THE DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS - A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE HOLY QURAN.

 

THE DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS -

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE HOLY QURAN.
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana

emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, 17th JUNE 2020 CE AND 25th SHAWWAL 1441 AH

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger.

Help us Answer the Ummah! Every second, everywhere someone needs an answer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “A person who leads others to doing what is good will earn the same reward as those who do it.” (Muslim, 1893).

وَلَا تَهِنُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٣٩)

“Do not lose hope, nor be sad. You will surely be victorious if you are true in Faith.” And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” [Holy Quran Chapter Al Imran Ayah 139]

 

إِن يَنصُرۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ وَإِن يَخۡذُلۡكُمۡ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ‌ۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ (١٦٠)

“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.”

[Holy Quran Chapter Imran Ayah 160]

Preamble

Our topic in this article is ‘’what Are the Duties and Tasks of the Angels according to Christianity and Islam?’’ We presented the differences between belief in Angels in Islam and that of Christianity to our brothers and sisters for further understanding of both religions.

1.    How many groups are angels divided into? What are their duties?

2.   Could you please give information on the nature of Angels, their types and about the importance of belief in them? Why cannot we see them?

3.    Will you explain the hadiths that mention the angels and their duties?

4.    What is Qiyama (Doomsday)?

5.    What does belief in Angels mean?

7.    Is it appropriate to get angry with the angel of death, Azrael, because he takes away our souls?

7.    Are angels Allah's daughters according set of other non-Muslims?

8.    What are the Stages of Life in the Hereafter?

9. Where on Earth will everyone be on the Last Day when Allah resurrects us and gets ready to judge everybody?

PART 1 OF 2

THE DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS ACCORDING TO BIBLE.
1.0 Duties of Angels In the Bible [Christianity]

What are the duties of angels according to Christians?

Do angels help people in trouble like they are portrayed in movies and TV? The Bible does indeed say angels have helped people. They do more than that however.

Angels praise

Like us, they praise God (Psa. 148:2). Seraphim, a type of angel, glorify God by saying

"Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory"(Isa. 6:3 KJV)

The living creatures the apostle John sees in his vision of Heaven constantly say

"Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."(Rev. 4:8 KJV)

Notice the word holy is stated not just once or twice but 3 times. This emphasizes the holiness of God.

They guard against evil

One example of angels fighting evil is when an angel tells the prophet Daniel of a great conflict with a prince of Persia (Dan. 10:11-14). Since men cannot fight angels, this prince of Persia must have been a demon. He tells Daniel the prince resisted him for 21 days, and the archangel Michael came to help.

An account in the Bible talks about Michael and his angels fighting Satan and his demons (Rev. 12:7-12). Although Satan and his demons are powerful, Michael and his angels are victorious. They throw the enemies down to the earth.

This raises the question: do we have guardian angels? This is another idea that is prevalent in society. Angels are described as caring for those who seek refuge in God (Psa. 91:11). Jesus talks about how children have angels (Matt. 18:10). Are these angels still there for these children when they grow up? The Bible doesn't say whether we have angels assigned to us for life. An angel rescued the disciple Peter from prison (Acts 12:5-15), so they have rescued men. Most likely God sends angels to help us but not necessarily ones that are assigned to us for life.

They are messengers

The angel Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to give important messages. One time Daniel had a vision he could not explain, so Gabriel explains it (Dan. 8:15-27). On another occasion, Gabriel tells Daniel what will happen in the end of times (Dan. 9:20-27).

In the New Testament, an angel appeared to Zechariah to tell him his barren wife will give birth to John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-22). Zechariah doubted this as both he and his wife were very old. The angel took away Zechariah's voice but gave it back after John the Baptist was born.

Angels played an important role in the birth of Jesus. An angel appeared to Mary to tell her she will give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:26-38) while an unnamed angel convinced Joseph to not turn away Mary after Mary immaculately conceived Jesus before she and Joseph were married (Matt. 1:20-21). After Jesus was born, an angel announced the news to shepherds (Luke 2:8-11). Later on an angel tells Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt after Herod orders the death of all boys under the age of 2(Matt. 2:13). An angel later tells Joseph to return to Israel after the danger passed (Matt. 2:19-20).

Angels also played a role in the resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-10). An angel rolled back the stone that sealed Jesus' tomb. When Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Zebedee's sons, went to Jesus' tomb, an angel appeared to them and said Jesus was not there but had risen from the dead. The angel then tells them to tell the disciples this.

Are ministering spirits

An angel helped the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-8) when Elijah felt so depressed he wanted to die. The angel touched him and told him to eat. Elijah then saw a cake baked on stones. He ate it, and it sustained him on the journey of 40 days to Mt. Sinai.

Angels also carry our spirits away when we die (Luke 16:22). In a story Jesus told, a poor man named Lazarus died. After he died, angels carried him away to paradise and most likely comforted him.

Carry out miracles and God's plans

An early example of angels carrying out God's plan is when Hagar and her son Ishmael were in the middle of nowhere in the desert and out of water (Gen. 21:14-19). God heard the boy crying and sent an angel to comfort Hagar and Ishmael. The angel said Ishmael will become a great nation. God then created a well of water for them both.

One of the most memorable instances is when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham's son (Gen. 22). Abraham bound Isaac up and was ready to kill him. Then an angel appeared and told Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac. This was a test of Abraham's faith, when he was willing to kill the one thing he valued more than anything else on Earth.

Another example is Balaam and his donkey (Num. 22:22-35). The donkey saw an angel, but Balaam didn't. The donkey tried to avoid the angel, but when he tried Balaam beat him. The angel then had the donkey ask why Balaam was beating him. Amazingly there's no indication Balaam was startled by a talking donkey. Balaam's eyes were then opened, and when he saw the angel he realized the sin he committed.

