When people talk about angelology they often think of the Christian tradition of the nine choirs. Islam, however, has developed an equally rich vision of angels, rooted in the Quran and in the sayings attributed to the Prophet, the hadith. Knowing it allows us to see how the three great Abrahamic religions share many figures, each interpreting them in its own way.
Faith in angels
In Islamic doctrine, faith in angels (mala'ika, singular malak) is one of the pillars of the creed, alongside faith in God, in the revealed books, in the prophets, in the Last Day and in the divine decree. It is therefore not a secondary or popular belief, but an article of faith.
A well-known hadith states that the angels were created from light, the jinn from smokeless fire, and man from what is described in the Quran, that is, clay. This threefold origin sharply distinguishes three categories of beings.
According to the Quran, angels do not disobey God in what he commands them and do what they are ordered. They are servants, not deities nor daughters of God, as the text polemically stresses against certain beliefs of pre-Islamic Arabia.
The great angels
Some angels have a precise role and name. Not all the names appear in the Quran: some come from later tradition.
| Angel | Role | Source of the name |
|---|---|---|
| Jibril (Gabriel) | brings revelation to the prophets | Quran |
| Mikail (Michael) | linked to sustenance and providence | Quran |
| Israfil | will sound the trumpet at the end of time | tradition |
| Azrail | angel of death, gathers the souls | tradition; the Quran says «the angel of death» |
| Malik | guardian of the infernal fire | Quran |
| Ridwan | guardian of paradise | tradition |
Jibril
Jibril is the most important figure. According to Islamic tradition he brought the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad, beginning with the first revelation in the cave of Hira. The Quran also calls him «the trustworthy Spirit» and «the holy Spirit». His function largely corresponds to that of the biblical Gabriel: he is the angel of annunciation, who in the Quran also announces to Mary the birth of Jesus.
Israfil and Azrail
Israfil is not named in the Quran, which does however speak of the trumpet sounded on the Day of resurrection. Tradition assigns this task to him. The angel of death is mentioned in the Quran without a name; the name Azrail spread in later tradition, including in the Persian and Turkish worlds.
The angels who accompany humanity
Alongside the great angels, Islam knows angels very close to everyday life.
- The noble scribes (kiraman katibin): the Quran speaks of guardians who are «noble, writing down» and who know what a person does. According to tradition, one on the right records good deeds and the other, on the left, bad ones.
- The guardians: the Quran mentions angels who follow one another in front of and behind each person, protecting them by God's command.
- Munkar and Nakir: according to the hadith, two angels question the dead in the grave about their faith. Their names do not appear in the Quran.
- The bearers of the Throne: the Quran describes them glorifying God and asking forgiveness for the believers.
Harut and Marut
A singular episode concerns Harut and Marut, two angels mentioned in the Quran in Babylon. The text says they taught people a dangerous knowledge, but only after warning them: «we are only a trial, so do not disbelieve». Exegetical tradition developed various stories around them. The symbolic core is clear: knowledge of hidden forces is a moral test, not a privilege.
The refusal of Iblis
The Quran recounts several times that God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam. All obeyed except Iblis, who refused out of pride, saying he was better because he was created from fire while Adam had been created from clay.
One sura specifies that Iblis «was of the jinn». Hence an ancient debate among commentators:
- Iblis was an angel, and the phrase points to a particular category of his.
- Iblis was a jinn who lived among the angels, and was therefore included in the command.
The second reading has the advantage of reconciling the story with the idea that angels cannot disobey.
A comparative perspective
For the Studio Esoterico Cornelio, comparing traditions is a tool for understanding, not for confusion. Islamic angelology shows some characteristic features:
- the emphasis on the perfect obedience of angels;
- the sharp distinction between angels, jinn and humans according to the substance of their origin;
- the attention to the recording of deeds, which makes every act meaningful;
- the central role of the angel in transmitting revelation.
On the inner level, the image of the two scribes on the right and on the left is an ancient invitation to awareness: every act leaves a trace.
In short
- In Islam faith in angels is an article of the creed; angels are created from light and obey God.
- Jibril brings revelation, Mikail is linked to providence, Israfil and Azrail are figures of tradition.
- The noble scribes, the guardians and the angels Munkar and Nakir accompany humans in life and after death.
- Harut and Marut represent hidden knowledge as a moral test.
- The refusal of Iblis opens an ancient debate on whether he was an angel or a jinn.
