In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Imagine you are reading Surah Kahf, the 18th chapter of the Qur'an, and 70,000 angels attending! What a beautiful sight and a great blessing that is!
According to a report from Dailami on the authority of Sayyidna Anas and appearing in Ruh al-Ma'ani, the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The entire Surah al-Kahf was revealed at one time and seventy thousand angels came with it" - which shows its majesty.
Abu Hurayra reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
There are no people who remember Allah without the angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, tranquility descending on them, and Allah mentioning them to those who are with Him.[Muslim, Tirmidhi]
Angels hold an important place in Islam and so in our lives. This is testified by the fact that angels are mentioned more than 80 times in the Qur'an, as well as in over 200 sayings of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Along with mankind and jinn, angels are one of the groups of creatures created by Allah. Angels are part of the Unseen that we as humans cannot comprehend. Despite this, it is one of the Articles of Faith to believe in the existence of angels. Angels are honored slaves of Allah to be respected by us.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّـهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا ﴿١٣٦(Qur'an An-Nisa 4:136)
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. (136)
Aisha (Radiallahu ‘anha) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,
“The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Muslim)
Aisha (Radiallahu ‘anha) also said,
“I asked the Messenger of Allah (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) about these two ayaat (at-Takwir:32 & an-Najm:13-15). He said, ‘This is Jibril; I never saw him in the form in which Allah created him except on these two occasions. I saw him descending from the heavens, with his huge size filling the space between the heaven and the earth.’” (Muslim)
In their normal form (i.e. when they are not appearing in the form of a human etc.) angels are beautiful and magnificent. Allah said, describing Jibril alayhissalaam:
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ ﴿٥﴾ ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ ﴿٦﴾ وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿٧﴾ ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ﴿٨﴾ فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ﴿٩(Qur'an An-Najm 53:4-9)
It is only a Revelation revealed. (4) He has been taught (this Qur'an) by one mighty in power [Jibril] (5) one free from any defect in body and mind (Dhu Mirrah), then he (Jibril in the real shap eas created by Allah) rose and became stable. (6) While he [Jibril] was in the highest part of the horizon, (7) Then he [Jibril] approached and came closer, (8) And was at a distance of two bows' length or (even) nearer, (9)
It is said that: "'Dhoo Mirrah' means that he (i.e. Jibril) has a beautiful appearance" and that it means that "he is tall and beautiful."
The idea that angels are beautiful is firmly established in all people's minds, so much so that they liken a beautiful human to an angel, as the women said about Prophet Yusuf alayhissalaam:
فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّـهِ مَا هَـٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـٰذَا إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٣١ ...(Qur'an Yusuf 12:31)
...And when they saw him, they greatly admired him and cut their hands and said, "Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel." (31)
Angels have wings, although the shape and form of these wings is unknown to us. Similarly, we do not know the number of these wings. Allah mentions in the Qur'an that angels may have two, three, four or more; and we have narrations of angels having many more, as in the case of Jibril.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (1) (Qur'an Faatir 35:1)
Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ud (Radiallahu ‘anhu) said,
“The Messenger of Allah (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saw Jibril in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which filled the horizon, and there were multi-coloured pearls and rubies falling from his wings.” (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, Ibn Kathir in al-Bidaayh wan-Nihaayah said its isnaad is Jayyid)
Angels are tremendous creatures. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, describing Jibril: 'I saw Jibril descending from heaven, and his great size filled the space between heaven and earth.'" (Hadith)
Describing the angels who carry the Throne of Allah: "The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of Allah who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.'" (Hadith)
In some circumstances Allah allows certain people to see angels. In many cases the angels have appeared to people in the form of humans as Allah has given the angels the ability to take on forms other than their own forms. One well known example is when Allah sent the angel Jibril to Maryam in the form of a man, as Allah says in the Qur'an:
فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا ﴿١٧(Qur'an Maryam 19:17)
And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. (17)
Similarly, angels also came to the Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam in human form, and he was not aware that they were angels until they told him so. Prophet Lut alayhissalaam also had angels come to him in the form of young men with beautiful faces.
Jibril used to come to Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in many different forms. Sometimes Jibril would appear in the form of a man called Dihyah al-Kalbi, who was a very handsome companion of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Other times he would come in the form of a stranger man. The companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw Jibril in his human form, as reported in the following account:
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: "One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of travel were to be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). Resting his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: 'O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.'... O Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I said, “Allah and His messenger know best.” He said: He was Jibril, who came to teach the people their religion. [Muslim]
There are countless numbers of angels, and only Allah knows how many there are.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, describing the Much-Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma'mur) in the seventh heaven: "Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another (group) coming after them.
