetus in the womb and are charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy.
• Malakul Jibaal (The Angel of the Mountains), met by the Prophet after his ordeal at Taif.
• Munkar and Nakir, who question the dead in their graves.
• Blind-deaf angel of punishment. the third angel who accompany Munkar and Nakir in punishing sinners during their time in Barzakh. In long hadith which transmitted by Al-Bara' ibn Azib, this angel was described as lacking eyesight and hearing (in some transmission the angel is blind and mute). Furthermore, the angel carrying a sledgehammer (or iron rod in some transmission) which described cannot be lifted by entire mankind and jinn even if they all unite their strength to do so. Amother feature of the sledgehammer was it produce metaphysical thundering sound which cannot be heard by living humans. the mission of this blind-deaf angel is to torture the sinner by crushing the head of sinners with such sledgehammer, and repeat the sequence after the sinner's head miraculously recovered to normal after the first strike. The hadith narrates this punishment by the angel will be repeated until Judgement Day. Addendum from Fath al-Bari stated such angelic creature also carrying whip-like tool which end was a hot coal that has it size as big as a camel's head, which the angel used to punish the sinners.
• Angel of ice and fire, an angel Muhammad met during his night journey composed of ice and fire.
• Angel who bestowed with strength equal of 70,000 angels and has 70,000 wings. This angel were narrated in Al-Dur al-Manthur were able to see Al-ʽArsh, which were made of red ruby.
• Sakina, According to Abd al-Aziz Ibn Baz, in his commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari Usayd ibn Hudayr Sakina is an angel who brought tranquility to the reciters of Quran.

Muhammad encounters the angel composed of fire and ice during his Night journey. Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai's Nahj al-Faradis from The David Collection

According to hadith transmitted by Ibn Abbas, Muhammad encountered several significant angels on his journey through the celestial spheres. Many scholars such as Al-Tha'labi drew their exegesis upon this narrative, but it never led to an established angelology as known in Christianity. The principal angels of the heavens are called Malkuk, instead of Malak.

The rooster angel, in Miraj Literature, was held to be "enormous" and "white", and the comb on the top of his head "graze[d] the foot of Allah's celestial throne, its feet reach[ed] the earth", and its wings were thought to be large enough to "envelop both heaven and earth" and were covered with emeralds and pearls. It is also thought to wake up mankind every morning through means like making "cocks below on Earth...crow" when it opens its mouth.

First heaven	Second heaven	Third heaven	Fourth heaven	Fifth heaven	Sixth heaven	Seventh heaven
Habib	Angel of Death	Maalik	Salsa'il	Kalqa'il	Mikha'il (Archangel)	Israfil
Rooster angel	Angels of death	Angel with seventy heads	Angels of the sun	-	Cherubim	Bearers of the Throne
Ismail (or Riḍwan)	Mika'il	Arina'il	-	-	Shamka'il	Afra'il

Mentioned in non canonical tradition

• Ridwan, the keeper of Paradise.
• Artiya'il, the angel who removes grief and depression from the children of Adam.
• The angels charged with each existent thing, maintaining order and warding off corruption. Their exact number is known only to God.
• Darda'il (The Journeyers), who travel the earth searching out assemblies where people remember God's name.

Disputed

• Dhul-Qarnayn, believed by some to be an angel or "part-angel" based on the statement of Umar bin Khattab.
• Khidr, sometimes regarded as an angel which took human form and thus able to reveal hidden knowledge exceeding those of the prophets to guide and help people or prophets.
• Azazil, considered the name of Satan before his fall by those who agree that he was an angel once.

See also

• Angels in art
• Angels in Judaism
• List of theological angels
• List of theological demons
• Peri