One of the most dramatic examples of angelic intervention is when the king of Babylon demanded people worship a golden image or be burned in a furnace (Dan. 3). When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused, the king was angry and ordered them be thrown into the furnace. After being thrown in, an angel appeared with them in the furnace. What's remarkable is this angel did not enter or leave the furnace with them. The king saw it and was astonished. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego left the furnace unharmed.

Another well-known example in the book of Daniel is when administrators tried to have the prophet Daniel killed (Dan. 6). They convinced the king of Babylon to put Daniel in the lion's den for worshipping God and not the king. Daniel was left there all night with several lions. The next morning the king found Daniel alive and well. An angel of the Lord shut the mouths of the lions, leaving Daniel unharmed.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan after fasting for 40 days (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:1-13). Satan tried to get Jesus to turn stones into bread, jump off a cliff and worship him. Jesus refused each temptation. After Satan left, angels ministered to Jesus in the wilderness.

References http://tourofheaven.com/angels/duties.aspx

2.0 Angels according to Christianity.

According to Christians, from the very start, God began using angels in a special way; he began sending them on “missions” related to the newborn universe and its strange two-legged inhabitants—human beings. What was the nature of these missions? According to the Bible, there were many different kinds:-

1.    First and foremost, angels served as God’s messengers to mankind. We see this throughout the Old and New Testaments, as God repeatedly used the angels to communicate his will to individuals such as Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Gideon, Daniel, the Virgin Mary, Zechariah, Joseph and a whole host of saints and prophets.

2.    God also entrusted angels with the care of kingdoms and communities that were experiencing crisis, and in this capacity their primary mission was to defend, assist and protect God’s people (as in the incident of Rev. Paton and the cannibals).

3.    According to Christians, angels played a very important role in Christ’s mission to save the world. Aside from announcing the good news to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, they also protected the newborn Jesus from the persecution of Herod.

4.    According to Christians, later on, angels were present at the empty tomb when Jesus rose from the dead; and later still, angels liberated the apostle Peter from prison when he was in danger of being executed.

5.    According to Christians, Angels are characterized as “ministering spirits” in the Bible, and were often sent to give human beings consolation during periods of great suffering. The most touching example of them, perhaps, was when an angel was sent to the Garden of Gethsemane to comfort Jesus during his agony.

6.    According to Christians, the best known mission of the angels is to be personal guardians to everybody. Throughout sacred Scripture it implied that each of us has our own angel watching over us in a highly unique and personal manner.

7.    According to Christians, the purpose of guardianship of angel is very simple—to assist to get to Heaven. Why would God give these angels such a task?

8.    According to Christianity, Who are the angels in heaven?

Seven Princes of Heaven: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Sealtiel, Jehudiel, and Barachiel. Chapter 20 of the Book of Enoch mentions seven holy angels who watch, that often are considered the seven archangels: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel, Saraqael, Raguel, and Remiel. The Life of Adam and Eve lists the archangels as well: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael and Joel

9.    According to Christians, Who are the 7 guardian angels?

Seven angels or archangels correspond to days of the week: Michael (Sunday), Gabriel (Monday), Raphael (Tuesday), Uriel (Wednesday), Selaphiel (Thursday), Raguel or Jegudiel (Friday), and Barachiel (Saturday).

10. According to Christians, How do angels help humans?

Though angels, by their nature, serve God, they also serve mankind directly. Angels perform a wide variety of tasks, from healing the sick and finding lost keys to smiting enemies and, of course, winning football games.

11. According to Christians, What are the 9 ranks of angels? Eastern icon of nine orders of angels:

a)    First sphere: 1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Thrones;

b)   Second sphere: 4. Dominations (also translated as Lordships), 5. Virtues (also trans. as Powers), 6. Powers (also trans. as Authorities);

c)    Third sphere: 7. Principalities, 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

Sources and references: Book on Angel Sightings: 7 Inspirational Stories About Heavenly Angels and Everyday Angels on Earth ref. https://www.guideposts.org/how-we-help/outreach-publications/free-ebooks.

What about today?

All these stories in the Bible sound great, but do they happen today? Are angels truly among us in this age? We have no reason to believe not. Heb. 13:2 says to be kind and gracious to strangers as some have entertained angels without even knowing it. References http://www.islamicbook.ws/english/english-048.pdf.

SUMMARY - THE BIBLE
1. The oral Injeel preached by Jesus was in a dead language ancient Aramaic, while the gospels were written in Latin and Greek, which are gentiles language.
2. Jesus never intended his message for gentiles as he was sent by God only for the Jews.
3. The four [4] supposed authors of the selected gospels by council of Nicea were all anonymous.
4. The council of Nicea destroyed all gospels that did not conform to emperor Constantine wishes. They included gospels that told Jesus was not crucified.
5. The writing styles are wildly fluctuating. Some may appear like words of God but many others read like ancient porn, sexual escapades and murderous tales. There are 30 episodes of literally eating shit!
6. As a result the Bible contradicts itself like irrational.
7. There are many versions of the Bible, the Douay, KJV, standard revised versions and many more including the latest the QUEEN JAMES VERSION for homosexuals! All of them have different number of books. Some books were taken out or put in according to the situation.
8. As a result nobody memories the entire bibles word for word by heart.
9. The standard language for any bible reference today is in English which itself is a fairly new developed language. So when you have translations upon translations from one language to others there are bound to be mistakes and lost original meanings. And many people only rely on translations not knowing the original language.
10. As a result, even their own doctors of divinity admitted that there are so many serious mistakes in the bible although how they make it sound irrelevant and puny are all down to their remarkable skills of talking nonsense to sound like perfect sense. Masters of bullshit.

PART 2 OF 2

THE DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS ACCORDING TO ISLAM.
3.0 In Islam, First, let us briefly state what are six articles of faith

1. Belief in Only One God: -In Islam, there is only one God, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) The Supreme and Eternal, The Merciful and Compassionate, The Creator and Provider. He is the God of all beings and there is none like Him.

