TERM 2 - tawheed ii - CLASS 2
BELIEF IN THE ANGELS
The first pillar of Faith (Imaan) is Faith in Allah.
Faith in Allah is nothing but Tawheed, we have already covered it’s core topics in TERM 1 and will learn more in TERM 2 and onwards InShaAllah.
So let us get into the second Pillar of Faith which is to have Faith in the Angels of Allah S.W.T.
Faith In The Angels
This is the firm conviction that Allah's angels exist,
That they were created from light,
That they do not disobey any of His commands
And that they carry out the functions He instructs them to fulfill.
Angels are one of Allah's creations. A servant's faith is invalid unless he believes in them, and in all the attributes and works ascribed to them in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, without any addition or subtraction or false interpretation.
Allah says:
The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers (Al-Baqarah - Aayah 285)
In the Hadith. narrated by Muslim and al-Bukhaaree on the authority of Umar Ibnu al-Khattaab, when the angel Jibreel asked the Prophet ﷺ about faith, he said about faith: "(It means that) you believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day; and believe in predestination, (whether you encounter) good fortune or hardship".
Thus the existence of the angels is affirmed with indisputable proof. To deny their existence is, as Allah says in the Qur'an, tantamount to disbelief (Kufr).
(And whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away) An-Nisa' - Aayah 136.
It is noted that the Qur'anic verses and the Ahaadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ which talk about the angels, their attributes, conditions and work, refer mostly to their relationship with the Creator, the universe and man. Allah (S.W.T.) has given us enough knowledge of them to assist us in purifying our creed, sanctifying our hearts and rectifying our deeds. But He kept to himself knowledge of their essence, the manner in which they were created and the details of their circumstances.
This is a general characteristic of Islamic teachings. They impart an amount of knowledge of the laws of the universe limited by what human beings actually need for the correct conduct of their lives and by their restricted understanding. Allah did not give us insight into all hidden things, whether they concern His majesty, names and attributes, or His unseen creatures. A true believer should affirm everything the Creator communicated to mankind, in general and in detail, with no addition to it or subtraction from it, and he should not attempt to inquire or delve into what the Creator has kept from us.
Creatures of Light
The Qur'an and the Sunnah tell us that the angels are beings of light, having no physical body which can be discerned by the human senses. They are unlike man in that they don't eat, drink, sleep or procreate; they are pure, devoid of animal desires, sins and misdeeds; nor do they have any of the tangible physical attributes of mans.
Honoured Servants
The relationship of angels with Allah is based upon pure worship, obedience and absolute submission to His commands. This is the only way in which they relate to Allah. They are neither gods in association with Him, nor are they His offspring as the polytheists had claimed.
Their Relationship with The Universe and Mankind
While their relationship with Allah is that of pure worship of Him and total obedience to His command, the relationship of the angles to the Universe and mankind is an extension of this worship and obedience. As the Almighty had informed us, their worship is not confined to praising and glorifying Him, but also includes the execution of His will. The angels are charged with managing the affairs of the Universe and watching over it. Those duties cover all creation, movement and activity, living beings and inanimate objects, laws and universal principles. In so doing they execute Allah's Divine Preordainment in accordance with His predestination for all creation. They carry out His will in observing and recording all the voluntary and involuntary movements in the heavens and on the earth. Each and every movement is part of their responsibilities'8 as Allah, Who created them, Wills. Allah (S.W.T.) says:
(And by those angels who arrange to do the Commands of their Lord)
(And those (angels) who distribute (provisions, rain, and other blessings) by Allah's Command)
These are the angels according to believers and the followers of the Messengers.
The Qur'an and the Sunnah have indicated the existence of several kinds of angels, each of which is charged with a certain aspect of the universe. Allah entrusted the sun and the moon to certain angels, and He did the same with the planets, the mountains, the clouds and rain. The wombs were entrusted to angels who supervise the nutfah (sperm) and the stages it goes through until it completes the human form. He entrusted death to certain angels, and to every servant He assigned angels who guard over him. Each creature, and every event and phenomenon in the universe is under the supervision of particular angels.
