In this article, we want to share the lesson about Angels (Malaaikah). It is exciting for us to learn about them as part of the unseen world to strengthen our belief (Aqeedah). We want to discuss it as mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).
The angels and Ramadan
As we know, Ramadan is a month when there is a special night. It is a night when Jibril and other Angels will come down to earth on that particular night. Ramadan is also known as a month of worship whereby most of us spend our nights praying (Qiayamuallail) and eating sahoor before Fajr.
The Angels always pray for those who are continuing the row in prayer and those who eat sahoor. Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) said, “Indeed, Allah and His angels pray for those who take sahoor.” [1] The Angels are always watching and writing whatever our deeds are, both when we are in public or alone. Nothing is hidden.
To learn about and believe in them, we must remember that we only know the Angels as much as Allah told us in His Book or through Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him). Allah mentioned in the Surah An Nisa ayah 4 with an English translation that reads, ‘O you who have believed, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book that He sent down upon His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent down before. And whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.’ Believing in the existence of angels is part of the faith of Islamic Monotheism.
1. Have you ever thought about their creation? Were they created before Prophet Adam?
The Angels were created long ago, before the creation of human beings. This is evidenced by a story in the Quran when Allah informed the Angels that He would make a creation on earth. In ayah 30 Surah al Baqarah, Allah said with English translation, ‘And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.” They said: “Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.” He (Allah) said: “I know that which you do not know.’
2. Can we tell the exact number of Angels?
The answer is no. Only Allah knows the exact number of angels that exist. However, we are given some ideas about angels that were given different responsibilities. For each human being, two Angels accompany every person, and they take a turn in a shift to attend to every one of us. Other than that, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) mentioned that the seven heavens are filled with Angels.
Hadiths on the numbers of Angels
During the Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascent into Heaven, Jibrail informed Prophet Muhammad that seventy thousand angels enter Bayt al Makmoor (in heaven) daily to make Hajj. When they depart from it, they never return to it. [2]
There is also a hadith mentioning the number of angels descending to the earth each year on the night of Qadr (in Ramadan). Abu Hurairah said that Prophet Muhammad said, ‘Laylatul-Qadr is the twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth night. The Angels that night upon the earth are more than the number of the pebbles’ [3]
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) said: ‘Hell will be pulled on the Day of Judgement with seventy thousand ropes, each rope held by seventy thousand angels’ [4]. Some Angels will guard the Hell Fire, and others will pull the Hell on the Day of Judgement. Can you imagine how many were tasked with pulling the Hell on the Day of Judgement? It gives me goosebumps.
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Bibliography:
[1] (classed sahih by Al Albani in his work’ Shahih At Targhiib wat Tarhiib’ I/519)
[2] Al-Bukhari (3207) and Muslim (164).
[3] Shaikh al-Albaanee rahimahullah said in “as-Saheehah” (no. 2205)
[4] Recorded by Muslim and At-Tirmidhee.
References:
- Eeman Made Easy, knowing the Angels 2nd edition. By Sheikh Muhammad al Jibaly
- http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=407
- https://islamqa.info/en/answers/89999/is-there-life-on-other-planets