2. Belief in the Books of God: - Muslims must believe in all Revelations sent by God to His Prophets that is the Torah to Moses [Alaihi Salam], the Scrolls of Abraham [Alaihi Salam], the Gospel to Jesus [Alaihi Salam], the Psalms of David [Alaihi Salam] and the Qur’an to Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam).

3. Belief in God’s Angels: -Angels are pure and spiritually obedient beings, created by God to fulfill His commands and worship Him tirelessly. Muslims believe in all the angels for instance the Angel Gabriel who brought the Qur’an to Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam), the Angel of death who takes away life out of a person and also the Angels of battle.

4. Belief in God’s Prophets or Messengers: - The Prophets and Messengers were individuals who received revelation from God and conveyed it to the people. They were sent to humanity to return people to monotheism, to serve as living practical examples of how to surrender to God, and to guide people to the path of salvation. None of the Prophets and Messengers share in any part of God’s divinity. They were merely human beings. It is forbidden for a Muslim to worship them or to use them as a conduit to God. A Muslim should never invoke them, make supplications to them, or seek God’s mercy and forgiveness through or from them. Therefore, the term “Muhammadanism” is an insult and should never be applied to Muslims. Every single Prophet and Messenger taught that all such acts are polytheistic, and anyone who engages in them is outside the fold of Islam.

5. Belief in Judgment Day: - The Day of Judgment and the Hereafter are essential beliefs in Islam. Life on earth is just temporary while life in the Hereafter is forever and will never end. Those who have done good deeds and obeyed Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) while living on Earth will be rewarded Paradise but those who did otherwise will be punished in Hell accordingly.

6. Belief in God’s Will or Predestination or Qadr: -This is derived from the Arabic phrase “Al-Qada’ Wa Al-Qadar” which means “Divine Decree and Predestination”. God has measured and planned out everything that happened, is happening, and will happen. In Islam, Muslims must understand that if we have a will to do something, it does not always happen, but if Allah wills, it will definitely happen. A simple example of this belief is the frequent phrase used by Muslims: “Insya Allah” which means “if God wills” with regards to a planned action. References https://sites.udel.edu/msadelaware/six-major-beliefs-in-islam/

3.0 ‘’WHAT ARE THE DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM?’’

The angels have duties. Each of them has a duty that he is entrusted with, and he does not delay in carrying it out. Rather, he executes it acting on Allah’s order and He doesn’t disobey Him. Allaah says: “(Hell) Over which are angels stern and severe who do not disobey the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah At-Tahreem 66: 6]

(٥) يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيكُمۡ نَارً۬ا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ عَلَيۡہَا مَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ۬ شِدَادٌ۬ لَّا يَعۡصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمۡ وَيَفۡعَلُونَ مَا يُؤۡمَرُونَ (٦)

FIRST DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: Those who take charge of the Hellfire. They are known as the Guardians of Hell, meaning, those entrusted with the Hellfire and with tormenting its inhabitants.

SECOND DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: Among them are angels that are entrusted with carrying the Throne of Allaah, as He says: “Those who carry the Throne (of Allaah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord and believe in Him. And they ask forgiveness for those who believe, (saying): ‘Our Lord! You encompass all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent.’” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Ghaafir 40: 7]

ٱلَّذِينَ يَحۡمِلُونَ ٱلۡعَرۡشَ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُ ۥ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّہِمۡ وَيُؤۡمِنُونَ بِهِۦ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَا وَسِعۡتَ ڪُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ رَّحۡمَةً۬ وَعِلۡمً۬ا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ (٧)

And Allaah says: “And bearing the Throne of your Lord on that Day will be eight (angels).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Haaqah 69: 17]

وَٱلۡمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡجَآٮِٕهَا‌ۚ وَيَحۡمِلُ عَرۡشَ رَبِّكَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ ثَمَـٰنِيَةٌ۬ (١٧)

The Number of Angels who will Bear the Throne:

The angels that will carry the Throne are four. Then on the Day of Judgment their number will increase to eight. The Throne of Allaah is the greatest of His creations, which will be carried on the Day of Judgment by eight angels. This shows that they are indeed mighty, since they will carry this magnificent Throne, which is the greatest and mightiest of Allah’s creations. This indicates their power and their tremendous composures.

THIRD DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: Among them are those angels entrusted with revelation. Allaah says: “He sends down the angels with the Rooh (spirit/revelation) from His Command to whomever He wills from His servants, (saying): ‘Warn mankind that there is no deity that has the right to be worshipped except Me, so be dutiful to Me.’” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah An-Nahl 16: 2]

(١) يُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۤ أَنۡ أَنذِرُوٓاْ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۟ فَٱتَّقُونِ (٢)

The word Rooh (spirit) here means revelation. It is called Rooh because it is the revelation that brings life to the hearts, just as the rain brings life to the earth. In the same sense, it is the created Rooh (spirit) that brings life to the bodies of animals.

Rooh can also stand for the Qur’an, as Allaah says: “And thus We have revealed to you (O Muhammad) a Rooh (i.e. Qur’an) from Our Command.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Ash-Shooraa 42: 52]

(٥١) وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ رُوحً۬ا مِّنۡ أَمۡرِنَا‌ۚ

Rooh here stands for the Qur’an, since it is that which brings life to the hearts of the believers, just as the earth is brought to life by rain. Such is the case with the hearts of the believers – they are brought to life by way of the Qur’an.

