Based on the Khutbāt of Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Isḥāq Zāhid | Compiled by: Tauheed.com❖ Angels: The Pure and Obedient Creation of Allah
Allah ﷻ, in His infinite wisdom and power, has created numerous beings — and among them, the most pure and radiant are the angels (الملائكة). They are completely obedient to Allah’s commands, never disobeying Him, and they immediately act upon His orders. They engage continuously in His worship, glorifying Him tirelessly without experiencing fatigue or negligence.
◈ Qur'anic Descriptions of Angels' Obedience
﴿ وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًۭا ۞ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۚ بَلْ عِبَادٌۭ مُّكْرَمُونَ ٭ لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُۥ بِٱلْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِۦ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
[Surah al-Anbiyā’: 26–27]
Translation: “They say: 'The Most Merciful has taken a son!' Exalted is He! Rather, [the angels] are honored servants. They do not precede Him in speech, and they act only by His command.”
﴿ لَا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ﴾
[Surah al-Taḥrīm: 6]
Translation: “They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do as they are instructed.”
﴿ يُسَبِّحُونَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ﴾
[Surah al-Anbiyā’: 20]
Translation: “They glorify [Allah] night and day and do not become weary.”
❖ The Love of Angels for the Believers
Angels not only engage in worship, but they also love the believers.
✿ Hadith:
(( إِذَا أَحَبَّ ٱللَّهُ عَبْدًۭا نَادَىٰ جِبْرِيلَ… ))
[al-Bukhārī: 7485; Muslim: 2637]
Translation: “When Allah loves a servant, He calls Jibrīl and says: ‘I love so-and-so, so you should also love him.’ Then Jibrīl loves him and announces in the heavens: ‘Allah loves so-and-so, so love him!’ Thus, the dwellers of the heavens love him, and acceptance is granted for him on the earth.”
❖ Angels Make Du‘ā for the Believers
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُصَلِّى عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتُهُۥ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ﴾
[Surah al-Aḥzāb: 43]
Translation: “He it is who sends blessings upon you — and His angels [also pray for you] — so that He may bring you out of darkness into light.”
❖ For Whom Do the Angels Seek Forgiveness?
① Those who repent:
﴿ ٱلَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ ٱلْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُۥ… فَٱغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا ﴾
[Surah Ghāfir: 7]
Translation: “Those who bear the Throne and those around it exalt Allah... and seek forgiveness for those who repent and follow Your path.”
② Those who teach goodness to others:
(( إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ… لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَىٰ مُعَلِّمِ ٱلنَّاسِ ٱلْخَيْرَ ))
[al-Tirmidhī: 2685]
Translation: “Indeed, Allah, His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant and the fish — all pray for the one who teaches goodness to people.”
③ Those who remain seated at their place of prayer:
(( وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِ… ٱللَّهُمَّ ٱغْفِرْ لَهُ ))
[al-Bukhārī: 2119; Muslim: 649]
Translation: “As long as one remains in the place where he offered prayer, the angels continue to pray: ‘O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him.’”
④ Those who pray in the first row:
(( إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلصُّفُوفِ ٱلْأُوَلِ ))
[Abū Dāwūd: 664]
⑤ Those who join the rows properly:
(( إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ٱلصُّفُوفَ ))
[Ibn Mājah: 995]
⑥ Those who partake in Suḥūr (pre-dawn meal):
(( فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلْمُتَسَحِّرِينَ ))
[Musnad Aḥmad; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1070]
⑦ Those who visit the sick:
(( إِلَّا صَلَّىٰ عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ ))
[al-Tirmidhī: 969]
⑧ Those who send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ:
(( إِلَّا صَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ))
[Ibn Mājah: 907]
⑨ When a believer makes du‘ā in absence of his brother:
(( قَالَ ٱلْمَلَكُ: آمِينَ وَلَكَ بِمِثْلٍ ))
[Muslim: 2733]
❖ Occasions When Angels Descend or Accompany Believers
① Upon those who remain steadfast:
﴿ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا ﴾
[Surah Fuṣṣilat: 30–31]
② At Fajr and ʿAṣr prayers:
(( يَتَعَاقَبُوْنَ فِيكُمْ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ ))
[al-Bukhārī: 555; Muslim: 632]
③ At gatherings of dhikr and knowledge:
(( إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةًۭ يَطُوفُونَ… ))
[al-Bukhārī: 6408; Muslim: 2689]
④ At Jumuʿah (Friday) prayer entrances:
(( يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلَ فَٱلْأَوَّلَ ))
[al-Bukhārī: 929; Muslim: 850]
⑤ During congregational prayer participation and supplication:
(( لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ بِضْعَةً وَثَلَاثِينَ مَلَكًا… ))
[al-Bukhārī: 799]
(( مَن وَافَقَ تَأْمِينُهُ تَأْمِينَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ… ))
[al-Bukhārī: 780; Muslim: 410]
⑥ Near the Qur’ān reciter:
(( تِلْكَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ دَنَتْ لِصَوْتِكَ ))
[al-Bukhārī: 5018; Muslim: 796]
⑦ Those who read and teach Qur’ān:
(( وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ))
[Muslim: 2699]
⑧ Angels deliver the Ummah’s Salām to the Prophet ﷺ:
(( إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةًۭ سَيَّاحِينَ… ))
[al-Nasā’ī: 1282]
⑨ Upon students of sacred knowledge:
(( وَإِنَّ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أَجْنِحَتَهَا… ))
[Abū Dāwūd: 3641]
⑩ To give glad tidings to believers:
﴿ فَنَادَتْهُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ… ﴾
[Āl ʿImrān: 39]
(( إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَبَّكَ كَمَا أَحْبَبْتَهُ فِيهِ ))
[Muslim: 2567]
❖ Angels Support Believers in Difficulties and Battles
① At the Battle of Badr:
﴿ أَنِّى مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ﴾
[Surah al-Anfāl: 9]
﴿ وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ ﴾
[Āl ʿImrān: 123–124]
﴿ فَثَبِّتُوا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ﴾
[al-Anfāl: 12]
❖ Angels Help the Distressed and Oppressed
❀ The case of Hājar and Ismāʿīl عليهم السلام and the emergence of Zamzam
[al-Bukhārī: 3364]
❀ A miraculous incident mentioned by Ibn Kathīr in the tafsīr of:
﴿ أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ ﴾
[al-Naml: 62]
A believer was miraculously saved from a murderer by an angel who declared: “I am the one sent by the One who responds to the distressed.”
❖ Angels Participate at the Time of a Believer’s Death
❀ In bathing martyrs:
(( رَأَيْتُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ تَغْسِلُ حَمْزَةَ وَحَنْظَلَةَ ))
[al-Albānī: Aḥkām al-Janā’iz]
❀ In the janāzah of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh رضي الله عنه:
(( شَهِدَهُۥ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ))
[al-Nasā’ī: 2055]
❖ Angels Deliver Glad Tidings of Paradise
❀ To Khadījah رضي الله عنها:
(( أَقْرِئْ عَلَيْهَا ٱلسَّلَـٰمَ مِن رَبِّهَا وَمِنِّي، وَبَشِّرْهَا… ))
[al-Bukhārī: 3820; Muslim: 2432]
Conclusion
Angels are noble, obedient servants of Allah who continually glorify Him and serve the believers. Their love, prayers, and assistance are directed toward those who are righteous, devoted, and sincere. Blessed are those believers whose actions attract the companionship and du‘ā of the angels.
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ – O Allah! Make us among them. آمين
