All of the angels


Names of Angels of God and Their Duties: 15 Archangels of the Bible

Angels are beings created by God before the creation of human beings on planet Earth. They are referred to in various forms, names, and places throughout the Hebrew Bible and Christian Bible. There are 15 main angels, but what are the names of angels of God and their duties?

The name of 15 angels are Ariel, Azrael, Chamuel, Gabriel, Haniel, Jeremiel, Jophiel, Metatron, Michael, Raguel, Raphael, Raziel, Sandalphon, Uriel, and Zadkiel. They belong to 3 different ranks, The Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. Closest of all to the Most Holy Trinity stands the six-winged Seraphim.

In the above excerpt, I’ve touched upon this interesting topic of names of angels of God, which hopefully gave you a clearer idea. Follow the rest of the article, where I cover everything in more detail, so you can discover the duties of these angels and also their ranks.

Contents

  • 1 Names of angels of God and their duties
  • 2 What are the 9 ranks of angels – Name of the order of the archangels
  • 3 What is the highest rank of angels?
  • 4 Names of angels in the bible and their duties
    • 4. 1 Ariel
    • 4.2 Azrael – The Angel of Death
    • 4.3 Chamuel
    • 4.4 Gabriel
    • 4.5 Haniel
    • 4.6 Jeremiel
    • 4.7 Jophiel – Archangel of Beauty
    • 4.8 Metatron
    • 4.9 Michael
    • 4.10 Raguel
    • 4.11 Raphael
    • 4.12 Raziel
    • 4.13 Sandalphon
    • 4.14 Uriel
    • 4.15 Zadkiel
  • 5 Final thoughts

No time to read? Watch the “Names of Angels of God and Their Duties” video instead.

Names of angels of God and their duties

Share it on PinterestGod created the angels following the initial Genesis of Earth to glorify Him.

In the Bible, angels are supernatural beings that serve God or other heavenly powers.

Angels are active in the world, but their primary role is to serve God and his people.

They are not all-powerful, but they do have certain supernatural powers that make them different from humans.

Regarding the names of angels of God and their duties, they may be assigned specific tasks or functions by God or by human beings who pray to them for help.

Angels are messengers that bring messages from God to humans on earth, or to other angels in heaven.

Angels are referred to in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

Angels have been described as messengers of God, divinely sent to perform duties on his behalf.

They are also said to be created beings, created by God before humans were made.

Although angels have no canonical gender, and they’re mostly referred to by male pronouns, angels are often depicted as male or female with wings.

Angels in the Bible can be either good or bad – it depends on their purpose for being sent.

The Bible describes angels as having human form, with wings and faces like those of men.

Angels can appear physically in the presence of humans, but they can also take on other forms.

When thinking of angels, we all probably envision tall, blonde figures wearing white robes, with feathered long wings.

This may be true for some angels, but the appearance differs on the hierarchy and the angels’ assignments and positions.

What are the 9 ranks of angels – Name of the order of the archangels

The angels are a distinct type of spiritual beings, with their own names and roles in the hierarchy of creation.

Angels are divided into ranks or spheres, and each rank is associated with a different sphere or plane of existence. What are the 9 ranks of angels?

The three highest ranks – seraphim, cherubim, and thrones are associated with the highest level of heaven (the third heaven).

While the six lower ranks – dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels – are associated with lower planes.

Highest orders

  • Seraphim
  • Cherubim
  • Thrones

Middle orders

  • Dominions
  • Virtues
  • Powers

Lowest orders

  • Principalities
  • Archangels
  • Angels

What is the highest rank of angels?

Share it on PinterestNow that I’ve covered the ranks of angels, you’re probably wondering, what is the highest rank of angels and who is the higher ranking angel.

The highest rank is Seraphim. They stand nearest to God and are often considered His messengers.

The highest-ranking angel used to be Lucifer.

He is the most authorized and most beautiful and he is the destroyer, the devil, and the light bringer.

But currently, Michael is the highest and strongest angel.

Despite his inferior power, he defeated Lucifer and so he is the Viceroy of Heaven and the bearer of the Flaming Sword.

Names of angels in the bible and their duties

There are 15 main angels of God and each one has a specific role in the Bible.

In the sections below I will list the names of angels in the Bible and their duties, as well as discuss when they were mentioned in the Bible for the first time.

Ariel

Ariel is mentioned in the Bible only once, in the Book of Isaiah.

It is not known how the name Ariel came to be associated with this particular angel.

The word itself means “lion of God,” but it could also mean “lioness of God”.

In some sources, this angel is known as male, but mostly it is depicted as female.

She is said to preside over the element of air and all things related to it: birds, winds, weather, and so on.

She oversees the protection and healing of animals and plants, as well as the care of the Earth’s elements (such as water, wind, and fire).

The angel Ariel is the angel of God, also known as the archangel of humankind. She is responsible for all things that are related to humanity.

This includes healing humans, protecting and guiding people through their lives, and helping people learn about their true selves and their life purpose.

Azrael – The Angel of Death

Angel Azrael is the angel of death and final judgment, also known as the Grim Reaper.

The angelic name “Azrael” means “whom God helps.”

According to Jewish tradition, Azrael was the angel of death in charge of taking the soul from a dying person’s body or rather detaching the soul from the physical as it enters its next phase in life.

In this role, he was considered the most popular angel in Jewish lore.