The word Rooh is also used to refer to Jibreel, who is the greatest, most honorable and virtuous of all the angels. He is the one who brought the Qur’an down from Allaah to Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam), as Allaah says: “The trustworthy spirit (Jibreel) brought it (i.e. the Qur’an) down – to your heart (O Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam)) in order that you may be from the warners – in a plain Arabic language.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Ash-Shu’araa 42: 193-195]

So Jibreel brought the Qur’an down to the heart of the Prophet (Sallalahu ‘alayhi wa salaam), and he in turn conveyed it to his Ummah. In another ayah, Allaah says: “Say: The Holy Spirit (Jibreel) brought it down from your Lord.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah An-Nahl: 102]

This is referring to the angel Jibreel – he is the Holy Spirit.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF JIBREEL [AS]:

Allaah has described Jibreel [AS]with great characteristics, as He says: “So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (disappear during the day and appear at night). And by the planets that move swiftly and hide themselves. And by the night as it departs. And by the dawn as it brightens. Verily, this is the Word (brought by) an honorable messenger (i.e. angel) – Possessing power and a high rank with the Lord of the Throne. Obeyed (by the angels), trustworthy there (in the heavens).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah At-Takweer: 15-21]

The First Attribute: Power: Allaah says: “Possessing power and a high rank with the Lord of the Throne.” [Surah At-Takweer: 20] The “Lord of the Throne” here refers to Allaah.

The Second Attribute: Position: Allaah says: “Possessing power and a high rank with the Lord of the Throne.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah At-Takweer: 20] This means that he possesses a high position in the sight of Allaah, which no one else has reached.

The Third Attribute: Obedience: All of the angels obey Jibreel by the Permission of Allaah.

The Fourth Attribute: Trustworthiness: This refers to the revelation, such that he doesn’t make additions or subtractions to it, but rather, He conveys it just the way that Allaah has revealed it to him.

The Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi WA Salam)’s Seeing Jibreel:

Allaah says: “And your companion is not insane.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah At-Takweer: 22] This is what the disbelievers claimed about him (Sallalahu ‘Alaihi wa salaam). “And indeed he (Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi WA Salam)) saw him (Jibreel) in the clear horizon).” [Surah At-Takweer: 23] Muhammad (Sallalahu ‘Alaihi wa sallam) saw Jibreel on the horizon twice.

The First Time: This was in the valley of Makkah. The Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) lifted his head and saw him in the sky and he had 600 wings. Each one of his wings blocked the horizon.

The Second Time: Allaah says: “And indeed he (Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam)) saw him (Jibreel) at a second descent – near the lote-tree of the utmost boundary.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah An-Najm: 13-14] This occurred during the night in which the Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) ascended to the heaven and saw him in his natural state.

These are the attributes of Jibreel. Allaah says: “Verily, this is the Word (brought by) an honorable messenger (i.e. angel).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah At-Takweer: 19]

This means: Even though the Qur’an is the Speech of Allaah, it is ascribed to Jibreel here, since he is the one who conveyed it to Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam). So he is conveying from Allaah, for he dictated it to our messenger, Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam), conveying it from Allaah. However, it is the Speech of Allaah. Speech is only attributed to the one who states it originally, not to the one who says it conveying it from someone else. However, the Speech of Allaah has been attributed to Jibreel here from the perspective of his conveying it.

 

FOURTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are angels entrusted with other duties:

1. Mikaa’eel: He is responsible for the raindrops that fall down from the sky. He moves them around and causes the rain to descend wherever Allaah commands.

2. Israafeel is responsible for blowing on the Trumpet. This will be at the time when Allaah wants to resurrect the creatures from their graves. The bodies will be brought forth from the graves and reassembled. Then the only thing remaining (to be integrated) will be the soul. It is at this point that Israafeel will blow on this horn, due to Allaah’s Command, and the souls will float to their respective bodies, which had come out and risen from their graves. Then they will walk to where Allaah orders them to go. Allaah says: “The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly as if they were racing to a goal.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Ma’aarij: 43]

And Allaah says: “They will come forth with humbled eyes from (their) graves as if they were locusts spread about. Hastening towards the caller, the disbelievers will say: ‘This is a hard day.’” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Qamar: 7-8]

These are the three angles that are responsible for life. Jibreel is responsible for bringing the revelation, which brings life into the hearts. And Mikaa’eel is responsible for the raindrops, which bring life to the earth after its death. Israafeel is responsible for blowing on the trumpet, which will bring life to the bodies (on the Day of Resurrection). This is why when the Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) would get up for prayer at night, after saying the opening Takbeer, he (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) would say in his opening supplication: “O Allaah! Lord of Jibreel, Mikaa’eel and Israafeel, Originator of the heavens and the earth…”

These are the greatest angels due to the magnitude of their duties.

FIFTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are also angels that are put in charge of the fetuses in the mothers’ wombs. This has been reported in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (radyAllaahu ‘anhu), in which he said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) narrated to us – and he is the truthful one who is believed – saying: ‘Verily the creation of each of one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a seed, then he is a clot of blood for a like period, then a morsel of flesh for a like period. Then the angel is sent to him and commanded with four matters – to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy.’” Allaah sends this angel to him to carry out this great important task.

SIXTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are angels that are in charge of taking the souls when their prescribed time is over. There is the Angel of Death (Malak-ul-Mawt) about whom Allaah says: “Say: ‘The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls.’” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah As-Sajdah: 11]

The Angel of Death has assistants that will aid him, as Allaah says: “Until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (i.e. the Angel of Death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. Then they are returned to Allaah, their Master, the Just Lord.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-An’aam: 61-62] So taking the soul at the time of death is ascribed to the angels, to the Angel of Death and also to Allaah.

“It is Allaah who takes away the souls at the time of their death.” [Surah Az-Zumar: 42] Death is ascribed to Allaah here because He is the One who orders it to occur. It is ascribed to the angels because they are the ones who physically carry that out by gathering the soul and leading it out of the human’s body until it reaches his throat. And it is also ascribed to the Angel of Death – “Say: ‘The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls’” – because he is the one in charge of seizing the souls after they have been rounded up in the last stage (of death).

SEVENTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are also angels in charge of recording the deeds of the son of Aadam (i.e. humans), as occurs in the hadeeth: “You are constantly being frequented (in successive shifts) by angels at night and angels during the day.” Allaah says: “And verily, there are guardians (i.e. angels recording your deeds) over you – Honorable, recording (your deeds). They know all that you do.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Infitaar: 10-12]

Every human being has two angels with him:

Every human amongst us has two angels that are responsible over him – an angel on his right side recording his good deeds and another on his left side recording his bad deeds. Allaah says: “When the two receivers receive (i.e. record his deeds) from his right side and his left side, sitting. Not a word does he utter, except that there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Qaaf 50: 17-18].

إِذۡ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلۡمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ۬ (١٧) مَّا يَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيۡهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ۬ (١٨)

[17.] Ith yatalaqqa al-mutalaqqiyaani AAani al-yameeni waAAani alshshimali qaAAeedun

[18.] Ma yal-fithu min qawlin illaa ladayhi raqeebun AAateedun

These guardian angels accompany a human being whether he is on a journey or sitting at home – they are next to him at all times under all conditions – during his prayer, while he is prostrating, etc. – they accompany him and do not leave him alone except under specific circumstances, such as when the person is relieving himself (in the bathroom). So these angels record his statements and his actions.

The angels’ record People’s Intentions and Objectives:

It has been related that the angels also record a person’s intentions and inner objectives, which are located in the heart. Whatever he intends to do, they record it. This is why a person is rewarded for having good intention, since it is an action of the heart, while he is punished for evil intentions, since the intention is an action of the heart.

These angels are put in charge of recording a person’s deeds from the time that he reaches the age of puberty – the age of discernment – to the time when Allaah takes his soul in death. And they record against him everything that he does in his life – whether that is in the form of intentions, actions, statements, or other than that.

ANGELS KNOWING WHAT IS HEARTS OF MAN

Al-Bukaari and Muslim narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, relating from his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted: “Allah decreed good deeds and bad deeds, then He explained that. Whoever thinks of doing a good deed then does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed. If he thinks of doing a good deed and then does it, Allah [May He be glorified and exalted] will write it down between ten and seven hundred fold, or many more. If he thinks of doing a bad deed then he does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed, and if he thinks of it then does it, Allah will write it down as one bad deed.” Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Bari.

This indicates that the angel can see what is in the heart of the human being, either because Allah informs him of it or because Allah has granted him some knowledge by means of which he is able to find it out.

The former view is supported by the report narrated by Ibn Abi’l-Dunya from Abu ‘Imran al-Jawni who said: He calls out to the angel: “Write down such and such for so and so”, and he says: “O Lord, he did not do it”. He says: “He intended it”.

And it was said that the angel detects a foul odour when a person is thinking of doing a bad deed, and he detects a good smell for a good deed. That was narrated by al-Tabarani from Abu M’ashar al-Madani. A similar report was narrated from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “When a person thinks of doing a good deed but does not do it, one good deed is recorded for him …” If his thinking about it is something hidden and is between him and his Lord, how can the angels see it?

He replied: Praise be to Allah. An answer to this question was narrated from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, who said: If he thinks of doing a good deed, the angel smells a good fragrance, and if he thinks of doing a bad deed, the angel smells a foul odour.

In fact, Allah is able to tell the angels what is in a person’s heart in whatever manner He wishes. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa

And he (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: Even if they smell the good scent and foul odour, their knowledge is not dependent on what they smell; rather they know what is in the heart of the human being, they can hear it and see the whispers of his nafs (soul). Even the shaytan gets hold of his heart, and when he remembers Allah he retreats, but if his heart neglects to remember Allah he starts to whisper. He knows whether he is remembering Allah or neglecting to remember Him, and he knows what his nafs desires or is inclined towards, and he makes that attractive to him.

It is proven in al-Saheeh from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in a hadeeth (report) narrated by Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) that: “The shaytan flows through the son of Adam like blood.”

The fact that the angels and the shaytan are close to a person’s heart is something that is mentioned in numerous reports which reach the level of Tawatur (transmitting a narration or religious text by a group of narrators from a group of narrators, generation after generation and so forth, and they are all trustworthy people and it is absolutely impossible for them to agree on a lie), whether the person is a believer or a disbeliever. End quote from Majmoo’ al-Fatawa.

As for what a person thinks in his heart without moving his tongue and uttering it, he will be rewarded for that, but it is not the particular reward that is bestowed by the Lawgiver to the one who mentions that, rather that reward comes for speaking, and speaking is only achieved by uttering the words. But there are some scholars who say that moving the tongue is sufficient even if there is no sound that can be heard. This is the view of the Malikis and is the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, that it is sufficient to move the lips even if the words cannot be heard. End quote.

The majority of scholars think that it is essential to speak the words loud enough to be heard by oneself. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: If he cannot hear himself then it is not an announcement or speech. End quote.

He also said: It should be noted that the adhkar (remembrance of Allah) that are prescribed in prayer and elsewhere, whether they are obligatory or mustahabb (preferred), do not count for anything unless they are uttered so that he can hear himself if his hearing is sound. Al-Adhkar.

With regard to a man being brought to account for what he thinks about to himself, this is hereby answered as follows:

WILL A PERSON BE BROUGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR WHATEVER CROSSES HIS MIND OF GOOD OR EVIL?

Al-Bukhaari (6491) and Muslim (131) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, relating from his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted: “Allah decreed good deeds and bad deeds, then He explained that. Whoever thinks of doing a good deed then does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed. If he thinks of doing a good deed and then does it, Allah [May He be glorified and exalted] will write it down between ten and seven hundred fold, or many more. If he thinks of doing a bad deed then he does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed, and if he thinks of it then does it, Allah will write it down as one bad deed.”

Al-Bukhaari (5269) and Muslim (127) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will forgive my Ummah for whatever crosses their minds so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it.”

Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said: These texts refer to four matters: the recording of good deeds and bad deeds, and thinking of good deeds and bad deeds. This is four matters.

Then he said: … The third matter: thinking of good deeds. It is recorded as one complete good deed even if he does not do it, as it says in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas and elsewhere. … In the hadeeth of Khuraym ibn Faatik it says: “… If a person thinks of doing a good deed but then does not do it and Allah knows that he thought of it and was keen to do it, He records for him one good deed…” [Narrated by Ahmad, 18556. al-Arna’oot said: Its isnaad is hasan. It was mentioned by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah]. This indicates that what is meant by “thinking of” here is the determination and resolve that are usually present when one is keen to do an action, not merely a passing thought that is not accompanied by any resolve or determination.

Abu’d-Darda’ said: If a person goes to his bed, intending to pray during the night (qiyaam), then sleep overtakes him until morning comes, what he intended to do will be recorded for him.

It was narrated that Sa‘eed ibn al-Musayyab said: If a person thinks of praying, fasting, going for Hajj or ‘Umrah, or going for jihad, then he is prevented from doing that, Allah will grant him the reward of what he wanted to do.

Abu ‘Imraan al-Jawni said: It is said to the angel: Record such and such for So and so. He says: O Lord, he did not do it. He says: He intended it.

Zayd ibn Aslam said: A man used to go around among the scholars, saying: Who will tell me of a deed that I may keep doing for Allah, for I do not like any hour of the day or night to come to me except I am striving for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted. It was said to him: You have found what you are looking for. Do good as much as you are able to, then when you become tired or you stop doing it, think about doing it, for the one who thinks about doing a good deed is like the one who does it.

If the intention is accompanied by words or effort, the reward is ensured and the one who intended it is like the one who does it, as Abu Kabshah narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“[People] in this world are of four types: a person to whom Allah grants wealth and knowledge, so he fears his Lord with regard to it, upholds his ties of kinship with it, and acknowledges the rights of Allah concerning it – he is of the highest status. (The second is) a person to whom Allah grants knowledge but He does not grant him wealth, so he is sincere in his intention and says: If I had wealth, I would do the same as So and so does. He will be rewarded according to his intention and their reward will be the same. (The third type) is a person to whom Allah grants wealth, but He does not grant him knowledge, so he squanders his wealth without knowledge; he does not fear his Lord concerning it, he does not uphold his ties of kinship with it and he does not acknowledge the rights of Allah concerning it – he is of the worst status. (And the fourth type is) a person to whom Allah does not grant either wealth or knowledge, so he says: If I had wealth, I would do the same as So and so does. He will be requited according to his intention and their burden of sin will be the same.”

Narrated by Imam Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani because of corroborating evidence.

The phrase “Their reward will be the same” is understood as meaning that they are equal with regard to the basic reward for actions, but not with regard to the multiplication of that reward. Multiplication of reward is only for the one who actually does a deed, not the one who intends it but does not do it. If they were equal in all regards, a tenfold reward would be recorded for the one who thought of a good deed but did not do it, and this is contrary to all the texts. That is indicated by the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward” [an-Nisa’ 4:95]. Ibn ‘Abbaas and others said: Those who sit (at home), above whom those who strive hard and fight are preferred in grades are those who have excuses, and those who sit (at home), above whom those who strive hard and fight are preferred by a huge reward, are those who do not have excuses.

Then he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The fourth matter is thinking of evil deeds without doing them. In the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas it says that this will be recorded as one complete good deed. Similarly in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, Anas and others it says that it will be recorded as a hasanah (good deed). In the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah it says “for he gave it up for My sake” (Muslim, 129). This indicates that what is meant is that if a person was able to do what he thought of of sin, but gave it up for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted, one good deed will undoubtedly be recorded for him for that, because his refraining from committing that sin for that reason is a righteous deed.

But if he thinks of committing a sin, then does not do it for fear of other people, or in order to show off to them, then it was said that he will be punished for refraining from it with that intention, because giving precedence to fear of people over fear of Allah is haraam, just as aiming to show off to people is also haraam. If refraining from the sin is accompanied by such intentions, then he will be punished for refraining.

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad said: They used to say: Refraining from doing something for the sake of people is showing off and doing it for their sake is shirk.

But if he tries to do it by all available means then is prevented from doing it because it is not decreed that he should do it, in that case a number of scholars stated that he will be punished for it, because of the hadeeth, “… so long as he does not speak of it or act upon it.” So if a person strives to commit a sin, then is unable to do it, he has acted upon it. Similarly, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When two Muslims confront one another with their swords, the slayer and the slain will both be in Hell.” I said – or it was said – O Messenger of Allaah, (we understand about) the slayer, but what about the slain? He said: “He wanted to kill his companion.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 31: Muslim, 2888). The words “so long as he does not speak of it or act upon it” indicate that if the one who thinks of a sin speaks of what he was thinking of, then he will be punished for thinking of it in that case, because he has committed a sin with his physical faculties, which is speaking with his tongue. That is also indicated by the hadeeth of Abu Kabshah quoted above, who said: (The fourth type of person) says: “If I had wealth, I would do with it what So and so does”, referring to the one who disobeyed Allah with his wealth. He said: “Their burden of sin will be the same.”

Then he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: But if he changes his intention and gives up his resolve for no reason, will he be punished for what he thought of of sin, or not?

There are two scenarios: The first is if his thinking of sin was a passing thought that he did not dwell on and it did not take root in his heart; rather he disliked it and was put off by it. This will be forgiven; it is like the awful thoughts or whispers that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about, and he said: “That is clear faith.” [Narrated by Muslim, 132]

When the verse (interpretation of the meaning) “…whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills…” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:284] was revealed, that was distressing for the Muslims and they thought that it included these passing thoughts. Then the following verse was revealed, in which it says (interpretation of the meaning): “Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:286]. (Narrated by Muslim, 126). This proved that with regard to that which they had no strength to bear, they would not be punished or brought to account for it, and it became clear that what was meant in the first verse was things that they resolved and intended to do.

