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Date:26-04-17
   Basic Tenets of Faith        Belief        Belief in the Angels

The Belief in the Angels

Question(22):

Are there other things related to the belief in the angels?

Answer:

It remains to be said that belief in the angels, may Allaah’s Salaam and Salaam be upon them, is of two types, general and detailed one. Those whose names we know of, then we must believe specifically in each and every one of them. We say, “We believe in Allaah, and in Jibreel, Meekaa’eel, Israafeel, the angel of death, Maalik (who is entrusted to guard the Hellfire)”, and so forth. As for those whose names are unknown to us, then we have general and comprehensive belief in all of them. The angels are many in number, so many that only Allaah, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic, can enumerate them. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said:

" والسلام "البيت المعمور الذي في السماء السابعة يدخله كل يوم سبعون ألف ملك ، إذا خرجوا منه لم يعودوا إليه آخر ما عليهم"

“In the ‘Much Frequented House’ that is in the seventh heaven, seventy thousand angels enter it each day praying in it every day, and then when they leave they never return to it, but another group arrives everyday.”41

He (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) also said, “There is not even the place for four fingers in the heavens except that it is occupied by an angel standing before Allaah, or bowing (in Rukoo’), or prostrating.”42 

We, however, do not know of them specifically, and of their deeds and duties except to the extent that we were brought about by the Shar’. All that which the Shar’ detailed regarding their tasks, conditions and deeds is incumbent that we believe in it as it is detailed. As to the things that are not detailed, we must believe in them in general. Believing in the angels, who possess from the abilities and powers that which is not possessed by humans, is from the Signs of Allaah, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic. Accordingly, believing in them is a belief in Allaah, The One free of all imperfections and The Most High, and in His Magnificent Ability. It is incumbent that we love the angels, because they are believers and because they carry on the Commands of Allaah, The Most Mighty and Most Majestic. Anyone whose is an enemy to anyone of them is a Kaafir (disbeliever) as established in the Saying of Allaah, The Most High:

   (مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوّاً لِلَّهِ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ) (البقرة:98)

Whoever is an enemy to Allaah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibreel and Meekaa’eel, then verily, Allaah is an enemy to the disbelievers. [Qur’aan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 98].

He, The Most High, also Said:

(قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوّاً لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ) (البقرة:97)  

Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ): Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel [let him die in his fury], for indeed he has brought it [this Qur’aan] down to your heart by Allaah’s Permission, confirming what came before it [i.e. the Tarawa (Torah) and the Ingeel (Gospel)]. [Qur’aan, soorat al-Baqarah (2): 97].

 

41 Reported by al-Bukhaaree, vol.4, no.429 and Muslim, vol.1, no.309.

42 Reported by at-Tirmithee, Ahmad, and Ibn Hibbaan. At-Tirmithee said its degree is hasan ghareeb, and al-Albaanee graded it as hasan [Saheeh Sunnan at-Tirmithee (Arabic), no. 1882].

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