"The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: 'Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels.'"
All angels praise and glorify Allah and they never become tired of doing this.
يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ﴿٢٠(Qur'an Al-Anbiya' 21:20)
They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.
فَإِنِ اسْتَكْبَرُوا فَالَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْأَمُونَ ۩ ﴿٣٨(Qur'an Al-Fussilat 41:38)
But if they are too proud (to do so), then there are those who are with your Lord (angels) glorify Him night and day, and never are they tired. (38)
There are angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads.
The angel Jibril is the greatest angel and he is also known as al-Rooh al-Ameen (the Trustworthy Spirit).
وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٩٢﴾ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ ﴿١٩٣﴾ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ ﴿١٩٤﴾ بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ ﴿١٩٥(Qur'an 26:193-194)
And indeed, the Qur'an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. (192) The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down (193) Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - (194) In a clear Arabic language. (195)
It is Jibril's task to convey the revelation from Allah to His Messengers. Allah says:
قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٩٧﴾ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّـهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٩٨(Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:97-98)
Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Jibril - it is [none but] he who has brought the Qur'an down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], by permission of Allah, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers." (97) Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Jibril and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers. (98)
Mika'il is responsible for rain, directing it wherever Allah wishes. He has helpers, who do what he tells them, by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as Allah wills.
The angel Israfil is responsible for blowing the Trumpet which will be blown at the onset of the Hour (the Day of Judgement).
It is reported that when the Prophet got up to pray at night he used to start his prayer with the words: 'O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of heaven and earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You are the Judge of the matters in which Your slaves differ; guide me with regard to disputed matters of Truth by Your permission, for You guide whomever You will to the Straight Path.'" (Hadith)
Malik, whose name literally means "Master" is the Keeper of Hell, as Allah says:
وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّاكِثُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾ لَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُم بِالْحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٧٨(Qur'an AL-Zukhruf 43:77)
And they will call, "O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain." (77) We had certainly brought you the truth, but most of you, to the truth, were averse. (78)
Munkar and Nakir are two angels who are responsible for questioning a person in the grave.
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakir...'"(Hadith)
The angels Haarut and Maarut are also mentioned in the Qur'an. Allah says:
... وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ ۚ...(Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:102)
...and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Haarut and Maarut.
The Angel of Death and his helpers are responsible for taking the soul of the deceased. Allah says:
قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١١(Qur'an As-Sajdah 32:11)
ay, "The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord you will be returned." (11)
Some angels are responsible for protecting the slave throughout his life, when he stays home and when he travels, when he is asleep and when he is awake. These are the "angels in succession" concerning whom Allah says:
سَوَاءٌ مِّنكُم مَّنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَن جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِاللَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ ﴿١٠﴾ لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّـهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّـهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ ﴿١١
It is the same [to Him] concerning you whether one conceals [his] speech or one publicizes it and whether one is hidden by night or conspicuous [among others] by day. (10) For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron. (11) (Qur'an Ar-Ra'd 13:10-11)
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ ﴿٤
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector. (4) (Qur'an At-Tariq 86:4)
Others angels are responsible for recording the people's deeds, good and bad. There is one angel on the left who records the bad deeds of a person, and one on the right who records the good deeds of a person. These angels are known as the "honorable scribes" (or 'kiraaman kaatibeen' in Arabic).
وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ ﴿٦١﴾ ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ ﴿٦٢(Qur'an Al-An'am 6:61-62)
And He is the subjugator over His servants, and He sends over you guardian-angels until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him, and they do not fail [in their duties]. (61) Then they His servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgement, and He is the swiftest of accountants. (62)
Some of the angels are the keepers of Paradise. Allah says:
وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلُوهَا خَالِدِينَ ﴿٧٣(Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:73)
But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," [they will enter]. (73)
Mighty and stern angels stand over Hell who never disobey Allah. They do precisely as ordered. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّـهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ﴿٦(Qur'an At-Tahrim 66:6)
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded. (6)
They are nineteen keepers of Hell. Allah says:
سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ ﴿٢٧﴾ لَا تُبْقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ ﴿٢٨﴾ لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلْبَشَرِ ﴿٢٩﴾ عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ ﴿٣٠(Qur'an Al-Muddathir 74:26-31)
...I will drive him into Saqar. (26) And what can make you know what is Saqar? (27) It lets nothing remain and leaves nothing [unburned], (28) Blackening the skins. (29) Over it are nineteen [angels]. (30) And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels... (31)
One should not think that the inhabitants of Hell will be able to overcome the keepers of Hell because there are just nineteen of them. Everyone of them has the strength to subdue all humanity by himself. These angels are called the Guards of Hell by Allah in the Quran:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي النَّارِ لِخَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًا مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ﴿(Qur'an Al-Ghafir 40:49)
٤٩
And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, "Supplicate your Lord to lighten for us a day from the punishment. (49)
The name of the chief angel guarding over Hell is Malik, as mentioned in the Quran:
إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ ﴿٧٤﴾ لَا يُفَتَّرُ عَنْهُمْ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ ﴿٧٥﴾ وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوا هُمُ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٧٦﴾ وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّاكِثُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾ لَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُم بِالْحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٧٨
ndeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally. (74) It will not be allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair. (75) And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers. (76) And they will call, "O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain." (77) We had certainly brought you the truth, but most of you, to the truth, were averse. (78) (Qur'an Az-Zukhruf 43:74-78)
One of the angels is responsible to blow life into the fetus in the womb.
Abdullah ibn Masud reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of seed, then he is a clot of blood for another period, then a morsel of flesh for another period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the breath of life into him and who is commanded regarding four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions, and whether he is happy or unhappy. By Allah other than whom there is no god, verily, one of you behaves like the people of Paradise until he is but an arm’s length from it, but that which has been written overtakes him, so he behaves like the people of Hellfire and thus he enters it; and one of you behaves like the people of Hellfire until he is but an arm’s length from it, and that which has been written overtakes him, so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.[Muslim]
Some angels carry the Throne of Allah, as He describes in the Qur'an:
الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿٧[Qur'an Ghaafir 40:7]
Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], "Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire. (7)
Narrated Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace,
That she asked the Prophet, 'Have you encountered a day harder than the day of the battle) of Uhud?" The Prophet replied, "Your tribes have troubled me a lot, and the worse trouble was the trouble on the day of 'Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn 'Abd-Yalail bin 'Abd-Kulal and he did not respond to my demand. So I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and could not relax till I found myself at Qarnath-Tha-alib where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw Jibril in it. He called me saying, 'Allah has heard your people's saying to you, and what they have replied back to you, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, "O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akh-Shabain (i.e. two mountains) fall on them." The Prophet said, "No but I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship None besides Him."[Bukhari]
Some of the angels travel throughout the world, seeking out gatherings of dhikr (remembrance of Allah).
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Allah Almighty has angels who travel the highways and by-ways seeking out gatherings of remembrance (dhikr) in the earth. When they find a gathering of remembrance, they enfold them with their wings stretching up to the heaven. Allah asks them, ‘From where have you come?’ They reply, ‘We have come from Your slaves who are glorifying You, praising You, proclaiming Your oneness, asking of You and seeking refuge with You.’ He says, and He knows better than them, ‘What are they asking Me for?’ They reply, ‘They are asking You for the Garden.’ He says, ‘Have they seen it?’ They reply, ‘No, our Lord.’ He says, ‘How would it be if they were to see it?’ Then He asks, and He knows better than them, ‘What are they seeking refuge from?’ ‘From the Fire,’ they reply. He asks, ‘Have they seen it?’ ‘No,’ they reply. Then He says, ‘How would it be if they were to see it?’ Then He says, ‘I testify to you that I have forgiven them, I have given them what they ask Me for, and I give them the refuge which they ask of Me.’ They say, ‘Our Lord, among them is a wrongdoer who is sitting with them, but is not one of them.’ He says, ‘I have forgiven him as well. The one sitting with these people will not be wretched.’”[Muslim, Tirmidhi, Hakim]
Angels won't enter a house where there is a dog or a picture of animate beings (such as photographs of people or animals etc).
Imam Muslim narrates in his Sahih Muslim, “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture”.
Imam Nawawi (Allah be pleased with him) in his commentary on the Sahih of Imam Muslim commentates that this refers to the angels which go around seeking mercy, blessings and forgiveness for the person of the house and his household. As for the angels who write down one’s works, they always remain with one. He mentions that this narration does not apply to those dogs which are permitted to keep, such as dogs used for shepherding, hunting or the like. Among the reasons mentioned for the angels not entering the house is that dogs generally do not have a pleasant smell and the angels are put off by bad odors and smells.
May Allah moist our tongues with His remembrance and keep us with His honorable slaves. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahhu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment