~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ ANGELS Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger said, “Angels do not accompany the travellers who have with them a dog and a bell.” (Muslim) ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ BELIEF IN THE ANGELS By Abu’l-Hasan "Al-Jumu`ah" magazine In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Belief in the angels is the second pillar of faith. "The Messenger believes in that which has been revealed to him from his Lord, and [so do] the believers. All believe in Allah, His angels and His messengers." [2 (Al-Baqarah), 285] What are angels? Angels are invisible beings created from light. On the authority of `A'ishah : The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, "Angels were created from light, jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you [in the Qur'an]." (Related by Muslim) They do not have desires of their own, nor do they eat or drink. They are honored servants of Allah, and never disobey Him. They are perpetually in His service, in prostration, in a standing posture, or through various other forms of worship. "And those who are before Him are not scornful of worshipping Him, nor do they tire or get bored. They glorify [Him] night and day; they do not halt." [21 (Al-Anbiya'), 19-20] "They are honored servants, who do not precede Him in speech, and they act according to His command. He knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede, except for those whom He approves. [21 (Al-Anbiya'), 26-27] They have wings : "Praise be to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the creator of angels having wings - two, three or four." [35 (Al-Fatir), 1] However, we should not try to guess the nature or form of these wings. Certainly, there is no basis in Islam for the corrupt notion, prevalent in the West, that angels are like beautiful little girls with a pair of wings on their backs. We should be careful that our children are not exposed to those books which contain such misleading pictures, so that they do not grow up with an incorrect concept of angels. No gender is attributed to angels, nor do they procreate. Allah has denounced those who regard them as females. Indeed, to do so is the way of the disbelievers. "Those who do not believe in the Hereafter surely call the angels with female appellations." [53 (Al-Najm), 27] The pagan Arabs, for example, called the angels daughters of Allah, in spite of the fact they themselves were disdainful of female offspring, and were so ashamed of them that they were inclined to bury their daughters alive. "Or, has He taken, out of that which He [Himself] created, daughters, and honored you with sons?! And, when one of them receives tidings of that which he sets up as a likeness to [Allah] Most Gracious, his face becomes black, and he is full of rage. . . . And they consider the angels, who are worshippers of Allah, to be females. Did they witness their creation?! Their testimony shall be recorded, and they will be asked."[43 (Al-Zukhruf), 16,17,19] Prophets can see angels in their natural form. `A'ishah has narrated that the Prophet twice saw Gabriel in his natural form. (Related by Bukhari) However, ordinary human beings (i.e. non-prophets) cannot see them unless they take on a visible form. Angels can indeed materialize, and when they do so it is in a pleasant form, such as a handsome man. An example of this is found in the Qur'an [11(Hud), 69-83], where Allah sent angels to firstly give Prophet Abraham alayhis salam glad tidings of a son, and then to assist the Prophet Lot alayhis salam. Lot's people, being homosexuals, lusted after these angels, but the Allah destroyed the depraved sinners. Also in the Qur'an [19 (Maryam), 17-21] is the incident in which the angel Gabriel came to Mary, the mother of Jesus alayhimas salam to inform her that she would miraculously give birth to Jesus. And, in the sunnah, we have the Gabriel hadith, in which Gabriel came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam in the form of a man, and asked him about Islam, Iman and Ihsan. This was done in public view, and its purpose was to teach the people about their religion. (Related by Muslim) Angels have various duties, with each having a well-defined role. "And there is not any among us, except that he has a known position. And we are indeed the ones who are arranged in ranks [for prayer]. And we are indeed the ones who glorify [Allah]." [37 (As-Saaffaat), 164-166] They thus serve as role models for us, teaching us that specialization leads to greater efficiency. So, in the Islamic society, some must specialize in the Qur'an and its sciences, some in hadith science, others in medicine, still others in agriculture and so on and so forth, so that the Muslim community is efficient and well-balanced. Similarly, in the home, the responsibilities are divided. While the man is responsible primarily for financially supporting the family, the woman has an important role in