Angels

How Do Angels Serve Us?

Different angels have different functions,
such as protecting mankind, according to Allah’s ﷻ will. 
We do not see them and yet they play an active role in our lives serving us in
a multitude of ways.  This begins soon after conception and continues
until the moment of death and beyond in the grave and the Afterlife.

The sheer number of angels is uncountable;
however, we are required to know the following ten and their roles:

Gabriel عليه السلام [Jibrīlʿalayhi salām: Peace be
upon him]

Firstly, and most importantly is the
Archangel Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام who
is the noble leader of all the angels.  He plays a vital role in revealing
Allah’s ﷻ messages to His ﷻ prophets. Indeed, it
is Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام  who
revealed the Qurʾān to the Prophet Muhammadﷺ.

In the Qurʾān, Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام is
also known as the Holy Spirit. In three places of the Qur’an, he is also
referred to as a Noble Messenger [Rasūlun Karīm], the
Faithful/trustworthy Spirit [Rūh al-Amīn] and the Holy Spirit
[Rūh al-Qudus].

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه he ﷺ beheld
him in his original form السلام  in his real
form on at least two occasions.  The first time was on his ﷺ first
night in Hira on the mountain and the second was on the miraculous Night
Journey [ʾIsrāʾwal Mirāj].

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ describes Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام as
having six-hundred wings, each pair so enormous that they crowded the space
between East and West with pearls, rubies, and diamonds dripping from each
wing.  His majestic and dazzling form filled up the entire horizon on all
sides.

 When Gabriel [Jibrīl]  عليه السلام took
human form, he resembled  Diḥyah bin Kalbī رضى الله عنه [radiallāhu ʿanhu: May Allah be pleased with him], who was a very handsome man
amongst the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ and was famously
called the “Yūsuf of Banū Kalb” (referring to how handsome Prophet
Joseph [Yūsuf] عليه السلام was
in his time).

 Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام and the
Prophet ﷺ:

Angel Gabriel’s [Jibrīl] عليه السلامfirst
encounter with the Prophet ﷺ was when he cleansed his ﷺ heart
when he ﷺ was a child.

 It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be
pleased with him) that Gabriel عليه السلام came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ when he was playing with the other
boys. He took hold of him and threw him to the ground, then he opened his chest
and took out his heart, from which he took a clot of blood and said: “This was
the Shaytaan’s share of you.” Then he washed it in a vessel of gold that was
filled with Zamzam. Then he put it back together and returned it to its place.
The boys went running to his mother – meaning his nurse – and said: Muhammad
has been killed! They went to him and his colour had changed. Anas said: I used
to see the mark of that stitching on his chest. Narrated by Muslim (162)

Later, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ experienced
this again on the night of the miraculous Night Journey [ʾIsrāʾwal
Mirāj].

Abu Dharr  رضى الله عنه 
used to narrate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The roof of
my house was opened when I was in Makkah, and Gabriel came down and split open
my chest, then washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden basin
filled with wisdom and faith and emptied it into my chest. Then he sealed it…”m (Narrated
by al-Bukhaari (349) and Muslim (163))

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام And
His Duty Of Revealing The Message Of Allahﷻ:

The process of revelation began,
when Gabriel [Jibrīl]  عليه السلام came
to the Prophet ﷺ  in  human form on the Mount Hira , where the Prophet
Muhammad ﷺ  used to go in seclusion, worshipping Allah ﷻ continuously
for many days and nights until he desired to see his family.

Whilst the Prophet ﷺ 
was in the cave of the mountain Hira the Angel Jibreel عليه السلام came
to him and asked him to read. The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I do not know how to read.” The Prophet ﷺ added, “The Angel caught me and pressed me so hard that
I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read and
I replied: I do not know how to read; thereupon he caught me again and pressed
me a second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and
again asked me to read but I replied: I do not know how to read; thereupon he
caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said:
‘Read in the name of your Lord, who has created everything, who has created man
from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.’” (96:1-3)

The revelation that was sent through
Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام from
Allah ﷻ to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took 23
years to complete. It was so great and intense. The Prophet ﷺ said
the revelation was like the ringing of a bell and then he would remember
what Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام had
brought to him from Allah ﷻ. Sometimes He ﷺ would
lose consciousness and sweat on a cold day.

It was narrated from Aishah رضى الله عنھاthat: Al-Harith bin Hisham asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: ‘How does the
Revelation come to you?’ He said: ‘Like the ringing of a bell, and this is the
hardest on me. When it departs, I remember what he said. And sometimes the
angel appears to me in the form of a man and speaks to me, and I remember what
he said.’ Aishah said: ‘I saw him when the Revelation came to him on a very
cold day, and his forehead was dripping with sweat.’ Sunan an-Nasāʿi 934

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام would
come to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at appointed times, to
reveal verses of the Qurʾān and ask him ﷺ to repeat them. The Prophet ﷺ
would then listen, repeat, and memorise the words of Allah. The
Angel Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام would often take on the shape or form of a man when appearing
to the Prophet ﷺ while at other times, he would share the revelation by voice
only.