This angel acts as a psychopomp – transporting the souls of the deceased after their death – but he is also known to hold a scroll concerning the fate of mortals.

Meaning he records and erases their names at birth and death.

The Bible does not mention Azrael by name but does refer to him indirectly as “the Angel of Death” (Genesis 32:24; Exodus 12:23-24).

Chamuel

The angel Chamuel is the angel of love, beauty, and joy. He is known as the “Angel of Peace” and the “Angel of strength”.

He is a very loving and compassionate angel who wants nothing more than to see you happy and fulfilled in all areas of your life.

He will help you discover your soul mate or twin flame if you have yet to meet them, as well as help you to heal any broken relationships that have taken place in your past.

This angel is also depicted as female and can be referred to as such depending on your feeling and connection.

The first time that Chamuel was mentioned in the Bible was in Daniel’s vision.

In Daniel 10:13-21, he appeared before Daniel to give him strength during his exile.

He also appeared to help Daniel with his prayers for his people Israel.

Gabriel

Angel Gabriel is one of the highest-ranking angels of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

He is seen as God’s messenger, with a particular focus on revelation.

He is mentioned in the Bible by name in both the Old Testament and New Testament.

The name Gabriel means “God is my strength” or “man of God”.

His role as a messenger brings him into contact with humans on a regular basis.

In the Bible, he delivers revelations from God to various people, including the Virgin Mary and to Daniel.

Gabriel is also believed to be an angel who serves as a messenger from God to humans in both Judaism and Islam.

While many different angels are mentioned in the Quran, it refers directly to Gabriel by name only once.

In Islam, he is believed to be responsible for revealing verses of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad while they were both inside a cave on Mount Hira during Muhammad’s retreat from Mecca.

Haniel

Angel Haniel is the angel of love, peace, and wisdom.

Haniel is an archangel of the highest order and a member of the Order of Principalities.

Haniel holds dominion over the element of water and all things associated with it (emotions, feelings, dreams).

He also plays the role of divine communication and acts as a direct passage between a human’s energy and the higher energy states of the celestial realms.

This angel is one of the seven archangels in the Hebrew tradition.

The name Haniel means “the grace of God” or “joy of God”.

In the Bible, it doesn’t say much about this angel. However, in Jewish folklore, he is said to be an angel who rules over love and justice.

Some say that he watches over marriages and relationships.

This angel teaches us how to be compassionate and kind.

He also helps us learn how to heal ourselves and others.

Jeremiel

Jeremiel is known as the angel of vision and dreams and he communicates messages from God to humans who feel troubled and discouraged.

His name translates into “God’s mercy”. In book 2 Baruch (part of the Jewish and Christian Apocrypha), he is the angel who presides over true visions.

Jeremiel interprets the vision of dark water and bright water to Baruch, saying that the dark water represents human sin and its destruction of the world, while the bright water represents God’s intervention to mercifully help people.

Those who seek Jeremiel’s help are the ones who need help to evaluate their lives and realize what God would like them to change.

This change is often to better their lives, whether that be learning from their mistakes or seeking a new direction.

He is the angel to pray to if you are pursuing healing.

Jophiel – Archangel of Beauty

Angel Jophiel is the archangel of beauty and wisdom.

He is the only angel whose name is not derived from a Hebrew word. His name means “beauty of God.”

Due to the association with beauty, this angel is often depicted as a female.

This angel was also responsible for teaching humanity about beauty through music and art.

He is sometimes associated with the angel Metatron because both are considered to be archangels who stand behind God’s throne (Metatron sits on the right-hand side).

Angel Jophiel’s role is to bring clarity to your life. If you’re feeling confused about something, ask for guidance from this powerful angel.

You might be struggling with a big decision or trying to figure out how to accomplish something on your list of goals.

The answers are coming from within you – you just need help accessing them.

Metatron

Angel Metatron is the ruler of Earth and the celestial realm, where he serves as a messenger for God.

He is also known as the angel of presence.

This angel is believed to be the scribe of Heaven and Earth, as well as the angel of prayer.

Metatron’s role in Heaven is to record all that happens on earth and in Heaven.

Therefore, he knows all secrets and can reveal them when necessary.

This knowledge allows him to advise humans who seek guidance from angels about their own lives or those of others.

In Jewish mysticism, Metatron is considered to be an archangel who guards God’s throne.

He also serves as an intermediary between God and man; Jews believe that prayers are answered through this angelic being.

In modern times, this angel is often seen as an angelic being who is helping us to achieve our goals and dreams.

Michael

Angel Michael is the archangel who is the leader of the angels, and he is also known as The Lord of the Hosts.

He is one of the most powerful angels in heaven.

The archangel Michael is also called “The Great Prince”, “The Shining One”, and “The Conqueror”.

Other titles for him include “Prince of Light,” “The Faithful and True,” and “The Glory of God.

In Jewish lore, Michael is considered to be the guardian angel of Israel.

In fact, he’s considered to be their only protector from God’s wrath during a time when the nation was being punished for its sins.

In Christianity, this angel has been depicted as a warrior who fights evil in all its forms – even Satan himself!

However, he’s also known for his kind heart and gentle ways – especially when it comes to protecting children or those who are sick or dying.

Raguel

Angel Raguel is the angel of justice, as well as the angel of peace.

