Praise be to Allah (The Glorified and Exalted).
The angels are part of the unseen world. They have been mentioned numerous times in both the Qur’an and hadith. The angels are noble slaves of Allah, having no freewill. They are not males or females, but genderless, and created in full adult form.
The Angels are Created From Light:
Angels are created from light (nur), as mentioned in the following hadith:
‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) said, “The angels are created from light, just as the jinn are created from smokeless fire and mankind is created from what you have been told about [i.e. clay].” [Muslim: Book 42: Hadith 7134]
When The Angels were Created:
The angles were created before Adam (peace be upon him). In the following verse of the Qur’an, Allah speaks to the angels, telling them about the creation of Adam (peace be upon him):
The Angels have Wings:
The angles are creatures that possess wings:
The Size of the Angels:
The angels vary in bodily stature and status. Jabriel (peace be upon him) has the highest rank among the angels and an immense body size. This is mentioned in the following hadith:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw Jabriel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls, and rubies, only Allah knows about them. [It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid]
Their Beauty:
The angels are known for their incredible beauty and perfection in bodily appearance. This is made clear in the following verse of the Qur’an concerning Jabriel:
Commenting on the above Quranic verse, Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Dhoo Mirrah means that he [Jabriel] has a beautiful appearance.” Qutadah said, the meaning of Dhoo Mirrah implies that, “He [Jabriel] is tall and beautiful.”
Their Natural State:
The angels are in a state of complete obedience to Allah and they are exceedingly humble. They appear to mankind only when they are given permission. The angels do not eat, drink, sleep, or feel any sense of fatigue.
The fact that the angels do not eat or drink is indicated from the conversation between Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the angels that visited him in the guise of men:
“There came Our messengers [i.e. angels] to Ibrahim with glad tidings. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.’” [11:69-70]
Their Abilities:
The angels have great powers that have been given to them by Allah. One of which includes the ability to change from their true form in order to appear in the guise of a man. They also travel at incredible speeds, clearing large distances in a short span of time. The angels have also been granted an extraordinary amount of strength. This is mentioned in the following verses of the Qur’an and hadith:
“…Then We sent to her [i.e. Maryam] Our Spirit [i.e. Jabriel], and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” [19:17]
“He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power [i.e. Jabriel]…” [53:5]
Jabriel (peace be upon him) used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sometimes in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi, a companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was very handsome.
Guardian Angels:
Each individual is believed to have at least five angels appointed to them. Two of the angels serve as guardians, whereas the other two record the person’s good and bad deeds. The fifth angel reminds the Believer to do good deeds.
Among the guardian angels, one walks in front and the other walks behind the individual. This is mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an:
This is also mentioned in the following account: A man said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): “A group from (the tribe of) Murad wanted to kill you.” Ali said, “With every man there are two angels who protect him from everything that is not decreed; when the decree comes, they withdraw and do not stand between him and it. A man’s decreed lifespan is his protection.”
Jabriel:
The angel Jabriel (peace be upon him) delivered the Divine Revelation to the Messengers
Mikael:
The angel Mikael is responsible for the vegetation and delivering the rain wherever Allah Wills. He has helpers, who do what he tells them. By the command of Allah, they direct the wind and clouds.
The Exalted Chiefs:
There are some angels who have been commanded by Allah (The Glorious) to oversee the state of affairs in the heavens and the Earth. These angels are the Exalted Chiefs and they discuss questions of high import in the Universe. These angels are mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an:
The Angels are Below Man in Rank:
Mankind has been honored above much of the creation, including the angels. This is clear from the following verse of the Qur’an in which the angels fell in prostration to Adam (peace be upon him):
“And behold, We said to the angels: ‘Bow down to Adam’ and they bowed down…” [2:34]
Angels Do Not Enter Some Homes:
The angels will not enter homes in which there are dogs or images of animate beings. The angel Jabriel (peace be upon him) told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “we (angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture” [Muslim: Book 24: Hadith 5248]. This is also clear from the following hadith:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Jabriel came to me and said, ‘I was going to come to you last night, and nothing prevented me from entering the house where you were, except the fact that at the door of the house there was a statue of a man. In the house there was a curtain on which there were images, and there was a dog in the house. So order that the head of the statue that is at the door be cut off, so that it will become like a tree, and order that the curtain be cut up and made into two pillows that will be thrown on the floor and stepped over, and order that the dog be taken out.’” [al-Tirmidhi no. 2806]
Disagreeable to Name Humans After Angels:
Muslims should not use the names of angels for their children. The angels are neither male or female. This prohibition especially applies to female children, they should not be named “angel.” It is better and more favorable to name the child after the Prophets (peace be upon them) or to use other pious names, including: Abdullah (Slave of Allah), Abdul-Rahman (Slave of the Merciful), and so forth.
Prohibition on Calling Upon the Angels for Aid:
A Muslim is prohibited from speaking to or addressing the unseen creatures, including his guardian angels. For example, saying, “O angels of Allah, wake me up” or “protect me.” This is not permissible because it involves calling upon someone other than Allah and asking for something from one of the unseen creatures. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If you ask of anyone, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah” [al-Tirmidhi no. 2516].
The angels are part of the unseen world. They have been mentioned numerous times in both the Qur’an and hadith. The angels are noble slaves of Allah, having no freewill. They are not males or females, but genderless, and created in full adult form.