The Number of Angels
There are vast numbers of angels. Only Allah knows how many there are. Allah (S.W.T.) says:
And We have set none but angels as guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number (19) only as a trial for the disbelievers - in order that the people of the Book (Jews and Christians) may arrive at certainty, and the believers may increase in faith - and that no doubts may be left for the people of the Book and the believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the disbelievers may say, "What Allah intends by this example?" Thus Allah leads astray whom He Wills, and guides whom He Wills. And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He. And this (Hell) is nothing else than a warning to mankind?
Belief In The Angels
It is an obligation for every Muslim to believe in the angels. It is a particular obligation to believe in those whose names have been mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Three of the most important of those are Jibreel, Mika'il and Israfil.
Jibreel is the angel in charge of revelation, the sustenance of hearts and spirits. His name is mentioned in 'the Qur'an, along with Mika'il. Allah (S.W.T.) says in the Qur'an:
(Say: "Whoever is an enemy of Jibreel, for indeed he has brought down (this Qur'an) to your heart by Allah's Permission, confirming what came before it (the Torah and the Gospel) and guidance and glad tidings for the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, His Messengers, Jibreel and Mika'il, then verily. Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers”)
Allah has praised Jibreel with the most excellent praise and described him with the most beautiful characteristics. Allah (S.W.T.) says:
(So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (that is disappear during the day and appear during the night). And by the planets that move swiftly and hide themselves, and by the night as it departs; and by the dawn as it brightens; Verily, this is the Word (this Qur'an is brought by) a most honourable Messenger (Jibreel, from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). Owner of power, and high rank with (Allah) the Lord of the Throne, Obeyed (by the angels), trustworthy there (in the heavens)
Mika'il is the angel in charge of rain, which is vital sustenance for the life of earth, plants and animals47. Israfil is the angel in charge of blowing the trumpet on the Day of resurrection, and by which people are given life after death48. And of the other angels mentioned in the Qur'an, there is Malik, keeper of the Hell-Fire. Allah says:
(And they will cry: "O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord make an end to us!" He will say, "Verily, you shall abide forever").
Therefore, we should believe in the angels whose names have been mentioned in the authentic Ahaadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ, and in the duties and functions entrusted to them. As for the angels who have not been specifically mentioned, we should believe in them on the whole, as well as in their types and duties referred to in the Qur'an and the Sunnahs'. We should believe in the honourable angels who are appointed to have charge of us. Allah (S.W.T.) says:
(But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch over you, honourable (in Allah's sight), writing down (your deeds): they know all that you
Allah also says:
(For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah)
One of the angels is Israfil who is in charge of blowing the trumpet.
We also believe in the angels who in charge of the Fire: may Allah protect us from it. They are known as az-Zabaaniyyah and are lead by nineteen angels.
And we believe in the angels in charge of the Gardens of Paradise, who prepare the Gardens for those who will inhabit them, preparing the food, drink, clothes, artefacts and other things which have never before been see, heard or dreamed of.
The Effect of Belief in the Angels on the Life of a Believer
Allah does not reveal to us any of the unseen, unless doing so is a benefit and is a great blessing for mankind. It was a great benefaction from Allah to communicate to us knowledge of these blessed angels. Belief in them is an aspect of belief in the unseen. This is an essential characteristic of believers.
Some of the great benefits in the life of a Muslim are as follows:
Allah has protected us against the myths and fictitious tales believed by those who do not have faith in the unseen nor receive their knowledge from Divine revelation by informing us of the believing spirits and their works.
When a believer feels in his heart the presence of those angels, when he is convinced that they witness his deeds, utterances and every movement, he avoids doing anything which displeases Allah. Knowing well that everything that issues from him is recorded and accounted for, how can he possibly disobey or defy Allah, in secret or in public?
Belief in the angels strengthens the believer's patience, endurance and perseverance in Jihad in the way of Allah. It helps him reject despair and despondency. He obtains security and a sense of belonging to a blessed company.
The angels worship Allah and dedicate their lives to Him as the believer does. The angels bless each of man’s footsteps, strengthen his resolve and remind him of the good reward that awaits him. Thus, this true believer is not alone on the road to Allah.
Now we can see why creating the angels was a great blessing from Allah, and why belief in them has a great benefit for our hearts, our deeds and our rectitude.
Note : TERM 2 means LEVEL 2, so new students need to join TERM 1 - pass it to get to TERM 2 and then onwards InShaAllah, you are free to read this if you have time but tests should only be of TERM 1 and certificates are only given one TERM after the other. JazakAllah Khair
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