بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Last time we focused on the angels’ relationship with Allah, now we’ll talk about their relationship with us!

They Blow Life into the People and Write their Future

Allah has no need for angels, but has chosen to use angels to do His commands. Perhaps this is to show His might and power, or as a lesson to those who ponder.

Allah has chosen to assign angels to blow our souls into our bodies, and to write down our qadr. They are copying the information from Lawhil Mahfooth (preserved book) onto our own special books.

The Prophet PBUH said: “The creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days as a seed, then as a clot for as long, then as a lump (of flesh) for as long. Allah then sends an angel who is commanded to blow the soul into him and write down four things: his sustenance, life-span, deeds, and whether he will be miserable or happy.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

They Record Everything we do.

Allah hears and sees everything we do. But still some people may imagine that nothing they do is recorded, but Allah tells us that everything we do is written. Allah SWT says in His generous book:

أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُم ۚ بَلَىٰ وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording. (43:80)

These angels record everything we do. One on the right records all the good, and the other on the left records all the bad. Allah SWT says:

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ ﴿١٠﴾ كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ ﴿١١﴾ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, (10) Noble and recording; (11) They know whatever you do. (82:10-12)

But guess what? The angel on the left delays recording a sin for 6 hours! So we have 6 whole hours to repent and ask Allah to forgive us. If we do then nothing bad will be recorded!

The Prophet PBUH said: “Indeed, the angel of the left lifts the pen for six hours from a sinful Muslim. If he then regrets and seek Allah’s forgiveness for his sin, the angel drops it. Otherwise, he records it as one wrong.”

They Make Dua for us.

Dua means supplication. They ask Allah to help us in a positive way. In general they ask Allah to forgive the believers and protect them from punishment and enter them into Paradise. Allah SWT says in the Quran:

الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿٧﴾ رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُمْ وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿٨﴾ وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ وَمَن تَقِ السَّيِّئَاتِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمْتَهُ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ 
Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], “Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire. (7) Our Lord, and admit them to gardens of perpetual residence which You have promised them and whoever was righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their offspring. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (8) And protect them from the evil consequences [of their deeds]. And he whom You protect from evil consequences that Day – You will have given him mercy. And that is the great attainment.” (40: 7-9)

The angels also make dua for the person who gets to the mesjid early and waits for the prayer. The Prophet PBUH said:

A person remains (as though) in prayer while he sits in the masjid waiting for the prayer. The angels continue to say, “O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, show mercy to him,” unless he leaves or breaks his wudoo. (Bukhari and Muslim)

The angels make dua for the person who makes thikr (remembers Allah by saying words of praise) or reads the Quran after his prayer has finished. The Prophet PBUH said:

The angels pray for any of you who remains in his place after the prayer, as long as he keeps his wudoo and does not leave. They say, “O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, show mercy to him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The angels make dua for the person who goes to sleep with wudoo. The Prophet PBUH said:

When a person goes to sleep with tahaarah (or wudoo), an agnel stays in his covers. If he wakes up at any time of the night, the angel says, “O Allah, forgive Your servant so-and-so because he slept with tahaarah.” (Ibn Hibbaan and at-Tabaraanee. Sahhah al-Albaanee)

The angels make dua for those who give in charity to please Allah. This can be by helping the poor, building masjids, teaching Islam and Quran and much more. The Prophet PBUH said:

On the morning of every day, two angels descend (from the heavens). One of them says, “O Allah, give more wealth to anyone who spends in Your way.” And the other says, “O Allah, destroy the wealth of anyone who refrains from spending (in Your way).”

There are more than the few mentioned here, but Alhamdullah these are some to remember.

They Protect the Believers

They protect the believers from the harms of this world, like Jinns, shayateen (devils), natural disasters and general harm. Allah SWT says in the Quran:

 لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّـهِ
For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. (13:11)

They Protect the Sacred Places

The angels protect Makkah and Madinah. The Prophet PBUH said:

There are angels around the corners of al-Madinah, so that plague and ad-Dajjal (the anti-Christ) may not enter it.

The Prophet PBUH also said:

Every town will be entered by ad-Dajjal, except for Makkah and al-Madinah. There are angels lined up to guard every corner around them.

Subhana Allah the angels do so much, and there’s so much more to learn about them! Insha Allah we’ll continue next time learning more about Allah’s angels. See you then!

Reference:  “Eemaan Made Easy part 2: Knowing Allah” by Muhammad al-Jibaly