He oversees the laws and rules that govern our world.

Raguel’s duties have remained similar across Jewish and Christian traditions.

His purpose has been to keep fallen angels and demons in check and to deliver judgment upon anyone that over-steps their boundaries.

He has also been known as the angel that destroys wicked spirits and casts fallen angels into Hell.

Angel Raguel is also one of the few angels who will not judge a person based on their past deeds.

Instead, he focuses on what they can do in the future.

He uses his powers to seek out those who have been wronged and help them find justice.

He also works to promote peace within humanity by encouraging people to forgive each other and live with kindness towards one another.

Raphael

The Archangel Raphael is a healing angel who works with the energy of love.

He is known to be the angel of doctors and healing. He is also known as the angel of self-love, happiness, and abundance.

He is one of the seven archangels mentioned in the Old Testament and New Testament.

He appears in the Book of Tobit, where he helps Tobias to heal his father’s blindness by bringing him a fish’s liver.

This angel’s name means “God has healed” or “God heals.” Healing any wounds or diseases you have.

You can ask him to heal your body and it will get better.

If you have an illness or wound, ask him to heal it for you. Healing your emotions and mind.

If your mind is troubled or distracted, ask Raphael to help you focus on what’s important in life and what needs to be done next.

Raziel

The angel Raziel serves as a guardian of divine knowledge.

He is the angel of God, who was mentioned first time in the book of Enoch.

He is a high-ranking angel in charge of mysteries and revelations. He is also known as “The Keeper of Secrets”.

According to Jewish mysticism, he wrote down all the sins that God had forgiven since creation.

In Judaism, he is one of the three angels who visited Abraham (the other two are Metatron and Sandalphon).

In Christianity, he is an archangel. This angel is said to be associated with alchemy, astrology, magic, and Kabbalah.

In Kabbalah, Raziel is an archangel who reveals knowledge of divine mysteries to humanity.

He can help you to understand your past lives and why you are here now.

He can also help you understand what your purpose is in life and how to fulfill it.

Sandalphon

The name Sandalphon can be derived from Greek, meaning “together” or “brother”.

The second derivation most likely refers to Sandalphon’s relationship to Metatron.

This angel is credited with gathering the prayers of the faithful.

He makes a sort of garland of those prayers and he adjures them to ascend to the supreme King of Kings.

He watches over us constantly and loves us unconditionally.

He is always there when we need him to help guide us through difficult situations in our lives such as divorce or illness.

The Book of Enoch describes Sandalphon as one of the four archangels who stand before God’s throne and sing in unison with the melody of praise to God.

In Kabbalah, he is the angel who is said to appear before the feminine presence of the Shekhinah and to receive human prayers and send them to God.

Uriel

In the Bible, the angel Uriel is the angel of wisdom, the one who shines the light of God’s truth onto those who search for solutions and information.

He is often depicted carrying a scroll or a book.

His name can be translated from Hebrew as “God is my light”, but also “fire of God”.

While being the angel of wisdom, he is associated with the mind and everything connected to it (ideas, creativity, philosophy), he is also the one that is reminding humanity to worship God and not him.

Uriel is the one who provides guidance, offers protection, and removes obstacles when danger is near.

He is also the angel who stands before the gates of Heaven and guards the entrance to the underworld.

He can either accept or deny a soul’s entry into the kingdom of God.

Zadkiel

Zadkiel’s name means “God’s righteousness” and he has been called “the guardian of all who sleeps in death.”

His name also means “the one who enlightens justice” or “who makes things right for humanity.”

Zadkiel is often depicted carrying a large sword that represents his power over evil forces.

As an angelic healer, he can bring comfort to those who are ill or grieving over lost loved ones.

This angel is the angel of freedom, mercy, and benevolence. He is also the patron angel of all those that forgive.

He is an angel who washes away the past, helping you forgive yourself and others.

He helps people find peace within themselves and soothe their minds with calmness.

If you have been through a traumatic event in your life and have not been able to move beyond it, Zadkiel can help you to let go of the pain so that you can move on with your life.

Final thoughts

The angels of God, known to us as the archangels, are a bevy of powerful, celestial beings who maintain order behind the scenes.

The more we learn about them, the closer we seem to get to understanding God’s hand in how our world works.

I have described each of the 15 names of angels of God and their duties, so you can see that each of them has a purpose.

If you find yourself with more questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you soon!

What Are All the Names of Angels in the Bible?

Who are the angels of the Bible and what are their names? There is quite a bit we know about angels as they are referenced roughly 300 times from Genesis to Revelation, in various ways.

We see them called “angels of God” (Luke 12:8), “sons of God” (Job 1:6), “sons of the mighty” (Psalm 89:6), “heavenly host” (Psalm 148:2; 1 Kings 22:19), “holy ones” (Psalm 89:5), “holy watchers” (Daniel 4:13), “rulers” (Daniel 10:13), and “heavenly beings” (Psalm 29:1). Yet very few are ever called by name.

The Four Names of Angels Given in the Bible

In fact, out of the hundreds of angelic references, only four have names that are shared, with one whose name is implied.

1. The Angel Gabriel

Gabriel appears in four passages of Scripture. With each encounter, he comes with a message.

Twice to the prophet Daniel, then to the priest Zechariah (father-to-be of John the Baptist), and lastly, to Mary (mother-to-be of Jesus the Messiah).

