Belief in angels is one of the foundational principles of the Islamic faith. To be a believer, one must have faith in the existence of angels as described in the Quran. Many verses and hadiths mention belief in angels alongside belief in God. When the Prophet Muhammad was asked, “What is faith?” he included belief in angels among its essential tenets. The Quran frequently refers to angels in various contexts. It speaks of the great angels – especially Gabriel (also called the Spirit), Azrael, the Angel of Death, the angels who prostrated before Adam, angels present in nature and those who circumambulate the Throne of God. The Quran also mentions angels who instill fear in enemies during battles and bring tranquility to believers. Many hadiths describe how angels pray for people, seek forgiveness for them and encourage believers to do good deeds.
Angels play a significant role in the story of human creation. When God declared, “I will create a vicegerent on Earth,” the angels questioned, “Will You create one who will spread corruption and shed blood?” When God commanded the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, the meanings of being human, being an angel and being Satan became clearer. Understanding something requires understanding its position and stance before God.
Angels, who obey God without question, contrast with Satan, who distances himself through arrogance, and Adam, who initially disobeyed but then repented. These three represent different categories of existence. Adam, as a being with free will, exists in a state of constant struggle, searching and oscillating between obedience and temptation, while angels embody stability and unwavering devotion. A person moves away from angelic obedience through Satan’s whispers but can also rise above angels through repentance and virtue.
Muslims have long pondered the relationship between humans, angels and Satan, seeking a path between the two extremes. We can neither be pure angels nor remain in a state of pure rebellion. Free will prevents us from becoming angels, while our earthly nature demands humility and submission, making us distinct from Satan.
The 13th-century Islamic poet, scholar and Sufi mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, when describing human destiny, said: “A donkey with wings was told to join the caravan of angels.” In early Islamic debates, scholars questioned whether prophets or angels were superior, touching upon the same dilemma. Ultimately, angels are not merely another category of beings; they are central to understanding the nature of creation, the universe and the human condition.
Without reflecting on angels, it is impossible to fully grasp the question of human identity – at least for those who value religious texts.
There are reasons to believe that past societies had a stronger sense of belief in angels. This is not simply because they had a more mythological worldview. Rather, the process of modernization and the intellectual shifts it brought among Muslims have weakened belief in angels and pushed them out of daily life. As a result, the concept of divine blessing has also faded.
The dominant discourse today revolves around causality, energy and power. Many Muslims have attempted to rationalize angels by reducing them to natural forces, believing that this would enhance scientific exploration. Some even saw traditional descriptions of angels as a hindrance to progress and tried to reinterpret them in terms of physical laws and forces.
Expressions like “There is an angel here” or “Satan is present” were once commonly used to describe good and evil thoughts. But when people began equating Satan with germs and angels with positive emotions, they assumed they were becoming a more advanced society. Consequently, both angels and demons became materialized concepts and drifted away from everyday life.
This is one aspect of the issue. The second aspect is more understandable: The strong and central belief in God within Islam – especially when compared to pre-Islamic or non-Islamic societies – can sometimes overshadow belief in angels. However, this effect can be seen as a positive outcome of monotheism.
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