To believe in the angels is part of what it means to be a believer. Allah lists them alongside Himself, His books, and His messengers as objects of faith, and the Prophet ﷺ named them in the well-known hadith of Jibril as the second of the six pillars of iman. We do not see them, yet the Quran and the authentic Sunnah tell us plainly who they are and what they do. This page gathers what is established from Quran and sahih hadith, and flags a few popular ideas about angels that have no basis.
Belief in the Angels (al-Malaʾikah)
The second of the six articles of faith: a hidden creation of light that carries out Allah's command without pause or refusal.
A pillar of faithTheir natureThe named angelsThe recording angelsGuardians & gatheringsWhat it does to a MuslimA caution
A pillar of faith
Faith in the angels is not optional detail; it is written into the definition of a believer. Allah closes Surah al-Baqarah by describing the Messenger and those with him:
Quran — al-Baqarah
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ
"The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers."
The same list of objects of faith appears again where Allah defines true righteousness — belief "in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets" (2:177) — and where He warns that whoever disbelieves "in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has gone far astray" (4:136). To deny the angels is to step outside faith itself. This is one of the six articles taught in the hadith of Jibril and part of the wider subject of aqeedah.
Their nature: created from light
💡 Created from light
The angels are a distinct creation, made before mankind and from a different substance. The Prophet ﷺ said the angels were created from light, the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam from what has been described to you — i.e. clay. They are real created beings, not symbols or forces of nature.
Refs: Sahih Muslim — site reader no. 7310, Kitab al-Zuhd wa'l-Raqa'iq
🕊️ They never disobey
Angels have no share in the rebellion that a human or a jinn can fall into. Allah describes them as servants who carry out orders exactly and completely.
Quran — at-Tahrim
لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
"…who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and who do whatever they are commanded."
🔢 Immense in number
They are more than we can count. In the narration of the Night Journey the Prophet ﷺ was shown the Bayt al-Maʿmur — the frequented house in the heaven directly above the Kaʿbah — which seventy thousand angels enter every day, and once they leave they never return to it, a fresh seventy thousand coming the next day. They neither eat nor drink nor tire; obedience is their nature.
Refs: Sahih al-Bukhari 3207
The named angels and their tasks
A roster of the angels named in Quran and Sunnah, each with the charge given to them — affirming only what the texts affirm.
A roster of the named angels and their appointed tasks. Jibril, ar-Ruh al-Amin the Trustworthy Spirit, the mightiest angel, entrusted with carrying revelation to the prophets; Quran 2:97 and 26:193. Mikail, named alongside Jibril in Quran 2:98; reports mention his charge over rain and provision, though the Quran does not spell this out in detail. Israfil, entrusted with the Trumpet which he will blow to end this world and raise the dead; his role is known from the Sunnah, the Trumpet in Quran 39:68, his name not in the Quran. The Angel of Death, Malak al-Mawt, charged with taking souls at their appointed time; Quran 32:11. Malik, the keeper set over the Fire, whom the people of Hell call out to; Quran 43:77. Munkar and Nakir, the two angels who question a person in the grave about his Lord, religion and prophet; the questioning is established, and the names come from a hasan report in at-Tirmidhi. Kiraman Katibin, the two noble scribes over every person who record whatever he does; Quran 82:10 to 12 and 50:17 to 18. The bearers of the Throne, hamalat al-Arsh, and those around it, who seek forgiveness for the believers; Quran 40:7.
📜Jibrilجِبْرِيل
The Trustworthy Spirit (ar-Ruh al-Amin), mightiest of the angels — entrusted with carrying revelation from Allah to the prophets.
Quran 2:97 · 26:193🌧️Mikaʾilمِيكَائِيل
Named alongside Jibril. Reports mention his charge over rain and provision — though the Quran does not spell this out in detail.
Quran 2:98 · reports📯Israfilإِسْرَافِيل
Entrusted with the Trumpet, which he will blow at Allah's command to end this world and to raise the dead.
Trumpet: Quran 39:68 · Sunnah🕊️Malak al-Mawtمَلَكُ الْمَوْت
The Angel of Death — charged with taking souls at their appointed time, then to your Lord you are returned.
Quran 32:11🔥Malikمَالِك
The angel set over Hell. The people of the Fire cry out to him, longing for an end that will not come.
Quran 43:77⚰️Munkar & Nakirمُنكَر وَنَكِير
The two who question a person in the grave: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who was sent among you?