In these passages, we learn that Gabriel is an angel who appears in human form, but may have a look about him that causes trepidation.

He admits to standing in the presence of God, by whom he is sent to Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary. We also see a demonstration of supernatural power as he comes in flight and is able to make a man mute.

While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision” (Daniel 8:15-16).

While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding” (Daniel 9:21-22).

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him… When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”  

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years. ” 

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time” (Luke 1:11-13,18-20).

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be (Luke 1:26-29).

2. The Archangel Michael

Michael also appears in four passages of Scripture. He’s described as an archangel in Jude 1:9, and elsewhere as one who engages in heavenly warfare.

He is also referred to as a chief prince, one who works to protect God’s people.

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back (Revelation 12:7).

In Daniel chapter 10, he is spoken of by another angel, one who is not named. He talks of coming to Daniel sooner but is delayed. He says, “Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia” (Daniel 10:13).

And again, in chapter 12, this same angel is sharing with Daniel the things to come. He references Michael once again, “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise” (Daniel 12:1).

3. The Angel Lucifer

We know this angel as the devil, aka Satan. The scriptures tell us he is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12, NKJV), cut down for rebelling against his creator, God.

But before this, he was a beautiful, wise, guardian cherub, in the Garden of Eden.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; ...Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God… You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth (Ezekiel 28:12-19). 

On earth, Lucifer has been given temporary reign as prince of the power of the air, at work in the sons of disobedience (John 16:11; Ephesians 2:2).

He has control of this world, as it’s god (John 5:19, 2 Corinthians 4:4), masquerading as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), leading the whole world astray (Revelation 12:9).

He is a thief (John 10:10), a murderer, and the father of lies (John 8:44). For he spoke the very first lie to Adam and Eve, in the garden (Genesis 3:4), bringing death to all men (Romans 5:12).

But we know his time is short, for he has been judged (John 16:11) and upon Christ’s return, will be thrown into the eternal fire (Revelation 20:10).

The angel Abaddon is only mentioned once, he appears to be a fallen angel, ruling over the Abyss (bottomless pit).

At the same time, he is an instrument of judgment, used by God during the End Times, so there is some debate as to where his allegiance falls.

And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon that is, Destroyer (Revelation 9:1-3,11).

A Name Implied — The Angel of the LORD

There are quite a few instances that an angel is simply called, “an angel of the Lord,” but upon closer inspection, we see that sometimes, the angel of the Lord, is God, Himself — Yahweh —  showing Himself in the Old Testament. Some believe this can be a pre-incarnate Jesus, but that is never made clear.

So, while the name of this angel is never given directly, we can know he is God, based on what is said. In Genesis 16:7-13, for example, it is this angel who says they will increase Hagar’s descendants. And to whom she says, “You are the God who sees me.”

And in Exodus 3:2-6, we see verses like this:

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

This angel also appears a few times throughout the book of Judges.

The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you...’” (Judges 2:1).

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” (Judges 6:12,22).

He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” When the angel of the Lord did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord. “We are doomed to die!” he said to his wife. “We have seen God!” (Judges 13:18, 21-22).

Here are 15 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know By Heart for you to download or share with loved ones!

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/MariaArefyeva


Amy Swanson resides in Connecticut where she has recently discovered a passion for Bible study and writing. By God's continued grace, she now enjoys helping others better understand their Bibles, while also being an advocate for biblical church integrity. As a mother of three and a wife of 13 years, she blogs less than she'd like to but shares Scriptural insights, encouraging truth, resources, and musings more regularly at Beloved Warrior.

90,000 nine ranks. Infographics - Orthodox magazine "Foma"

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According to Orthodox doctrine, God created not only the visible world, but also the invisible, spiritual world. What do we know about the world of "Powers of Heaven"?

Angel (Greek messenger, messenger) is a spiritual, invisible being, which, like man, was created by God and has a personal being. In the relationship between man and God, angels perform a service role: they proclaim to people the will of God. nine0003

According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, all angels (Heavenly Powers) are divided into three faces. In turn, each face is subdivided into three more. This division is based on two principles: the degree of closeness to God and the type of service.

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First face

Seraphim

Translation: Ivr., gr. - burning, fiery, flaming;

Reference: Is 6 :2

Six-winged angels, closest to God. They got their name from the fiery love that they have for their Creator.

Cherubim

Translation: Heb. kerubim - minds, distributors of knowledge and wisdom;

Mention: Ref 25 :18–20; 37 :7–9 etc.; EUR 9 :5

Four-winged and four-faced angels. Their main service is education.

Thrones

Mention: Ezek 1 :18; Col 1 :16

Figuratively, the Lord God sits on them as on a throne and executes His judgment.

As the Church teaches, the degree of holiness and closeness of these ranks to God is so high that no one else can reach it. As soon as the Mother of God (being a human being) was worthy of this glory, as the Church sings about it: "The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim." nine0003

Second face

Dominions

Mention: Col 1 :16; Eph 1 :21

They are invisible tutors of earthly authorities, rulers, appointed by God. They also help a person to tame his passions, to control them.

Forces

Reference: Rome 8 :38; Eph 1 :21

They are endowed with a special power to perform miracles, they send this grace to the righteous and saints of God.

Authorities

Reference: Col 1 :16; Eph 1 :21

They have the power to tame the power of fallen angels, and also command the elements.