The second scenario is things that one has resolved and intends to do, that occurred to one’s mind and become established, and one dwells on them. These are of two types:

(i) Acts of the heart (that have to do with belief), such as doubting or disbelieving in the Oneness of Allah, or Prophethood, or the Prophet’s mission, and other kinds of disbelief and hypocrisy. These are all things for which a person will be punished and by means of which he becomes a disbeliever and a hypocrite.

We may add to these all sins that have to do with the heart, such as loving that which Allah hates, hating that which Allah loves, arrogance, self-admiration, etc.

(ii) The second type has to do with that which is not actions of the heart; rather they are physical actions, such as zina, stealing, drinking alcohol, murder, slander and so on. If a person persists in wanting to do such things and resolving to do them, but he shows no outward indication of that, then there are two well-known scholarly views as to whether he will be held accountable for that.

The first view is that he will be held accountable for it. Ibn al-Mubaarak said: I asked Sufyaan ath-Thawri: Will a person be held accountable for thinking (of committing a sin)? He said: If he has resolved to do it, he will be held accountable. This view was regarded as more correct by many of the fuqaha’, scholars of hadeeth and scholars of kalaam among our companions and others. They quoted as evidence for that verses such as the following (interpretation of the meaning):

“And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him”[Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:235].“but He will call you to account for that which your hearts have earned”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:225].

(They also quoted as evidence) hadeeths such as that in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Sin is that which wavers in your heart and you do not want the people to find out about it” (narrated by Muslim, 2553). They interpreted the hadeeth “Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will forgive my ummah for whatever crosses their minds so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it” as referring to passing thoughts and they said: Whatever a person dwells on and it takes root in his heart is included in what he earns and does, so it is not included in this hadeeth.

The second view is that he will not be held accountable for mere intentions in all cases. This view is attributed to ash-Shaafa‘i and is also the view of Ibn Haamid among our companions, based on general meanings. Al-‘Awfi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas something which is indicative of the same view… End quote from Jaami‘ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hikam, commentary on hadeeth no 37 (2/343-353).

To sum up:

If a person thinks of doing a good deed, and it takes root in his heart and he resolves to do that, what he intended to do will be recorded for him, even if he does not do it, although the reward for the one who does do it is better and greater.

If a person thinks of doing a bad deed, then refrains from it for the sake of Allah, one complete good deed will be recorded for him.

If a person thinks of doing a bad deed, then refrains from it for the sake of people, or he tries to do it but is prevented from doing so, one bad deed will be recorded against him.

If a person thinks of doing it, then he changes his intention after having intended it, if it was only a passing thought he will not be held accountable for it, but if it was one of the deeds of the heart that had nothing to do with physical actions (i.e., it has to do with belief), then he will be held accountable for it. If it was a physical action and he persisted in thinking of it and resolved to do it, then the majority of scholars are of the view that he will be held accountable for it.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, after quoting al-Baaqillaani’s opinion that the individual will be held accountable in this case:

Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The majority of the early generation and the scholars, including the fuqaha’ and the muhadditheen, are of the same view as al-Qaadi Abu Bakr, because of the hadeeths which indicate that people will be held accountable for actions of the heart (i.e., that have to do with beliefs).

But they said: This resolve will be recorded as one bad deed, and it is not the bad deed that the individual thought of, because he did not do it and he refrained from it for a reason other than fear of Allah. But persisting and resolving in and of itself is a sin, so it will be recorded as a sin, and if he does it, it will be recorded as a second sin. But if he refrains from it for fear of Allah, may He be exalted, it will be recorded as a good deed, as it says in the hadeeth, “for he gave it up for My sake”, thus his giving it up out of fear of Allah, may He be exalted, his striving to overcome his nafs that is inclined towards evil, and his going against his whims and desires is in fact a good deed. The type of thinking of an action that is not to be recorded against the individual is the passing thought that does not take root in the heart and is not accompanied by intention or resolve. End quote from Sharh Muslim, 2/151

Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) favoured the view that (when a person commits a sin), it will only be recorded as one sin, without any multiplication, so the punishment is for the sin, and thinking of it is not added to it, because if thinking of it were added to the sin, the individual would be punished twice for committing one sin. We cannot say that this may also be applicable to good deeds and that one does a good deed after thinking of it, he should be rewarded for the good deed but not for thinking of it. We say that this is not correct, because if a person does a good deed, a tenfold reward will be recorded for him, and it may be that some of that is as a reward for thinking of doing the good deed. And Allah knows best. End quote.

And Allah knows best. References https://questionsonislam.com/article/major-angels-and-their-duties

The Status of the Fajr and ‘ASR Prayers amidst the Other Prayers:

The Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wa Salam) said: “You are constantly being frequented (in successive shifts) by angels at night and angels during the day. And they gather together during the ‘Asr Prayer and during the Fajr Prayer.” This is why these two prayers are the greatest of all prayers. Allaah says: “Verily, the recitation of the Qur’aan in the early dawn (i.e. Fajr Prayer) is witnessed (by the angels).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Israa: 78] He is referring here to the Fajr Prayer, which the angels of the night and the angels of the day attend. They gather together to witness the Fajr prayer along with the Muslims and listen to the Qur’aan that is recited in prayer. They also gather together during the ‘Asr Prayer, where Allaah asks them, even though He is most knowledgeable of the answer: “In what state did you leave My servants?” The angels reply, saying: “We came to them while they were praying and we left them while they were praying.” This means that they descended while we were praying ‘Asr and they attended the prayer along with us. And then they rose back up (to the heavens) while we were praying Fajr.