Narrated Abu Huraira رضى الله عنه  [radiallāhu-ʿanhu:
May Allah be pleased with him]: The
Prophet ﷺ said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah
loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and announce to
the inhabitants of Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love
him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of Heaven would love him, and then he is
granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.  Saḥīḥ Muslim 2637

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام and
The Story of Ṭāʿif:

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ set
out to visit the major tribal chiefs of Ṭāʿif,
with the hope and purpose of inviting them to accept Islam. However, they
rejected his message and disrespected him, setting the children of Ṭāʿif
to hurl stones at him ﷺ and drive him ﷺ out
of their town. Insulted and mocked, and with his ﷺ ankles
bleeding, he ﷺ ran to seek shelter in an empty orchard. Resting on a
rock, alone, bleeding, and rejected, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed to
Allahﷻ.

“To You, my Lord, I complain of my weakness, lack of
support, and the humiliation I am made to receive. Most Compassionate and
Merciful, you are the Lord of the weak, and You are my Lord. To whom do You
leave me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility. Or to an enemy,
you have given power over me? As long as you are not displeased with me, I do
not care what I face. I would, however, be much happier with Your mercy. I seek
refuge in the light of Your face by which all darkness is dispelled and both
this life and the life to come are put in their right course against incurring
your wrath or being the subject of your anger. To You, I submit, until I earn
Your pleasure. Everything is powerless without your support.”

At that moment, Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام came
to him ﷺ and told himﷺ that if he ﷺ desired,
Allah could command an angel to collapse the two mountains surrounding the
people of Ṭāʿif and crush them.

However, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was
so merciful that he responded to Angel Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام, “I rather hope
that Allah will raise from among their offspring people who will worship Allah
the One ﷻ and
will not ascribe partners to Him ﷻ.”

The Ḥadīth
of Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام:

Also, on the authority of Umar
(ra) who said:

While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of
Allah ﷺ, there appeared
before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black
hair.  No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew
him. He sat down close by the Prophet ﷺ, rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet ﷺ and placed is palms over his thighs, and
said: “O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.” The Messenger  of Allah ﷺ replied:  “Islam is that you
should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that
Muhammad ﷺ is His
Messenger, that you should  perform  salah (ritual prayer), pay the
Zakat, during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Kaʿbah of Makkah) – if you can find a
way to it (or find the means of making a journey to it).” 

 He said:
“You have spoken the truth.” We were astonished at his thus questioning him,
and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say: “Inform me about
Iman (faith)?” He (the Prophet ﷺ) answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and
His Books and His Messenger and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar) both in
its good and in its evil aspects.” He said, “You have spoken the truth.” Then
he (the man) said, “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Prophet ﷺ) answered, “It is that you should serve
Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him, yet He sees
you.”  He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” He (the Prophet ﷺ) said, “About that the one questioned
knows no more than the questioner.”  So, he said, “Well, inform me about
its signs.” He ﷺ said,
“They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you
will see the barefooted ones, the naked,  the destitute, the herdsmen of
the sheep (competing with each other)  in raising lofty buildings.  Thereupon
the man went off.  I waited a while, and then he (the Prophetﷺ) said, “O Umar, do you know who that questioner
was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger ﷺ know better.” He ﷺ said, “That was Jibreel. He came
to teach you your religion.” [Muslim]
Hadith 2, 40 Hadith of an-Nawawi

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام and
the Prophets of Allah  عليهم السلام:

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام had
interactions with the Prophets of Allah, as detailed in the Qurʾān and Sunnah:

Idrīs عليه السلام was
the first prophet to write with a pen.  Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام took
him to the Angel of Death in the fourth Heaven to ask how much time he had to
live, and his soul was taken there and then.

We learn how Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام always
wanted to help the prophets.

Abraham [Ibrāhīm] عليه السلام:

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام appeared
when Abraham [Ibrāhīm] عليه السلام was
thrown into the fire, asking if he could help him.  In response,
Abraham [Ibrāhīm] عليه السلام stated
that Allahﷻ was enough for him.

 Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلامalso
came to help Hājar, the wife of Abraham [Ibrāhīm] عليه السلام,
tapping his heel to produce the water of Zamzam. A group of angels also went to
the house of Abraham [Ibrāhīm] عليه السلام to
give him the glad tidings of a righteous son in his old age, and also that they
had come to destroy the nation of Lot [Lūt]عليه السلام.