the upbringing of the children, although she is by no means confined to only taking care of the children. Only Allah knows all the details and roles of all the angels : "And none know the hosts of your Lord except He." [74 (Al-Muddath-thir), 31] but He has told us about some of these through the Qur'an and sunnah. Gabriel is the most distinguished of the angels, and is entrusted with carrying revelation to prophets. This included bringing the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wasallam, which is referred to in the following: "And it is surely the revelation of the Lord of the Worlds. The trusted spirit has brought it down to your heart, in order that you might be one of the warners, in clear Arabic speech." [26 (Ash-Shu`araa'), 192-195] Gabriel is also called "the Holy Spirit", as mentioned in the Qur'an. "And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs, and supported him with the Holy Spirit." [2(Al-Baqarah), 253] Michael is entrusted with the sustenance of creatures, and is also one of the most prominent angels. It is disbelief to have hate or animosity towards any of the angels. Similarly, it is disbelief to curse them. Some wretched, ignorant individuals curse the angel of death when they are angry. It is obligatory, and in fact an essential part of faith, to respect all of the angels, and particularly Gabriel and Michael. Some Jews once came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam and told him that they had five questions for him, which were such that if he were to answer them all satisfactorily, they would follow him. The Prophet answered the first four to their satisfaction, and then they asked the final question; they said, "There is not any prophet except that he has an angel [assigned to him] who brings him news [from Allah], so tell us, who is your companion?" The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam replied, "Gabriel, alayhissalam." They said, "That is the one who brings down war, fighting and punishment; our enemy. If only you had said Michael, who brings down mercy, rain and vegetation, it would have been [that we follow you]!" Then, Allah revealed a reply. "Say : Who is an enemy to Gabriel? For, it is he who has brought it down to your heart, by Allah's leave, confirming that which was before it, and as a guidance and a mercy to the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and [to] His angels, and [to] His messengers, and [in particular to] Gabriel and Michael, then [let him know that] Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers." [2 (Al-Baqarah), 97-98] (Related by Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i) Every human being has two angels who accompany him and record his deeds. The generous one records his good deeds, and is so named because each good deed is rewarded ten times over or even more. The recorder of evil deeds is called simply the recorder, because each evil deed counts only onefold. "And, indeed, there are over you scribes, generous and recording. They know what you do." [82 (Al-Infitaar), 10-12] These angels record our deeds, words and thoughts. "He utters not any word except that there is with him an observer, ready." [50 (Qaaf), 18] The system for recording of deeds is detailed in the Hadith Qudsi, narrated by `Abdullah ibn `Abbas : The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, regarding that which he narrates from his Lord, the Possessor of Blessings, the Exalted, "Indeed, Allah has defined the good and the evil deeds, and then explained them. So, whoever had the thought to do a good deed, but did not do it, Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he [actually] did it, Allah writes it for him as ten good deeds, [or] upto seven hundred fold, [or] upto [even] many times [more over]. And, if he had the thought to do an evil deed, but [dispelled the thought and] did not do it, Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he [entertained the thought and] acted on it, Allah writes it as a single evil deed." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim) In addition to the recording angels, we have with us other angels who protect us from whatever evil Allah wills to save us from. "He has a succession of angels in front of him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command." [13 (Ar-Ra`d), 11] The succession of angels referred to here is clarified by a hadith, narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, which tells us that the angels of the day and the angels of the night succeed one another, meaning that they perform their duty in shifts. At the time of the dawn (Fajr) and `Asr prayers, both the angels of the night and the angels of the day are present. Then, the angels of the night ascend, and their Lord asks them, although He is the All-Knowing, "How did you leave my servants?" They say, "We came to them while they were praying, and we left them while they were praying." The Fajr prayer, then, is of special blessing, and we should take great care to perform it on time, and to recite long portions of the Qur'an, for "indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed." [17 (Al-Israa), 78] i.e. it is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day. The protecting angels only leave us when we answer the call of nature and when we are have conjugal relations, and so we should recite the appropriate supplications from the sunnah prior to performing these acts. Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures (of animate beings). (Related by Bukhari and Muslim) The angel of death is entrusted with taking the souls of all creatures in the universe. [32 (Al-Sajdah), 11] There are angels who torture wrongdoers at the time of death. "If only you could see, when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieve, [the angels are] beating their faces and their backs." [8 (Al-Anfaal), 50] Munkar and Nakeer are the two angels in charge of questioning people in their graves about their faith. Israfil will blow the Horn to mark the end of this world. There are angels who watch over Heaven and Hell. The custodian of heaven is named Ridwaan, while Maalik is the custodian of Hell. Hell has nineteen angels who watch over it. [74 (Al-Muddath-thir), 30] There are angels who welcome the believers into heaven, greeting them with peace. [13 (Ar-Ra`d), 23-24] Eight angels will carry the `Arsh, which is Allah's greatest creation, on the Day of Judgement. [40 (Al-Haaqqah), 7] ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ AHADITH ON ANGELS Sahih Al-Bukhari 001.002.047 Narrated Abu Huraira: One day while the Prophet was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Apostle replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." Then he further asked, "What is Islam?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then he further asked, "What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you." Then he further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" Allah's Apostle replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents: 1. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master. 2. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah. The Prophet then recited: "Verily, with Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour--." (31. 34) Then that man (Gabriel) left and the Prophet asked his companions to call him back, but they could not see him. Then the Prophet said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion." Abu 'Abdullah said: He (the Prophet) considered all that as a part of faith. 001.003.086 Narrated Asma: I came to 'Aisha while she was praying, and said to her, "What has happened to the people?" She pointed out towards the sky. (I looked towards the mosque), and saw the people offering the prayer. Aisha said, "Subhan Allah." I said to her, "Is there a sign?" She nodded with her head meaning, "Yes." I, too, then stood (for the prayer of eclipse) till I became (nearly) unconscious and later on I poured water on my head. After the prayer, the Prophet praised and glorified Allah and then said, "Just now at this place I have seen what I have never seen before, including Paradise and Hell. No doubt it has been inspired to me that you will be put to trials in your graves and these trials will be like the trials of Masiah-ad-Dajjal or nearly like it (the sub narrator is not sure which expression Asma' used). You will be asked, 'What do you know about this man (the Prophet Muhammad)?' Then the faithful believer (or Asma' said a similar word) will reply, 'He is Muhammad Allah's Apostle who had come to us with clear evidences and guidance and so we accepted his teachings and followed him. And he is Muhammad.' And he will repeat it thrice. Then the angels will say to him, 'Sleep in peace as we have come to know that you were a faithful believer.' On the other hand, a hypocrite or a doubtful person will reply, 'I do not know, but I heard the people saying something and so I said it.' (the same). " 001.004.184 Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr: I came to 'Aisha the wife of the Prophet during the solar eclipse. The people were standing and offering the prayer and she was also praying. I asked her, "What is wrong with the people?" She beckoned with her hand towards the sky and said, "Subhan Allah." I asked her, "Is there a sign?" She pointed out, "Yes." So I, too, stood for the prayer till I fell unconscious and later on I poured water on my head. After the prayer, Allah's Apostle praised and glorified Allah and said, "Just now I have seen something which I never saw before at this place of mine, including Paradise and Hell. I have been inspired (and have understood) that you will be put to trials in your graves and these trials will be like the trials of Ad-Dajjal, or nearly like it (the sub narrator is not sure of what Asma' said). Angels will come to every one of you and ask, 'What do you know about this man?' A believer will reply, 'He is Muhammad, Allah's