Due to this, it has been determined that the ‘Asr Prayer is the “Middle Prayer” that Allaah has encouraged us about, where He says: “Guard strictly the (five daily) prayers, especially the middle prayer (i.e. ‘Asr).” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Al-Baqarah: 238] He means by this the ‘Asr prayer since that is the prayer that the (guardian) angels of the night and the angels of the day attend.

A Call to those who fall short:

So where are those who hold back from attending the Fajr Prayer, sleeping (instead) in their beds and not witnessing this great event every night with the angels of the Most Merciful? This is such that these angels inform about these attendees (of the Fajr Prayer) while in the most highest of gatherings, saying: “We came to them while they were praying and we left them while they were praying.”

What benefit has this person who refrains from going to the Fajr Prayer and instead prefers sleep gained from his actions? And what benefit has this person who misses out on attending the ‘Asr Prayer, due to laziness, preferring sleep or some other deed, gained from his actions?

It is stated in the hadeeth that: “Whoever misses the ‘Asr Prayer, it is as if he lost his family and wealth.” And in another hadeeth it states: “…then he has nullified his actions.” This means that he has taken the prayer out of its proper time. So if he takes it out of its proper time, he has missed it.

EIGHTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are also angels that are responsible for protecting humans from perils. A human being is prone to walk into dangers every day. However, Allaah entrusts angels that guard and protect him from these dangers during his lifetime, which Allaah has ordained for him. This earth, which a human being walks upon every day, contains many dangers. There are wild beasts, snakes, scorpions, not to mention transgressors from among humans – enemies and oppressors. However, Allaah has placed these angels around the human being. Allaah says: “He has those (angels) who constantly surround him – from before him and behind him, protecting him by the Command of Allaah.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Ar-Ra’ad: 11]

Therefore, so long as Allaah has decreed that this individual will be safe from harms, these angels will protect and guard him, and no human will be able to harm him. But if Allaah desires to bring an end to his appointed time, He removes them from him – one from before him and one from behind him.

“Verily, Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they (first) change the condition of themselves. And when Allaah desires a bad end for a people, there is no turning it back.” [Holy Quran Chapter Surah Ar-Ra’ad: 11] So if Allaah’s Divine Pre-Decree comes to pass and He desires to put an end to this person, the angels that constantly surround him withdraw themselves from him because they do not refrain from carrying out Allaah’s Command. These are the angels that constantly surround a person.

NINTH DUTIES AND TASKS OF THE ANGELS IN ISLAM: There are also angels that have responsibilities in this universe that only Allaah has knowledge of. There are angels that are put in charge of the seas and angels put in charge of the days. There are angels responsible for the winds and angels put in charge of carrying out many other duties.

All of the events that occur in the universe and which constantly transpire within it on a daily basis are only by Allaah’s decreeing that. As for the angels, they carry out whatever tasks Allaah orders them to execute.

[“One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer” - Saheeh Muslim vol.3, no.4665.

SUMMARY - THE HOLY QURAN.
1. Sent down in Arabic which is a living language.
2. Perfectly protected by God with not a single letter altered since 1400 years ago.
3. The literary style is consistent.
4. The multi-faceted miracles built in are irrefutable proof of its divine origins. Be it scientific, historical, mathematical, and structural which confirms its authenticity. As Dr. Maurice Bucaille wrote in his international bestseller classic book ' The Quran, The Bible and Science ' he found that the Quran is in perfect accordance with science.
5. It is memorized by heart by millions of people of all races around the world. Surely this is another miracle. If all copies of the Quran are destroyed, rest assured there will be a perfect replacement anytime without any doubts whatsoever.
6. It is the only book on earth that challenges all mankind and djinns combined to come up with a single chapter that is comparable to the Quran. And if they try but will surely fail Allah promised that hellfire awaits them.
7. Some of the greatest playwrights, poets and authors in history are in awe of the Quran. They include George Bernard Shaw, Goethe, Thomas Carlyle and many others.

OBJECTIVE STUDY OF MAURICE BUCAILLE

In his objective study of the texts, Maurice Bucaille clears & away many preconceived ideas about the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Qur'an. He tries, in this collection of Writings, to separate what belongs to Revelation from what is the product of error or human interpretation. His study sheds new light on the Holy Scriptures. At the end of a gripping account, he places the Believer before a point of cardinal importance: the continuity of a Revelation emanating from the same God, with modes of expression that differ in the course of time. It leads us to meditate, upon those factors which, in our day, should spiritually unite-rather than divide-Jews, Christians and Muslims. As a surgeon, Maurice Bucaille has often been in a situation where he was able to examine not only people's bodies, but their souls. This is how he was struck by the existence of Muslim piety and by aspects of Islam which remain unknown to the vast majority of non-Muslims. In his search for explanations which are otherwise difficult to obtain, he learnt Arabic and studied the Qur'an. In it, he was surprised to find statements on natural phenomena whose meaning can only be understood through modern scientific knowledge. He theri turned to the question of the authenticity of the writings that constitute the Holy Scriptures of the monotheistic religions.

Finally, in the case of the Bible, he proceeded to a confrontation between these writings and scientific data. The results of his research into the Judeo-Christian Revelation and the Qur'an are set out in this book - ' The Quran, The Bible and Science.

Sources and Web link

1.    http://www.salafiri.com/the-angels-and-their-attributes/

2.    The Duties and Tasks of the Angels: Shaikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan in His booklet: “Al-Eemaan bil-Malaa’ikah” Al-Ibaanah.com

3.    Islam Q&A, https://islamqa.info/en/99324

4.    Islam Q&A, https://islamqa.info/en/98673

5.    http://tourofheaven.com/angels/duties.aspx

6.    https://www.guideposts.org/how-we-help/outreach-publications/free-ebooks.

7.    http://www.islamicbook.ws/english/english-048.pdf.

8.    https://questionsonislam.com/article/major-angels-and-their-duties