Lot [Lūt] عليه السلام:

Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام 
played a direct role in assisting Lot [Lūt] عليه السلام  during the final moments of
his people’s defiance. Allah sent a group of angels—identified by scholars as Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام ,
Michael [Mīkāʿīl] عليه السلام, and Isrāfīl عليه السلام to
carry out His decree. They first visited Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
before proceeding to Lot [Lūt] عليه السلام town
in human form.

When the angels arrived, Prophet Lut
attempted to protect them from his people’s immoral intentions, unaware at
first that they were angels. Their presence served as a final test and as
evidence of the people’s persistent wrongdoing. The angels reassured Lot [Lūt] عليه السلام,
instructed him to leave the city with his family, excluding his wife, and
warned him not to look back.

According to Islamic sources, Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام 
was responsible for executing the punishment after Lot [Lūt] عليه السلام and
the believers were saved. By Allah’s command, he overturned the cities with the
tip of his wing, and they were destroyed as a sign of divine justice. This
event highlights Jibreel’s role not only as a messenger of revelation but also
as an enforcer of Allah’s commands, supporting the prophets and upholding
justice.

Joseph [Yūsuf]  عليه السلام:

When Joseph [Yūsuf] عليه السلام was
cast into the well by his brothers, Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام was
standing at the bottom of the well to catch him and give him
comfort.  So here we see that as soon as Joseph [Yūsuf] عليه السلام left
the protection of his father, Allahﷻ continued to protect
him and sent His noble Archangel عليه السلام to
assist him. These stories serve as a reminder to us that we have to trust Allahﷻ, the
Best Disposer of all our affairs and in all circumstances, and Allah ﷻ will
protect us in every way even through sending angels to us. Like He did on the
Battle of Badr, where the angles led by Gabriel, fought alongside the Muslims
and won the first battle in Islam.  

Jesus [ʿĪsā] عليه
السلام:

When Mary [Maryam] عليها السلام went
to the east to contemplate and be away from the people,
Archangel Gabriel [Jibrīl] عليه السلام came
to her in the form of a perfect symmetrical man.  She told him to fear
Allah ﷻ in case he had bad intentions, whereupon he changed to his
angelic form. He then gave Maryam عليها السلام  the
glad tidings of Jesus [ʿĪsā] عليه السلام.

When the people came to kill Jesus [ʿĪsā], Gabriel raised him to Allahﷻ whilst Judas was
made to look like Jesus [ʿĪsā] عليه السلام and
was killed instead of him.

Michael [Mīkāʿīl] عليه
السلام

The Angel Michael [Mīkāʿīl] عليه
السلام is one of the four greatest angels.
Michael’s responsibility is provision [rizq] and to manage the
mundane necessities of people, such as bringing forth rain, overseeing the
cultivation of crops, and providing material food for the body and spiritual
food for the soul.

Michael [Mīkāʿīl] عليه
السلام  assisted the Prophet Mohammed ﷺ
several times throughout hisﷺ spiritual journey.  Also,
Allah ﷻ mentioned the angel Michael [Mīkāʿīl] عليه
السلام in the Holy Qurʾān:

“Whosoever is an
enemy to God, or his angels, or his apostles, or to Gabriel or to Michael,
verily God is an enemy to the unbelievers.”  Qurʾān: The Cow [Al Baqarah] 2:98

Narrated Abu Saʾeed
Al-Khudri:

that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is
no prophet except that he has two ministers among the inhabitants of the
heavens, and two ministers among the inhabitants of the earth. As for my two
ministers from the inhabitants of the heavens, they are Jibril and Mikaʾil and as for my two ministers from
the inhabitants of the earth, then they are Abu Bakr and Umar.” Jamiʿ al-Tirmidhī 3680

 Isrāfīl عليه
السلام

 Isrāfīl عليه السلام,
known as the Angel of the Trumpet [Sūr], is amongst the four great
angels of Allah. His duty is to blow the Trumpet twice:  On the first blow,
Doomsday will occur and on the second, the Resurrection will begin.