Questioning established · names hasan (Tirmidhi)✍️Kiraman Katibinكِرَامًا كَاتِبِين
The two noble scribes over every person — keepers who write down whatever he does; nothing said escapes them.
Quran 82:10-12 · 50:17-18👑Bearers of the Throneحَمَلَةُ الْعَرْش
Those who bear the Throne and are around it — who seek forgiveness for the believers and for those who repent.
Quran 40:7📜 Jibril — the angel of revelation
Jibril (Gabriel), also called ar-Ruh al-Amin, the Trustworthy Spirit, is the mightiest of the angels and the one entrusted with carrying revelation from Allah to the prophets. Allah says whoever is an enemy to Jibril should know that he brought down the Quran upon the Prophet's heart by Allah's permission (2:97).
Quran — ash-Shuʿaraʾ
نَزَلَ بِهِ ٱلرُّوحُ ٱلْأَمِينُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُنذِرِينَ
"The Trustworthy Spirit brought it down upon your heart, that you may be one of the warners."
🌧️ Mikaʾil, Israfil, and others
- Mikaʾil (Michael) — named alongside Jibril in the Quran (2:98). Reports mention his charge over rain and provision, though the Quran does not spell this out in detail.
- Israfil — the angel entrusted with the Trumpet, which he will blow at Allah's command to end this world and to raise the dead (see 39:68). His name is not in the Quran; it is affirmed in an authentic hadith — the Prophet's ﷺ opening supplication of the night prayer, "O Allah, Lord of Gabriel, and Michael, and Israfil…" (Sahih Muslim — site reader no. 1703, Kitab Salat al-Musafirin; also Sunan an-Nasaʾi 1625) — and the scholars connect him to the Trumpet by reading the reports together.
- The Angel of Death (Malak al-Mawt) — charged with taking souls at their appointed time. The Quran names him only by this task, not by a personal name (see below).
Quran — as-Sajdah
قُلْ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
"Say: The angel of death, who has been put in charge of you, will take you; then to your Lord you will be returned."
🔥 Malik — keeper of the Fire
Malik is the angel set over Hell. The Quran records the people of the Fire calling out to him, longing for an end that will not come.
Quran — az-Zukhruf
وَنَادَوْا۟ يَـٰمَـٰلِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّـٰكِثُونَ
"They will cry: O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us. He will say: You will remain."
⚰️ Munkar and Nakir — the questioning in the grave
Two angels come to a person in the grave and ask: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man who was sent among you? The trial of the grave itself is affirmed in the Quran and mutawatir hadith. The specific names Munkar and Nakir come from a report in the Sunan of at-Tirmidhi (Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 1071), graded hasan; the questioning is established, and the names rest on that hasan narration. This connects to the wider subject of the Hereafter.
Refs: Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 1071 — Munkar and Nakir (hasan gharib)
⛰️ The Angel of the Mountains
After the Prophet ﷺ was driven out and stoned at Taif, on the way back (at Qarn al-Thaʿālib) Jibril came to him with the Angel of the Mountains, who greeted him and offered, if he wished, to bring together upon the people of Makkah the two mountains flanking the city (al-Akhshabayn). The Prophet ﷺ declined — hoping instead that their descendants would one day worship Allah alone. A lesson in mercy over vengeance.
Refs: Sahih al-Bukhari 3231 · Sahih Muslim — site reader no. 4522, Kitab al-Jihad wa'l-Siyar
👶 The angel of the womb
An angel is appointed over each person in the womb. In the well-known hadith of Ibn Masʿud, once the stages of creation are complete Allah sends an angel commanded to write four things — the person's provision, their lifespan, their deeds, and whether they will be blessed or wretched — and then the soul is breathed in.
Refs: Sahih al-Bukhari 3208 · Sahih Muslim — site reader no. 6558, Kitab al-Qadar
👑 The bearers of the Throne (Ḥamalat al-ʿArsh)
A mighty rank of angels carry the Throne of Allah and stand around it, glorifying Him and seeking forgiveness for the believers (40:7). Of the Day of Judgment, Allah says that eight of them will bear His Throne above the creation.
Quran — al-Ḥaqqah
وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَـٰنِيَةٌ
"And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [angels]."
📖 Harut and Marut
The Quran names two angels, Harut and Marut, sent to Babylon as a trial for the people. They would not teach what could cause harm until they had warned plainly: "We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve." The passage is a warning against sorcery (siḥr), not a licence for it.