Apostle , and he came to us with self-evident truth and guidance. So we accepted his teaching, believed and followed him.' Then the angels will say to him to sleep in peace as they have come to know that he was a believer. On the other hand a hypocrite or a doubtful person will reply, 'I do not know but heard the people saying something and so I said the same.' " 001.008.436 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The angels keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for anyone of you, as long as he is at his Mu,salla (praying place) and he does not pass wind (Hadath). They say, 'O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! be Merciful to him." 001.008.466 Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The prayer offered in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one's house or in a business center, because if one performs ablution and does it perfectly, and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for each step which he takes towards the mosque, Allah upgrades him a degree in reward and (forgives) crosses out one sin till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque he is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and the angels keep on asking for Allah's forgiveness for him and they keep on saying: 'O Allah! Be Merciful to him, O Allah! Forgive him, as long as he keeps on sitting at his praying place and does not pass wind. (See Hadith No. 620). 001.010.530 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Angels come to you in succession by night and day and all of them get together at the time of the Fajr and 'Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you (or stayed with you) ascend (to the Heaven) and Allah asks them, though He knows everything about you, well, "In what state did you leave my slaves?" The angels reply: "When we left them they were praying and when we reached them, they were praying." 001.011.620 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The reward of the prayer offered by a person in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of the prayer offered in one's house or in the market (alone). And this is because if he performs ablution and does it perfectly and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for every step he takes towards the mosque, he is upgraded one degree in reward and his one sin is taken off (crossed out) from his accounts (of deeds). When he offers his prayer, the angels keep on asking Allah's Blessings and Allah's forgiveness for him as long as he is (staying) at his Musalla. They say, 'O Allah! Bestow Your blessings upon him, be Merciful and kind to him.' And one is regarded in prayer as long as one is waiting for the prayer." 001.011.621 Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur Rahman: Abu Huraira said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'The reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.' " Abu Huraira then added, "Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for "Indeed, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed." (17.18). Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: The reward of the congregational prayer is twenty seven times greater (than that of the prayer offered by a person alone). 001.011.628 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The angels keep on asking for Allah's Blessing and Forgiveness for anyone of you as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place) and does not do Hadath (passes wind). The angels say, 'O Allah! Forgive him and be Merciful to him.' Each one of you is in the prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and nothing but the prayer detains him from going to his family." 001.012.747 Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Say Amin" when the Imam says it and if the Amin of any one of you coincides with that of the angels then all his past sins will be forgiven." Ibn Shihab said, "Allah's Apostle used to Say "Amin." 001.012.748 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "If any one of you says, "Amin" and the angels in the heavens say "Amin" and the former coincides with the latter, all his past sins will be forgiven." 001.012.749 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Say Amen' when the Imam says "Ghair-il-maghdubi 'alaihim wala-ddal-lin; not the path of those who earn Your Anger (such as Jews) nor of those who go astray (such as Christians); all the past sins of the person whose saying (of Amin) coincides with that of the angels, will be forgiven. 001.012.762 Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "When the Imam says, "Sami' a-l-lahu Liman hamida," you should say, "Allahumma Rabbana laka-l-hamd." And if the saying of any one of you coincides with that of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven." 001.012.764 Narrated Rifa'a bin Rafi AzZuraqi: One day we were praying behind the Prophet. When he raised his head from bowing, he said, "Sami'a-l-lahu Liman hamida." A man behind him said, "Rabbana walaka-l hamd hamdan Kathiran taiyiban mubarakan fihi" (O our Lord! All the praises are for You, many good and blessed praises). When the Prophet completed the prayer, he asked, "Who has said these words?" The man replied, "I." The Prophet said, "I saw over thirty angels competing to write it first." Prophet rose (from bowing) and stood straight till all the vertebrae of his spinal column came to a natural position. 001.012.770 Narrated Abu Huraira: The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" He replied, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a clear (not cloudy) night?" They replied, "No, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They replied in the negative. He said, "You will see Allah (your Lord) in the same way. On the Day of Resurrection, people will be gathered and He will order the people to follow what they used to worship. So some of them will follow the sun, some will follow the moon, and some will follow other deities; and only this nation (Muslims) will be left with its hypocrites. Allah will come to them and say, 'I am Your Lord.' They will say, 'We shall stay in this place till our Lord comes to us and when our Lord will come, we will recognize Him. Then Allah will come to them again and say, 'I am your Lord.' They will say, 'You are our Lord.' Allah will call them, and As-Sirat (a bridge) will be laid across Hell and I (Muhammad) shall be the first amongst the Apostles to cross it with my followers. Nobody except the Apostles will then be able to speak and they will be saying then, 'O Allah! Save us. O Allah Save us.' There will be hooks like the thorns of Sa'dan in Hell. Have you seen the thorns of Sa'dan?" The people said, "Yes." He said, "These hooks will be like the thorns of Sa'dan but nobody except Allah knows their greatness in size and these will entangle the people according to their deeds; some of them will fall and stay in Hell forever; others will receive punishment (torn into small pieces) and will get out of Hell, till when Allah intends mercy on whomever He likes amongst the people of Hell, He will order the angels to take out of Hell those who worshipped none but Him alone. The angels will take them out by recognizing them from the traces of prostrations, for Allah has forbidden the (Hell) fire to eat away those traces. So they will come out of the Fire, it will eat away from the whole of the human body except the marks of the prostrations. At that time they will come out of the Fire as mere skeletons. The Water of Life will be poured on them and as a result they will grow like the seeds growing on the bank of flowing water. Then when Allah had finished from the Judgments amongst his creations, one man will be left between Hell and Paradise and he will be the last man from the people of Hell to enter paradise. He will be facing Hell, and will say, 'O Allah! Turn my face from the fire as its wind has dried me and its steam has burnt me.' Allah will ask him, "Will you ask for anything more in case this favor is granted to you?' He will say, "No by Your (Honor) Power!" And he will give to his Lord (Allah) what he will of the pledges and the covenants. Allah will then turn his face from the Fire. When he will face Paradise and will see its charm, he will remain quiet as long as Allah will. He then will say, 'O my Lord! Let me go to the gate of Paradise.' Allah will ask him, 'Didn't you give pledges and make covenants (to the effect) that you would not ask for anything more than what you requested at first?' He will say, 'O my Lord! Do not make me the most wretched, amongst Your creatures.' Allah will say, 'If this request is granted, will you then ask for anything else?' He will say, 'No! By Your Power! I shall not ask for anything else.' Then he will give to his Lord what He will of the pledges and the covenants. Allah will then let him go to the gate of Paradise. On reaching then and seeing its life, charm, and pleasure, he will remain quiet as long as Allah wills and then will say, 'O my Lord ! Let me enter Paradise.' Allah will say, May Allah be merciful unto you, O son of Adam! How treacherous you are! Haven't you made covenants and given pledges that you will not ask for anything more that what you have been given?' He will say, 'O my Lord! Do not make me the most wretched amongst Your creatures.' So Allah will laugh and allow him to enter Paradise and will ask him to request as much as he likes. He will do so till all his desires have been fulfilled . Then Allah will say, 'Request more of such and such things.' Allah will remind him and when all his desires and wishes; have been fulfilled, Allah will say "All this is granted to you and a similar amount besides." Abu Said Al-Khudri, said to Abu Huraira, 'Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'That is for you and ten times more like it.' "Abu Huraira said, "I do not remember from Allah's Apostle except (his saying), 'All this is granted to you and a similar amount besides." Abu Sahd said, "I heard him saying, 'That is for you and ten times more the like of it." ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ ANGELS ENCOURAGE THE BELIEVERS TO WORSHIP AND OBEY ALLAH Author Unknown The Angels in still in the believers a love of the remembrance of Allah, and endearment to the Qur'an. They encourage believers to seek knowledge and observe good conduct. They attend a believers prayers and his recitation of the Qur'an. Narrated Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "The prayer offered in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one's house or in a market, because if one performs ablution and does it perfectly, and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of offering the prayer, then for each step which he takes towards the mosque, Allah upgrades him a degree in reward and crosses out one sin till he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque he is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and the angels keep on asking Allah's Forgiveness for him and they keep on saying "O Allah! be merciful to him, O Allah! Forgive him, as long as he keeps on sitting at his praying place and does not pass wind". (Reported by Muslim) The Prophet said: "Allah has mobile squads of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find people doing so, they call to one another and say: "Here is what you are looking for"; and they surround the servants with their wings till the space between them and the sky of the world is fully covered. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks the angels (although He is the best informed about everything): "What are My servants saying?". They say: "They are glorifying You (subhaana Allah), uttering Your greatness (Allahu Akbar) and praising You (Al-hamdu-illah)". He asks: "Have they seen Me?" When the angels reply "No, indeed, they have not seen You". He asks: "How would they act if they had seen Me". Thereupon the angels reply: "If they had seen You they would have engaged more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extolled You more". He would say: "What do they beg of Me?". They say: "They beg of You Your paradise". Allah says: "Have they seen My Paradise?", They say: "No, Our Lord". He says: "How would they act if they were to see My paradise?" The angels reply: "Had they see on it, they would have been more intensely eager for it". The angels say: "They seek Your protection" Allah says: "Against what do they seek My protection?" The angels say: "Our Lord, from the Fire of Hell". He says: "Have they see the Fire of Hell?". They say: "No, had they seen it, they would have been more earnest in flying from it and fearing it". The angels say: "They beg of You forgiveness". He says: "I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for and grant them protection against what is one amongst them who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in the remembrance of Allah. He came in connection with his own work". Allah says: "I also grant him pardon because he is amongst the people whose associate will not be unfortunate". (Reported by al Bukhari) The Angels Encourage The Seekers of Knowledge The Messenger of Allah says: "If anyone travels on a road in quest of knowledge, the angels will lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with his occupation". (Reported by at-Tirmidthi) They give the believer strength to persevere in good works, especially in Jihad in the way of Allah. Allah the Exalted, and Glorious, says: "When your Lord inspired the angels, (saying) "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes". (Surah Al-Anfaal, Ayat 12) ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ IMAN IN THE ANGELS By Muhammad Alshareef In the name of Allah, all Praise is due to Allah, and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His beloved Messenger. Upon him, his family and companions, and those that follow them in righteousness till the final day. The Prophet (saws) was sitting in his home, his lower legs uncovered. Abu Bakr (raa) came in and then Umar (saws) and the Prophet (saws) remained in his position. Then when Uthman (raa) arrived the Prophet (saws) sat up, covered his lower leg and greeted him with the warmest greeting. Aisha (raa) witnessed this and she later questioned the Messenger of Allah (saws) about his action. He (saws) said, "Should I not be shy from he whom the angels are shy from?" In the hadith we began explaining last week, when Jibraeel came to the Prophet (saws) and asked him about Islam, Eeman, and Ihsan, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said when asked, `What is Eeman?' He (saws) said, "Eeman is to believe in Allah, in His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree – the good and the bad thereof." Today we shall talk about Eeman in the Angels. All throughout the stages of our creation the angels have been there with some duty. When we were nothing