Angels Who Protect People

The Noble Qur'an 86:4

There is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels incharge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds, etc.)

The Noble Qur'an Ar-Ra'd 13:11

For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him.[] They guard him by the Command of Allâh. Verily! Allâh will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allâh). But when Allâh wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.

Examples of Angels (Constant) Obedience

Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 3:573, Narrated Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, "When Allah ordains something on the Heaven the angels beat with their wings in obedience to His Statement which sounds like that of a chain dragged over a rock. His Statement: 'Until when the fear is banished from their hearts, the Angels say, 'What was it that your Lord said?' They reply, 'He has said the Truth. And He is the Most High, The Great.' " (34.23)

Angels Who Report about People

Hadith - Bukhari, Vol. 4, Hadith No. 446, Narrated Abu Huraira, r.a.

The Prophet (saaws) said, "Angels keep on descending from and ascending to the heaven in turn, some at night and some by daytime, and all of them assemble together at the time of the Fajr and 'Asr prayers. Then those who have stayed with you overnight, ascend unto Allah Who asks them (and He knows the answer better than they): "How have you left My slaves?" They reply, "We left them while they were praying and we came to them while they were praying." The narrator added: "If anyone of you says 'Amin (during the prayer at the end of the recitation of Surat Al-Fatiha), and the angels in heaven say the same, and the two sayings coincide, all his past sins will be forgiven."

Hadith - Qudsi 14

Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, filling that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h.) said: Then Allah (mighty and sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about them: From where have you come?

And they say: We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: NO. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your forgiveness.

He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for,and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: They say: O Lord, among then is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: And He says: And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer.

Angels Who Affect Nature

The Noble Qur'an - As-Saaffaat 37:1-3

1. By those (angels) ranged in ranks (or rows).

2. By those (angels) who drive the clouds in a good way.

3. By those (angels) who bring the Book and the Qur'ân from Allâh to mankind [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr].

Angels are Real Beings

Angels are real beings, not illusions or figments of human imagination. They are created from light.

A Muslim must believe specifically in all the angels named and/or described in the Qur'an and the Sunnah:.

• Jibreel: in charge of delivering revelation.

• Mika'il: in charge of bringing the rain.

• Israfil: the blower of the horn on Qiyama.

• Malik-ul-Maut: the Angel of Death who takes people's souls at death.

• The Noble Recorders: those who record people's actions.

• The Protectors (Al-Mu'aqqibat): who keep people from death until its decreed time.

• Ridhwan: in charge of Paradise.

• Malik: in charge of Hell.

• Munkar and Nakir: the questioners in the grave.

• The Carriers of the Throne.

• Those who record the future of the fetus.

• Those who enter the Haram: 70,000 every day.

• Those who move about, descending upon gatherings at which Allah and His Book are mentioned and studied.

• Belief in the angels is an integral part of Iman. [See 2/285 Al-Baqarah]

• Kufr with respect to the angels is kufr. [See 4/136 An-Nisaa]

They are not some metaphysical force or aspect of the human psyche or self. Deviants have said such things for many centuries, and it was not a new deviation when it was being propagated in America during this century.

Angels Praying for Muslims

The following are some of the righteous actions whose doers are prayed for by the angels.

• Obedience to Allah Almighty on the Night of Power

• Recitation of Qur`an and dhikr of Allah Almighty

• Teaching people good

• The seeker of useful knowledge

• Walking to the mosque and remaining in it

• Praying in the first row

• Going early to Jumu`a

• The Fajr & `Asr prayers in a group at the mosque

• The meal of sahur

• Sadaqa and spending in good ways

• The Hajj and standing at Arafa

• Seeking martyrdom in the way of Allah

• The prayer on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

• Visiting the sick

• Visiting brothers

• Supplication for believers who are not present

• Sleeping in a state of wudu`

Related Links: Pictures  |  Jinn

Action Items for the uttaqun:

• Do not draw or display an alleged picture of an "angel." Their likeness is unknown to us and from the unseen (ghaib) world. Attempting to depict them is shirk, similar to attempting to draw God/Allah.

Remember... Allah, subhana watala, sees everything we do!