Quran — al-Baqarah
وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَ
"…and [in] what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut."
✉️ Angels as Allah's messengers
Allah calls the angels themselves messengers — envoys who carry His command between the heavens and His creation. This is a different sense from the human Messengers and Prophets, who are sent to call people to Allah. Both are part of the six articles of faith: belief in the angels, and belief in the messengers.
Quran — Fatir
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُو۟لِىٓ أَجْنِحَةٍۢ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ
"All praise is for Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, who made the angels messengers having wings — two, three, or four…"
Authenticity check — popular names that are not established. Two names in wide circulation have no basis in the Quran or any authentic hadith. "Azrael" for the Angel of Death: the Quran names him only by his task — Malak al-Mawt, the Angel of Death (32:11) — and the name "Azrael" traces to earlier Jewish and Christian tradition, not to our sources. "Ridwan" as the gatekeeper of Paradise: the Quran calls the keepers of Paradise simply its keepers (khazanatuhā, 39:73) and does not give them this name. We affirm what the texts affirm, and leave unnamed what they leave unnamed. See the Not-Authentic register.
The recording angels — Kiraman Katibin
Over every human being are two noble angels who write down what he does. Nothing said or done escapes them.
Quran — al-Infitar
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَـٰفِظِينَ كِرَامًۭا كَـٰتِبِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
"And indeed, over you are keepers — noble scribes — who know whatever you do."
Quran — Qaf
إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌۭ مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌۭ
"When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left, not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him, ready."
Guardian angels & the gatherings of dhikr
🛡️ Guardians in succession
Alongside the scribes, Allah appoints angels who guard a person by His command.
Quran — ar-Raʿd
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَـٰتٌۭ مِّنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ
"For each one there are successive angels before him and behind him, guarding him by the command of Allah."
🤲 They seek forgiveness for the believers
Far from being distant, the angels pray for those who believe. Allah describes the angels who bear the Throne and those around it asking pardon for the believers:
Quran — Ghafir
وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ رَّحْمَةًۭ وَعِلْمًۭا فَٱغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟
"…and they seek forgiveness for those who believe: Our Lord, You embrace all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent."
🔎 Angels that seek out the circles of dhikr
The Prophet ﷺ told us that Allah has roving angels who travel the roads looking for gatherings of remembrance. When they find people remembering Allah, they call one another, "Come to what you are looking for," and surround the gathering with their wings up to the lowest heaven — then report back to their Lord about His servants who praise Him and ask of Him, even bystanders who merely happened to sit with them.
Refs: Sahih al-Bukhari 6408
What this belief does to a Muslim
Belief in the angels is not abstract. Knowing that two scribes record every word steadies the tongue and the limbs — a person weighs what he says when he remembers who is listening. Knowing that guardian angels surround him, and that the bearers of the Throne ask forgiveness for the believers, brings comfort in loneliness and difficulty. And knowing that these mighty creatures, for all their strength, never disobey their Lord for an instant teaches humility: if the angels bow to Allah's command without pause, the servant who slips and sins has all the more reason to return and repent.
⚠️ Sunnah vs. innovation
Because angels are unseen, people have always been tempted to imagine them wrongly. Keep to what Allah revealed:
- They are not female, and not "daughters of Allah." The pagans of Makkah named the angels as females and as Allah's offspring. Allah rejected this: "Those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels with female names" (53:27). Allah has no children, and the angels are honoured servants, not deities. Attributing partners or offspring to Allah is shirk.
- They are not to be prayed to or called upon. The angels themselves worship Allah and ask Him for forgiveness for us; they are not intermediaries to be invoked. All worship and supplication belong to Allah alone.
- Do not add names or duties the texts never gave. Affirm what the Quran and sahih hadith affirm — Jibril, Mikaʾil, Malik, the Angel of Death, the scribes — and stop where the revelation stops, without inventing stories.
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The second article of faith — who the angels are, their creation from light, the named angels and their tasks, and the scribes and guardians around you — with every proof cited, in one PDF.
- Their nature: created from light, never disobeying
- The named angels and their appointed tasks
- The recording angels — Kiraman Katibin
- Guardian angels & the gatherings of dhikr
- Popular names that are not established
Belief in the angels means affirming a real, unseen creation of light who obey Allah perfectly, record our deeds, and pray for the believers — accepting exactly what Quran and authentic Sunnah teach, and adding nothing to it. See also Aqeedah, the Hereafter, and Shirk.
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