The Angels are Created From Light:
Angels are created from light (nur), as mentioned in the following hadith:
‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) said, “The angels are created from light, just as the jinn are created from smokeless fire and mankind is created from what you have been told about [i.e. clay].” [Muslim: Book 42: Hadith 7134]
When The Angels were Created:
The angles were created before Adam (peace be upon him). In the following verse of the Qur’an, Allah speaks to the angels, telling them about the creation of Adam (peace be upon him):
“Behold, your Lord said to the angels: ‘I will create a vicegerent [i.e. Adam] on Earth’…” [2:30]
The Angels have Wings:
The angles are creatures that possess wings:
“Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the Earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things.” [35:1]
The Size of the Angels:
The angels vary in bodily stature and status. Jabriel (peace be upon him) has the highest rank among the angels and an immense body size. This is mentioned in the following hadith:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw Jabriel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls, and rubies, only Allah knows about them. [It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid]
Their Beauty:
The angels are known for their incredible beauty and perfection in bodily appearance. This is made clear in the following verse of the Qur’an concerning Jabriel:
“He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power, Dhoo Mirrah [free from any defect in body and mind], then he [Jabriel] rose and became stable.” [53:5-6]
Commenting on the above Quranic verse, Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Dhoo Mirrah means that he [Jabriel] has a beautiful appearance.” Qutadah said, the meaning of Dhoo Mirrah implies that, “He [Jabriel] is tall and beautiful.”
Their Natural State:
The angels are in a state of complete obedience to Allah and they are exceedingly humble. They appear to mankind only when they are given permission. The angels do not eat, drink, sleep, or feel any sense of fatigue.
“(The angels say
‘We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget’” [19:64]
“. . . For in the presence of your Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never become tired (nor feel themselves above it).” [41:38]
“O ye who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” [66:6]
‘We descend not but by command of thy Lord: to Him belongeth what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between: and thy Lord never doth forget’” [19:64]“. . . For in the presence of your Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never become tired (nor feel themselves above it).” [41:38]
“O ye who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” [66:6]
The fact that the angels do not eat or drink is indicated from the conversation between Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the angels that visited him in the guise of men:
“There came Our messengers [i.e. angels] to Ibrahim with glad tidings. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.’” [11:69-70]
Their Abilities:
The angels have great powers that have been given to them by Allah. One of which includes the ability to change from their true form in order to appear in the guise of a man. They also travel at incredible speeds, clearing large distances in a short span of time. The angels have also been granted an extraordinary amount of strength. This is mentioned in the following verses of the Qur’an and hadith:
“…Then We sent to her [i.e. Maryam] Our Spirit [i.e. Jabriel], and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” [19:17]
“He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power [i.e. Jabriel]…” [53:5]
Jabriel (peace be upon him) used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sometimes in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi, a companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was very handsome.
Guardian Angels:
Each individual is believed to have at least five angels appointed to them. Two of the angels serve as guardians, whereas the other two record the person’s good and bad deeds. The fifth angel reminds the Believer to do good deeds.
Among the guardian angels, one walks in front and the other walks behind the individual. This is mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an:
“For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah…” [13:11]
This is also mentioned in the following account: A man said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): “A group from (the tribe of) Murad wanted to kill you.” Ali said, “With every man there are two angels who protect him from everything that is not decreed; when the decree comes, they withdraw and do not stand between him and it. A man’s decreed lifespan is his protection.”
Jabriel:
The angel Jabriel (peace be upon him) delivered the Divine Revelation to the Messengers
Mikael:
The angel Mikael is responsible for the vegetation and delivering the rain wherever Allah Wills. He has helpers, who do what he tells them. By the command of Allah, they direct the wind and clouds.
The Exalted Chiefs:
There are some angels who have been commanded by Allah (The Glorious) to oversee the state of affairs in the heavens and the Earth. These angels are the Exalted Chiefs and they discuss questions of high import in the Universe. These angels are mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an:
“No knowledge have I [Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)] of the Exalted Chiefs, when they discuss (matters) among themselves. Only this has been revealed to me: that I am to give warning plainly and publicly.’” [38:69-70]
The Angels are Below Man in Rank:
Mankind has been honored above much of the creation, including the angels. This is clear from the following verse of the Qur’an in which the angels fell in prostration to Adam (peace be upon him):
“And behold, We said to the angels: ‘Bow down to Adam’ and they bowed down…” [2:34]
Angels Do Not Enter Some Homes:
The angels will not enter homes in which there are dogs or images of animate beings. The angel Jabriel (peace be upon him) told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “we (angels) do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture” [Muslim: Book 24: Hadith 5248]. This is also clear from the following hadith:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Jabriel came to me and said, ‘I was going to come to you last night, and nothing prevented me from entering the house where you were, except the fact that at the door of the house there was a statue of a man. In the house there was a curtain on which there were images, and there was a dog in the house. So order that the head of the statue that is at the door be cut off, so that it will become like a tree, and order that the curtain be cut up and made into two pillows that will be thrown on the floor and stepped over, and order that the dog be taken out.’” [al-Tirmidhi no. 2806]
Disagreeable to Name Humans After Angels:
Muslims should not use the names of angels for their children. The angels are neither male or female. This prohibition especially applies to female children, they should not be named “angel.” It is better and more favorable to name the child after the Prophets (peace be upon them) or to use other pious names, including: Abdullah (Slave of Allah), Abdul-Rahman (Slave of the Merciful), and so forth.
Prohibition on Calling Upon the Angels for Aid:
A Muslim is prohibited from speaking to or addressing the unseen creatures, including his guardian angels. For example, saying, “O angels of Allah, wake me up” or “protect me.” This is not permissible because it involves calling upon someone other than Allah and asking for something from one of the unseen creatures. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If you ask of anyone, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah” [al-Tirmidhi no. 2516].
“…Such is Allah, your Lord; His is the Kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer [the thin membrane over the date stone]. If ye invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer your (prayer). On the Day of Judgment they will reject your “Partnership.” And none, (O man!) can tell thee (the Truth) like the One Who is acquainted with all things.” [35:13-14]