Third face

Principalities (Beginnings)

Reference: Col 1 :16; Eph 1 :21

They are endowed with the right to command the laws of the universe, nature, and also protect peoples and countries.

Archangels

Mention: Rev. 12 :7 etc.

Heads of angels. Teachers and heralds of the will of God for man, transmitters of Revelation.

A special place in the angelic hierarchy is occupied by archangels  archangels of the heavenly hosts. These include the archangels Michael and Gabriel and five more archangels - Jeremiel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Egudiel, Barahiel. Archangel Michael is considered the supreme archangel, the patron of the entire heavenly host. nine0003

Angels

Mention: Rev. 1 :7 and others. In this case, the word angel denotes precisely the rank of the Heavenly Forces.

In a broader sense, this word refers to a representative of any rank in general, without specifics.

Guardian Angel

An angel who is invisibly attached to a specific person during baptism to pray for him before God and protect him from evil. nine0003

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Angels in Islam and their functions

  1. Who are angels?
  2. God and the world of angels
  3. Angels of good and evil
    1. Sins and illnesses of people
  4. Guardian angels
  5. Carrying the Throne of God
  6. Archangels
    1. Jibril
    2. Azrael
    3. Mikail
  7. The attitude of angels towards believers
  8. Grave angels
  9. The night of power and the descent of angels
  10. Angel Wings
  11. Attitude of angels towards science and arts
  12. Who are the angels cursing?
  13. The role of angels during the End of the World and the Day of Resurrection
  14. Heaven and Hell Angels

One of the six pillars of Iman is faith in the world of angels. The Holy Book of the Quran says the following about this:0033 Piety is not about who prays in which direction: east or west. Pious is he who believes in Allah, on the Day of Judgment, in the world of angels, in the Scriptures, in the prophets of God ”(Sura 2:177).

The world of angels is an invisible dimension that exists parallel to the human world, but intersects and interacts with the universe in which humanity exists.

Who are angels?

Angels are beings which were created by Allah from the light of . They are sexless, have incredible strength, and are submissive to the Supreme Lord in everything. For the world of angels, the laws of physics are not relevant - they do not operate in it. At the command of the Creator, angels accompany a person throughout his life in the earthly and afterlife worlds, they help and protect him, correct and punish him by order of the Almighty. Angels are much more powerful than humans and than jinn - they are called "high society" in the Holy Quran. They are all sinless, there are no fallen among them. Satan, who is a fallen angel in Christianity, in Islam is just one of the genies who reached the level of angels in worshiping God, but because of his envy, pride, arrogance, was expelled from Paradise and unrepentant.

As it is said in the Holy Scripture, the angels were created by God and perform various functions assigned to them by the Almighty. Some are messengers - a link between God and the prophets, between God and people, and also carry out a connection between the Lord and the jinn. Angels communicate with a person at the moment of birth, and at the moment of death, and also at the moment when a person faces difficulties that he must overcome. nine0003

They were created by the Almighty before man, although this is not directly reported in the Holy Scriptures or Sunnah, but there are references that indicate this: :thirty). Angels are beautiful, but not human-like. They have no gender, there are no men or women among them, and the fact that angels can multiply is not mentioned in the Qur'an or in the Sunnah.

God and the world of angels

The Koran says that angels, like everything else in this world, belong to Allah. Their image is described as follows: “... And those (angels) who are next to Him (God) do not exalt themselves over worshiping Him (God) and do not get tired. They praise Him (God) day and night tirelessly .” (Surah Prophets, verses 19-20).

Also in the Qur'an there are such verses about angels and their worship of God: “ Thunder magnifies Him with gratitude, and the angels praise Him out of awe of Him. He sends down peals of thunder and lightning, overtaking by this those whom he wishes ”(Sura Thunder, verse 13).

Angels are not subject to the time of our world, because the Koran says that they can rise to God, who is unlimited neither in time nor place, and receive holy Divine instructions at any moment, as soon as the Almighty calls them to the place of gathering. The concept of "day" in the world of angels means that they can overcome the distance that would take people fifty thousand years in the earthly world. nine0003

The Almighty did not speak directly to people, but only through the veil that separated God and man or through Divine Revelation, which illuminated the mind of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the prophets. Another way for the Almighty to communicate with people was to send a messenger (messenger) to the world of genies or people, that is, an angel who, with the permission of the Creator, inspired Divine Revelation to a person chosen by Almighty Allah as a prophet, such an important role was assigned to the archangel Jabrail. An angel could appear to a person, or could appear to him as a disembodied spirit. nine0003

Angels of good and evil

There are no angels in Islam who do any evil deeds, but there are angels who record bad and good deeds. With a person there are always two clerk angels, as it is reported about them in the Holy Quran “ noble clerks ”, who see and fix everything connected with a person - they know everything that people do, staying relentlessly with everyone, being on the right and left , remaining invisible like a spirit. Those who are on the right, or elders, record the good deeds of a person, and those who are on the left, or younger, write down bad human deeds, his sins. Such clerk angels replace each other in pairs at night and during the day. nine0003

The Almighty said in Surah Kaf, verses 16-17: “ We created man ”, that is, we gave life to each of the representatives of mankind, and “ we know everything that his soul whispers to him ”, that is, all the thoughts of man, self-talk and reflection. And " We are closer to him through Our awareness and knowledge of Our , than his neck is to a person." All people in the world have two scribe angels who write down everything that comes from a person, they sit one at a time on the right and left like invisible spirits: “ Two angels sit on the right and left and receive (record deeds) .” Any word that he says is sure to be met by a powerful observer who is always ready, that is, one of the two angels.