“The Trumpet will
be blown and all those in the heavens and all those on the earth will fall
dead, except those Allah wills ˹to
spare˺. Then it will be
blown again, and they will rise up at once, looking on ˹in anticipation˺”. Qurʾān: The Troops [Az Zumar] 39:68

When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
was asked about the nature of the trumpet, he answered: “A horn that is blown.” Aḥmad b. Hanbal, II,
196                                                                                                         

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
said that “Israfel is awaiting the order of blowing while He grasps the trumpet”. Ṭabarī Jāmiʿ al-bayān, VII, 211; Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīru’l-Qur’an-il Aẓīm,
Egypt, n.d. II, 276

Azrael [ʿAzrāʾīl] عليه
السلام

The Angel of Death [Malak-ul Mawt], Azrael  عليه السلام 
is one of the four greatest angels. His responsibility is to grasp the souls of
people at the time of their death. In the holy Qurʾān, we read:

“Say: The angel of
death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, then to your Lord, you
shall be brought back.” Qurʾān: The Prostration [Al-Sajda] 32:11

“When death
approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their
duty.”  Qurʾān:  Livestock [al Anʿām] 6: 61

“When our
messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls, they say: “Where are the
things that ye used to invoke besides Allah.” Qurʾān: The Heights [Al Aʿrāf] 37

Riḍwān عليه
السلام

Riḍwān عليه السلام is the angel and guardian, who is in charge of maintaining
Paradise [Jannah].  His primary role is to guard its gates and
supervise the angels who welcome the believers after they have been judged. He
is associated with the moment when the righteous are admitted into Paradise,
where angels greet them with peace, reassurance, and honour, as described in
the Qur’an.

Ridwan’s role reflects the idea that entry into Jannah is an organised,
divinely controlled process carried out by angels under Allah’s command. He
represents the final transition from judgment to eternal reward, ensuring that
those who enter Paradise do so with dignity, security, and divine mercy,
highlighting Islam’s emphasis on both justice and compassion in the afterlife.

Malik عليه السلام

Malik عليه السلام is
the guardian of Hellfire together with other angels, called Zabānia.

In the holy Qurʾān it is mentioned:

‘Those who
disbelieved will be driven to Hell in ˹successive˺ groups. When they arrive there, its gates will be opened
and its keepers will ask them: “Did messengers not come to you from among
yourselves, reciting to you the revelations of your Lord and warning you of the
coming of this Day of yours?” The disbelievers will cry, “Yes ˹indeed˺! But the decree of torment has come to pass
against the disbelievers.”’ Qurʾān: The Troops [Az-zumar] 39:71

‘It will be said to
them, “Enter the gates of Hell, to stay there forever.” What an evil home for
the arrogant!’ Qurʾān: The Troops [Az-zumar] 39:72

Raqīb and Atīd – the Honourable Scribes [Kirāman Katibīn] عليهما
السلام

Together Raqīb عليه السلام and
Atīd عليه
السلام are called the Honourable Scribes.
Every person has one sitting on the right shoulder and one on the left shoulder
and they record his or her actions.

“Not a word does
he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” Qurʾān: Qaf [Qāf] 50:18

 In another chapter these Angels are described
as honourable scribes:

“And most surely
there are keepers over you. Honourable recorders. They know what you do.” Qurʾān: The Cleaving [Al
Infitār] 82: 10-12

“And He is the
Supreme, above His servants, and He sends keepers over you.” Qurʾān: The Cattle [al Anʿām] 6: 61

“Not a word does he
(or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” Qurʾān: Qaf [Qāf] 50:16-18

The system of recording of deeds is
detailed in a Sacred Narration [Ḥadīth Qudsi]. This is a special type of narration where the meaning is from Allahﷻ, and
the wording is from the Prophet Mohammed ﷺ.

On the authority of ʿAbd
Allāh ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him), from what he narrates from his Lord:

“Verily, Allah ta-ala 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 up
to seven hundredfold, or even many times more. And, if he had a 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.” (Bukhāri and Muslim) Ḥadīth 37, 40 Ḥadīth An-Nawawi

Munkar عليه السلامand Nakir عليه
السلام

Munkar عليه السلامand
Nakir عليه
السلام are the angels that question a person
after they die, and they are in the grave. They use the following questions and
treat them according to the answers that they receive: Who is your lord? Who is
your prophet? What is your book?

It is reported from Abu Hurayra that the
Prophet ﷺ said:

“When the deceased is buried, two angels, black and
blue-eyed, come to him. One of them is called Munkar, and the other Nakir. They
say to the dead person, ‘What do you say about this man (the Messenger of
Allah)?’ He says what he said about him before death, ‘He is Allah’s slave and
His Messenger. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and
that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.’ The angels will say, ‘We knew
that you said this.’ Then, his grave is expanded to seventy by seventy cubits
and is illuminated for him. “If he is a hypocrite, he will say: ‘I heard people
saying something; so, I said the same; I do not know.’ The angels will say, ‘We
knew that you said this.’ Then, the earth is addressed as follows: ‘Constrict
him.’ The earth constricts him, squeezing his ribs together. He continues being
punished like that until Allah resurrects him from his resting place.” (Tirmidhī, Janāʾiz, 70)