in our mothers stomach, an angel was there breathing a soul into us. They are there every day reporting to Allah our Salah. They are there every second recording what we whisper and speak. When the time of our death comes they are ready to take our soul. And when the day of Judgment commences, an angel will blow the trumpet to announce it. Having belief or Eeman in the Angels is a pillar of a Muslims Eeman. Angels are a creation of Allah. They were created from light, they do not eat or drink, they are characterized by neither feminine or masculine, and they do not tire. Some spend their entire existence in Ruku', others in Sujood. And then when the Judgment is called they will raise their heads and say: Glory be to you, our Lord, we did not worship you in a way befitting your Majesty. The are the creation of Allah, a creation that took place before the creation of our father Adam (as). The Messenger of Allah (saws) told us about their characteristics and duties. Amongst these characteristics are the following: Firstly: That their creation is huge. The Prophet (saws) said, "I saw Jibraeel in the fashion that he was originally created in. He had 600 wings. Each wing filling the (entire) horizon. (The east to the west – as far as the eye could see). This event was mentioned in the Quran [And indeed he (Muhammad saws) saw him (Jibraee as) in the clear horizon (to the east)] Takweer 81-23. Secondly: That they have the ability to change shape, as we know in the story of Maryam, and in this hadith of Jibraeel when all the companions saw him with an intense white garment, with intense black hair. Thirdly: They live in the heavens and from there they descend to carry out the duties appointed to them. Allah (swt) says: [Nearly the heavens might rent asunder from above them (by His majesty) and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord] Shura 42/5 Takadus Samawaatu yatta fattarna min fawqihinna… This is just a glimpse at some of their characteristics. As for their relationship with Mu'mineen (those who have Eeman), the relationship is a very close one. The Prophet (saws) told us that they witness the gatherings of Muslims in which Allah (swt) – is remembered. He (saws) said: "Allah has some angels who look for those who celebrate the Praises of Allah on the roads and paths. And when they find some people celebrating the Praises of Allah, they call each other, saying, "Come to the object of your pursuit.' " He added, "Then the angels encircle them with their wings up to the sky of the world." He added, "(After those people celebrated the Praises of Allah, and the angels go back), their Lord, asks them (those angels)--though He knows better than them--'What do My slaves say?' The angels reply, 'They say: Subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar, and Alham-du-lillah.' Allah then says 'Did they see Me?' The angels reply, 'No! By Allah, they didn't see You.' Allah says, How it would have been if they saw Me?' The angels reply, 'If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything more often.' Allah says (to the angels), 'What do they ask Me for?' The angels reply, 'They ask You for Paradise.' Allah says (to the angels), 'Did they see it?' The angels say, 'No! By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.' Allah says, How it would have been if they saw it?' The angels say, 'If they saw it, they would have greater covetousness for it and would seek It with greater zeal and would have greater desire for it.' Allah says, 'From what do they seek refuge?' The angels reply, 'They seek refuge from the (Hell) Fire.' Allah says, 'Did they see it?' The angels say, 'No By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.' Allah says, How it would have been if they saw it?' The angels say, 'If they saw it they would flee from it with the extreme fleeing and would have extreme fear from it.' Then Allah says, 'I make you witnesses that I have forgiven them.' " Allah's Apostle added, "One of the angels would say, 'There was so-and-so amongst them, and he was not one of them, but he had just come for some need.' Allah would say, 'These are those people whose companions will not fall into misery.' " They love the believers. The Prophet (saws) said, "When Allah (swt) loves someone he calls to Jibreel saying, `O Jibreel, I love such and such a person so love him.' Then Jibreel will call to the (angels) of the heavens, `Allah loves such and such a person so love him.' And the angels will love. And then Allah (swt) will place acceptance on earth for that Mu'min. – Bukhari and Muslim. They pray for the believers. As the Prophet (saws) explained, "Any servant that prays for me an angel will pray for them." Sahih Al-Jami'. And the Prophet (saws) explained that there is an angel appointed to the prayers one does for a brother in his absence. The angels duty is to say Ameen, Ameen to the prayer, and to you the same. And no doubt the angels assist the Mu'mineen in Jihad. In the battle of Badr the Messenger of Allah (saws) left Madinah with only 317 companions in pursuit of a caravan, unprepared for war. When the Muslim army found themselves confronted with over 1000 fighters from Quraish, all with weapons, horses, and preparation, the battle looked grim, especially since it was their first battle in Islam. The Prophet (saws) entered his tent, prayed and raised his hands invoking victory from Allah. He raised his hands so high that his shawl would fall off and Abu Bakr (raa) was there placing it back on his shoulders. He (saws) cried and prayed until Abu Bakr (raa) felt sympathy for the state he saw. He called out to the Messenger of Allah (saws) "Ruwaidan Ya Rasullah, In Allaha Naasiruk wa Mujizu wa'dak." Then Allah (swt) revealed the verse:[(Remember) when your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes.] Anfal 8/12. Jibreel asked the Prophet (saws) about those that attended the victory of Badr, "What is the position of those who attended Badr amongst you?" The Prophet (saws) said, "They are our best of us." Then Jibraeel said, "Likewise, the Angels that attended Badr are the best amongst the angels." And the Angels are there when the Mu'min dies. Allah (swt) tells us of that day when the come to extract the soul of the Mu'min: [Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (alone)" and then they (lived) upright on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying), "Fear not, nor grieve! Rather receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!] Fussilat 41/30 Part II: The Angels and the Kuffar: Just as the angels are a part of the Mu'mins life, death, and resurrection, they are also a part of the Kafirs, but in a different way. The Prophet (saws) told us that when Allah (swt) hates a person he calls to Jibreel saying, `O Jibreel, I hate such and such a person so hate him.' Then Jibreel will call to the (angels) of the heavens, `Allah hates such and such a person so hate him.' And the angels will hate him. And then Allah (swt) will place displeasure on earth for him. At the time of the Prophet (saws) the Kuffar mocked him by requesting to see the angels in this life, claiming that only then would they believe. Allah (swt) recorded their statement in the Quran, for them and many others are people who believe with their eyes and not their hearts: [And those who expect not to meet with Us (those who deny the Day of Ressurection and the life of the Hereafter) say, "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord?" Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride! On the Day they will see the angels – no glad tidings will there be for the Mujrimoon (the criminals) and they will say, "Forbidden to you is any sort of glad tidings."] Furqan 21/23 And when they enter Hell, Allah (swt) tells us about their conversation with the angel custodians of Hell: Ghafir 40/49 [And those in the fire will say to the keepers (angels) of Hell, "Call your Lord to lighten for us a day of the punishment. They will reply: "Did there not come to you your Messengers with clear proofs? They will say, "Yes." They will say, "then pray – and the prayer of the disbelievers is to no avail.] Dear brothers and sisters, what now is our duty towards these angels. It is to believe in them and respect them the way they deserve. Thus when we hear that Angels do not enter houses that have dogs and images, we immediately go and rid ourselves of that which will rob our houses of their blessed presence. The Prophet (saws) told us in an authentic hadith that the angels will not enter a house in which there is an image or a dog. It is unfortunate that many Muslim homes have found a place on their shelves to put up idols of animals, or dolls, and pictures on the walls. If prayer time comes they may cover it or they may not, but it is no matter. That is a house that is robbed of the angels blessed presence, protection and dua. And when Angels are not there, most likely devils and jinns will find refuge. May Allah (saws) protect us all. In conclusion, the closest angels to us are those on every human's shoulders writing the good deeds and the bad deeds. Allah (saws) mentioned them in the Quran: [Not a word does he (or she) utter except that there is watcher near him, ready (to record it).] Qaaf 50/18. If we had a tape recorder on both shoulders and there was a competition that whoever glorifies Allah will get 1 dollar for each time, and whoever speaks ill will be lashed once – what would happen to the state of the community. It would ignite in Tasbeeh! Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar. Even if you said salam, all the person would reply with would be Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar. How are you? Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar. And at the end of the day he would get 30000, the other 50000 dollars, who would not partake in such profit? Dear brothers and sisters we are being recorded and the stakes are much higher. Innal Allah wa Malaikatahu …