Angels collect testimonies, recording everything that people say and do, and these angelic testimonies will then be used, like hundreds of other evidence and testimonies, when the time comes for God to make a just and clearly demonstrated God's decision on each of those who are a descendant Adam and Eve. And this decision does not depend on who he was, what his worldly position was, whether he was a builder or a minister, and what religion he was - whether he was an atheist or a Jew, a Muslim or a Christian. Therefore, every person in the world must watch his words and statements, because any thoughtless word can add weight to the scale of deeds not in his favor. Many of the sins of people come from their tongue, so you should always remember that the salvation of the believer is in silence. nine0003

Angels replace each other during the time interval between the morning and afternoon prayers: the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said about this, saying that one angelic group guarding the believer replaces another night and day, accepting and surrendering their responsible fast in the morning and afternoon prayers . Those guardian angels who are released ascend to the heavenly world, and there the Almighty asks them about the state in which they left the one they guard. And if the one whom the angels are guarding is a believer who observes the obligatory prayers and understands their importance, then the guardian angels answer that they left him at the time when he was praying or preparing for prayer, and when they returned, they also found him in worship. nine0003

People's sins and ailments

Angels do not record people's deeds and misdeeds right away - they wait for some time and will not write them down in a person's personal file. As the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, if a believer committed a sin, then the angel who should write it down waits for six hours - will the sinner repent of what he has done, will he ask Allah for forgiveness, will he do everything from him depends to correct this sinful act. If he repents and tries to correct the sin he committed, then this offense of his will be annulled, and when the Day of Judgment comes, this offense will not entail punishment in the form of torment and suffering . This hadeeth is reported by at-Tabarani.

Concerning the physical ailments of people and the attitude of the angels to this, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said the following: if a Muslim suffers a disease that limits his physical abilities, whether it is a fever that will tie him to bed, or a broken limb will immobilize him, then Allah will give instructions to the clerk angels: “ While he is in My “fetters”, write to him for each day and night lived as much good as he usually did during the period of health " (Ahmad).

Guardian angels

Another category of angels that can constantly be with a person is guardian angels. They are, as the Koran says, behind a person and in front of him, remaining invisible like a spirit, and replace each other. A certain number of guardian angels guard a person during the day, while others guard him at night, protecting him from everything and everyone by order of the Almighty.

Angels are with any person - it does not depend on whether a person is a believer or not: everyone who comes into this world enjoys the benefits that Allah has given to mankind, and God gives everyone guardian angels who protect and will protect in the future at the behest of the Creator in accordance with the Divine Plan and His wisdom. The Holy Book of the Quran says that there is no soul in the world that does not have a guardian angel. But guardian angels can retreat from a person if he is threatened with trouble, which is sent to him at the behest of the Almighty as a punishment for something or as a test. Guardian angels are near the ward in pairs: one in front of the person, and the other behind him, and this pair is replaced by another pair: one pair is near him during the day, and the other at night. nine0003

Carrying the Throne of God

There is a special category of approximate heavenly angels who carry the Throne of God. It is known about the Heavenly Throne of the Most High that it is the greatest creation of the Lord, and our Earth, together with all the heavens, in comparison with the Heavenly Throne of the Most High, is just a ring that is thrown in the middle of the desert. Those angels who are next to the Heavenly Throne glorify the Creator with gratitude, they are the bearers of faith, and they turn to the Almighty with a prayer for the forgiveness of the sins of believers who repented and followed God's path, asking for the protection of believers from hellish torment. nine0003

As the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, he was allowed to tell his companions and followers about a group of angels carrying the Throne of God. Each of these angels between the shoulder and the earlobe has a distance equal to seven hundred years of travel - such a time will be needed in the earthly world to overcome this distance, and yet this is just one of the angels who is God's creation, and there are countless of them. The Prophet ﷺ said this so that people would not try to fit into their mind, which, although it was created perfect, but remains limited, the idea of ​​the Creator of the worlds. nine0003

Archangels

Four angels in the world belong to the highest category, that is, they are archangels - these are the archangel Jibril (Gabriel), the archangel Mikail (Michael), the archangel Azrael and the archangel Israfil (Raphael) - they are called in Islam mukarrabun, which is translated from Arabic means "approximate".

Jibril

It is given in the hadith that if the Almighty loves a person for his deeds and aspirations, for his actions and intentions, then He will turn to the archangel Gabriel (Jabrail) with these words: “ I love that person, love him and you . And then the archangel Jabrail will begin to have love and the kindest feelings for that person and will cry out in heaven: “ Verily, the Almighty loves that person, so love him too! ". And then the inhabitants of the heavenly world will love him, and in the earthly world this believer will receive a blessing - everything will turn out for him in the best possible way, no matter what he undertakes, no matter what he wishes for what is necessary and useful for himself, and all his trials and difficulties in the earthly world he will overcome consciously, consistently and effectively, as if an invisible spirit will lead him through all obstacles (Bukhari, Muslim). nine0003

It was the archangel Jabrail who handed over the Holy Scriptures from God to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it is very large and has 600 wings occupying East and West.

