Definition
Allah's noble servants, created from light, who never disobey His command. Belief in them is a pillar of īmān.
Etymology & Root
Plural of malak (ملك), with debated derivation — most strongly from أ-ل-ك (ʾ-l-k) 'to send a message', because angels are messengers between Allah and creation.
Usage in the Qur'an
'And the angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day whose extent is fifty thousand years' (al-Maʿārij 70:4). 'They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and do as they are commanded' (at-Taḥrīm 66:6). Named angels: Jibrīl, Mīkāʾīl, Isrāfīl, Mālik (gatekeeper of the Fire), Munkar and Nakīr (graveside questioners), the bearers of the Throne.
Usage in the Sunnah
'The angels were created from light, the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire, and Ādam was created from what has been described to you' (Muslim). The angel of revelation Jibrīl in his true form has 600 wings filling the horizon (Bukhārī, Muslim).
Scholarly Notes
Belief in the angels is one of the six pillars of īmān. We must believe in: their existence, the named ones by name and function, the unnamed ones generally, and what they do as the Qur'an and Sunnah have informed.
Common Misconceptions
(1) That angels have gender — they are neither male nor female (az-Zukhruf 43:19 condemns those who attributed femininity to them). (2) That angels are deities or intercessors with Allah by their own right — they only intercede with His permission (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:28).
Practical Application
Two recording angels accompany every person — be conscious of speech and action. The angels say āmīn after the imām's Fātiḥah; coordinate yours with theirs to have past sins forgiven (Bukhārī).
Search across the corpus
Related Terms
More from General Terms