Azrael

In the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the name Azrael is not mentioned and instead Malyak al-maut is used (arab. ملك الموت‎ - the angel of death). But there are mentions of this name in some asars (non-prophetic giving), which are taken from the Jews. Therefore, both a categorical denial and a statement about the correctness of calling the angel of death by this name, Azrael, is not acceptable. Based on this, Muslims do not claim that the name of the Angel of Death is Azrael, but they do not deny it either. nine0003

According to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in a hadith, the soul of a believing Muslim comes out with perspiration or sweat, and the soul of an unbeliever will be extracted like the soul of a donkey (Tabarani). The process of death of a believer, behind whom sins were recorded, will be toughened, and this will atone for his sins.

Mikail

Archangel Michael or Mikail belongs to the archangels of the highest category and distributes food to the creations of God. Archangel Michael is called the angel of mercy. He carries out prophetic missions, controls the clouds and the wind. nine0003

The attitude of angels towards believers

Believers should remember the Almighty often and much, and not so much with words, as with their very attitude and state, motivating motivation, tasks and goals. Everyone should remember that life is given to him only once, and God has laid a huge potential for interesting, good and beautiful things in this life. Believers should glorify the Creator at the beginning of the day and at the end in the best way and remember that the Almighty gives man his blessing, which is necessary for well-being in the earthly and heavenly worlds. Angels offer prayers for him to lead him out of the multi-layered darkness of sins and sorrows, doubts and turmoil, fears and suffering, and lead him to light, faith, spiritual joy. The Almighty was and remains Merciful to believers - to those people whose faith is strong not only in words, but in all manifestations and deeds, in their deeds and heart. nine0003

According to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, when one Muslim prays for another in his absence, this prayer is accompanied by angels with their prayers to the Almighty, so that Allah accepts it and bestows upon the prayer the best that he asks for another. (Muslim)

According to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, angels pray for any person until he leaves the place where they pray and until his state of ritual purity is violated. While the believer is in prayer and in a state of ritual purity, the angels turn to God with a prayer for the forgiveness of his sins and for mercy for him. (Bukhari, Muslim)

It is also said that on Friday sermons and prayers, angels stand at the entrances to all the mosques of the world, watch and write down those believers who enter the mosque first, placing their names on the angelic lists of the blessed. Those who come in advance, the first one an hour before the start of the Friday prayer or Juma prayer, will receive more grace from Allah. At the moment when the imam enters the audience and sits on the minbar, the angels fold their lists and prepare to listen attentively to the sermon. nine0003

Angels have a special attitude towards generous people. It is said that two angels descend into our world every morning, and one of them turns to God with a prayer that He reward the generous with significant profits both spiritually and materially, removing troubles and troubles from his fate. The second one turns with a prayer to the Lord, so that he would repay the avaricious loss or loss. Every believer should show his generosity, first of all, to his family, relatives, guests, and also show generosity in doing good deeds. nine0003

For believers, angels are patrons, they are their support and support both in worldly life and in the eternal world. They promise the God-fearing in Paradise everything that a person can wish for and what he will ask.

Angels of the Grave

Those people who do not believe or have not decided on their faith, who want to sit on two chairs, the angels will also protect and protect them, like everyone else. Their cases will also be recorded. When their death comes and they still do not believe, do not realize the postulates of faith and do not determine what is the only valuable and important thing, do not realize the incomprehensibility of God and His oneness, the attitude of angels towards such unbelievers, atheists, hypocrites and pagans will change dramatically . nine0003

It is said that angels will kill such people, accompanying their death with blows to the back and face with metal clubs, and their result will be deplorable, due to the fact that they tirelessly followed deeds in their lives that provoke the Wrath of God, although in the earthly world they had the right to choose, using which they chose a sinful path and a bad fate, committing vicious deeds, neglecting the pleasure of God, turning away from the path of faith and piety. And all their good deeds that they have done in their lives will be brought down by the Lord because they lived their lives without faith, not observing the postulates of God, and all the bright glimpses of their good deeds will be eclipsed by the darkness of sins. The fat point at the end of their journey will be the lack of faith - this point will cross out all their hopes for salvation. nine0003

It is said that there is no one more sinful than those who invent slander or lies against God, who talk about receiving Divine Revelation without receiving anything, and who have the courage to claim that they will send down Holy Scripture similar to that which God sent down . The state of such atheists, "brave" sinners, tyrants who oppressed others or themselves, will be deplorable and terrible - they will agonize in the abyss of pain that will take possession of them at the moment of death, when the soul will be separated from the body. Then the angels will cry out with outstretched arms: " Bring out your souls! ", but the soul does not want to leave the body, and then they will forcibly tear the soul out of living matter. And at that moment, such people will be rewarded with humiliating punishments for all the lies that they spoke about God, for their arrogance and arrogance before the signs of God.

The night of power and the descent of angels

Laylatul-qadr - the majestic holy night in Islam in the fasting month of Ramadan, falls on one of the last ten odd nights. On this holy night, worship of God, and any good deeds, even the smallest and everyday ones, for the Divine retribution are of great power and more significant than those that a person has done for many months. nine0003

This is stated in the Holy Book of the Quran: on the holy night of Laylatul-qadr (Night of Power), the Holy Quran was brought down to earth by Allah Almighty. The night of Laylatul-qadr is better than a thousand months. It is said that on this night the angels descend to earth, and with them the archangel Jabrail (Gabriel), and the angelic presence is felt in every deed. On this night, until dawn, peace and tranquility are established in the affairs of believers.

Translated from Arabic, the word “al-qadr” is translated as “crampedness”, and, according to some theologians, on the night of Lailatul-qadr, a huge number of angels descend to earth - they become so numerous on earth that they become crowded. nine0003

Wings of angels

Angels have wings - there can be two of them, as well as three or four, or more. God can exaggerate what He wants in His creation, because the Creator is able to create whatever He wants, and human consciousness is not even able to imagine the scale of God's creation.

There is a case in the hadith when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was lucky to see the archangel Jabrail - who had six hundred wings, and between each pair of wings the distance was the size between east and west, sunrise and sunset. nine0003

The attitude of angels towards science and arts

According to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, God facilitates the path to Paradise for those who introduce themselves to new knowledge, who follow their life path in an effort to acquire good, useful knowledge about Allah Almighty and the religion of Islam . For such people, the angels spread their wings, show them their respect and show them their contentment. All living things in the earthly and heavenly world pray for scientists who have gone through a multi-level path in the theory of Islamic sciences, implementing the acquired knowledge in practice with sincerity and immutability. (Abu Daoud, Tirmizi and others). nine0003

Regarding art, especially fine art, the attitude of angels is based on certain principles. According to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, angels do not enter those rooms where there is tasavir and tamasil, where the image is located. According to Imam al-Khattabi, angels do not enter houses where there are images or figurines prohibited by Islam. If the figurines do not have clear contours of a human face or they have nothing to do with the depiction of human faces and animals, then such art objects do not contradict Shariah and do not interfere with the presence of angels. nine0003

Who do the angels curse?

Also, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in a hadith said that the angels curse the one who directs a weapon at other people until he lowers the weapon (Muslim). This applies to both a serious threat and a weapon raised as a joke - any action in which a weapon is directed at a person is unacceptable from the point of view of Islam. The only exception is the case when the weapon is raised in case of emergency, for self-defense, etc.

The role of angels during the End of the World and the Day of Resurrection

The Holy Scripture describes what the actions of angels will be like when the End of the World comes and the Day of Resurrection comes: “ And the sound of the Horn will be heard, and all who are in heaven will die, and all who are on the earth will die, except those whom Allah wills to leave ”(Sura 39:68). We are talking about some angels who will also be put to death, but later.

It goes on to say that after this, when everyone, including the angel of death, has been slain, the trumpet or Horn will sound again, and then all who have died, including humans, jinn and angels, will stand and watch. It is about the fact that at that moment the world of souls will open, and every soul, including all those who died a very long time ago, will again be directed into their restored bodies. And then, when they open their eyes, they will see the full horror of the Day of Judgment, the scale of which cannot be grasped with a glance. The period that will pass between the moment when everyone is put to death and the moment when everyone is revived will be forty years, but only God knows which years or what other period of time is meant, because in the hadith, Abu Hurairah did not tell What exactly is meant by the word forty. Archangel Israfil will be the one who gives the first Horn signal and the second signal. nine0003

On the Day of Judgment, angels will descend from heaven in rows and fill the entire heavenly space, fulfilling the orders of the Almighty regarding people and genies, the angels will seize sinners from among them and direct them to their place of account or punishment, and the God-fearing ones to the place of salvation: " On that day when the Spirit (Archangel Jabrail) and the angels become rows, no one will speak except those whom the Merciful will allow, and they will speak the truth "(Surah News, verse 38)," and your Lord will come with the angels lined up in rows nine0034 "(Sura Dawn, verse 22).

Angels, being honorary servants of God, never get ahead of the words of the Creator and will not say an extra word, but will only do what the Lord commands. God keeps the world of angels, genies and people under

Angels will not be able to intercede for anyone and will not be able to intercede if the Lord does not approve of this Despite all their power and greatness, in comparison with which the planets and galaxies will be like only a soccer ball, angels are always full of awe before God, glorify, praise and exalt their Creator.0003

The Holy Scripture says that there are a great many angels in heaven, and their number cannot be counted, but their intercession costs nothing and has no weight, unless the Almighty allows this with respect to certain people or genies who deserve His pleasure.

Angels of Heaven and Hell

The Holy Scripture says that pious people will find themselves after death in the Gardens of Eden near the blessed springs, and the angels will turn to them with words inviting them to enter with a sense of peace and security. On the approaches to Paradise, the angels guarding the gates of Paradise will let through and greet the surviving people and genies. In Paradise there will not be everything that posed a threat in the earthly world - crime, encroachments on property or human life. The Almighty will remove from the hearts of people the hatred and malice that cover any person throughout his earthly life, and all the inhabitants of the Gardens of Eden will become like brothers, they will not feel hostility or disrespect for each other. A person who has entered Paradise will not have to suffer and get tired, do hard work, he will not suffer depression or stress, and he will remain in the Gardens of Eden forever. nine0003

Those who fall into the fire of hell will be met by nineteen angels who rule Hell. According to one of the opinions, there are nineteen angels-leaders in Hell, and a huge number of angels are subordinate to them, according to another opinion, nineteen varieties of angels control Hell, and their total number is large and unknown.


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