THE DUTIES OF ANGELS

September 3, 2008

Importance of believing in the angles
Continued………

The Duties of Angels
Angels have various duties, with each having a well defined role.

The Qur’an says:
“And there is not any among us, except that has a known position. And we are indeed the ones who glorify Allah.”
(Qur’an 37:164-166)

Angels teach us the benefits of specialization. So, in the Islamic society, some members must specialize in the Qur’an and its sciences, others in medicine, still others in agriculture and so on and so forth, so that the Muslim community becomes efficient and well balanced. Similarly, in the home, the responsibilities are divided. While the man is responsible primarily for supporting the family financially, the woman has an important role in the upbringing of the children, although she is by no means confined to only this task.

Only Allah knows all the details and roles of all the angels:
“…And none know the hosts of your Lord except He…”
(Qur’an 74:31)

Nevertheless, He has told us about some of these angels through the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

The Names and Roles of Some Angels

Only a few angels are mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, Others are mentioned either by specific names or by role or their general nature of serving and worshipping Allah.
Among those mentioned are

Jibreel – This is the most distinguished of the angels, and is entrusted with carrying revelation to the Prophets. This includes bringing the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammed (saws), which is referred to in the following:

“And it is surely the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The trusted Spirit has brought it down to your heart, in order that you might be one of the warners, in clear Arabic speech.”
(Qur’an: 26:192-195)

Angel Jibreel (as) is also called ‘the Holy Spirit’, as mentioned in the Qur’an:

“And we gave Isa, son of Maryam, clear proofs, and supported him with Ruh-al-Qudus (holy spirit ie. Jibreel).”
(Qur’an 2:253)
Mika’el – The one entrusted with the sustenance of creatures, and is also one of the most prominent angels.

The Recorders – These are two angels who accompany every human being and record his deeds. One of them stays on the right side and he records only good deeds. The other stays on the left side and records only bad deeds.
The one on the right (the generous one – He records good deeds and is so named because each good deed is rewarded ten times over or even more.

“And indeed, there are over you scribes, generous and recording. They know what you do.”
(Qur’an: 82:10-12)

These angels record our deeds, words, and thoughts. Allah says regarding mankind:

“He utters not any word except that there is with him an observer, ready.”
(Qur’an: 50:18)

The system of recording of deeds is detailed in Hadith Qudsi. Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas in which he narrates from his Lord:

“Indeed, Allah has defined the good and the evil deeds, and then explained them. So, whoever had the thought to do a good deed, but did not do it, Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he actually did it. Allah writes it for him as ten good deeds, or up to seven hundred fold, or even many times more. And, if he had a thought to do an evil deed, but dispelled the thought and did not do it. Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he entertained the thought and acted on it, Allah writes it as a single evil deed.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The one on the left – The recorder of evil deeds: He is simply called the recorder, because each evil deed counts as only one act.

The Guardians – They are angels who protect us from whatever evil Allah wills to save us from.

“For each (person) there are angels in succession in front of him and behind him, who guard him by Allah’s command.”
(Qur’an 13:11)

The succession of angels referred to is clarified in a Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, which tells us that the angels of the day and the angels of the night succeed one another, meaning that they perform their duties in shifts. At the time of Fajr (dawn) and Asr prayers, both the angels of the night and the angels of the day are present. Then, the angels of the night ascend, and their Lord asks them, although he is the All-Knowing. “How did you leave my servants ?” They say, “We came to them while they were praying, and when we left while they were praying,.” The Fajr prayer, then, is of special blessing, and we should take great care to perform it on time, and to recite long portions of the Qur’an for:
“Indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed”
(Qur’an 17:78)

The angels of the night and day witness it.

The protecting angels only leave us when we have the call of nature and when we are have sexual relations with our spouses, and so we should recite the appropriate supplications from the Sunnah prior to performing these acts.
Also, it must be noted that angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures (of animals and Humans). Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

The Angel of Death – He is entrusted with taking the souls of all creatures in the universe.

“Say: The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to your lord.”
(Qur’an: 32:11)

There are angels with him who torture the wrongdoers at the time of death:

“If only you could see, when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieve, the angels are beating their faces and their backs.”
(Qur’an l 8:50)

Munkar and Nakeer – They are the two angels in charge of questioning people in their graves about their faith.

Ridwan and Malik – They watch over Heaven and Hell. The custodian of Heaven is called Ridwan, while that of Hell is named Malik. Hell has nineteen angels who watch over it.

“Over it (Hell) are nineteen (angels)”
(Qur’an 74:30)

There are angels who welcome the believers into heaven, greeting them with peace:

“And angels shall enter unto them from every gate saying: “salaam alaykum” (peace be upon you for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home.”
(Qur’an 13:23-24)

Eight angels will carry the Arsh, which is Allah’s greatest creation, on the Day of Judgment:

“And the angels will be on its sides, and eight angels will that Day, bear the throne of your Lord above them.”
(Qur’an 69:17)

Subhanallah, Let us remember these things and draw closer to God and read much of Quran during Ramadan.

Sakina and Sara


THE RETURN OF JESUS PARTS 1-5

September 1, 2008

The Return of Jesus (part 1 of 5)

     
Description: Similarities and differences about the second coming of Jesus between Christians and Muslims.  The Messiah at the end of times according to Judaism.
By Jeremy Boulter (© 2006 IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 12 Jun 2006 – Last modified on 01 Apr 2008
Viewed: 7562 – Rating: 4.3 from 5 – Rated by: 8
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Category: Articles > Comparative Religion > Jesus


Both Islam and Christianity expect the return of Jesus at the end of times, and both expect trials and tribulations to occur at the time.  Many of the themes of these trials are similar, but they are also very different in detail and definition.  Both religions expect the nation of believers to be the final victors, but the Christian believes that these are defined as the believers in the Gospel of the New Testament and in Christ as ‘the Savior’ and ‘the Incarnation’ of God, whilst the Muslim knows that it refers to those who believe in the pure monotheism entailed in submission to the One and Only True God.

The return of Jesus is preceded in both religions by signs, again similar in general description, but subtly different in detail.  Both religions teach that the return of Jesus will be preceded by a great and powerful figure of falsehood and temptation, called the Maseeh ad-Dajjal (The False Messiah) by the Muslims and the Anti-Christ by the Christians.  Before this event other signs that agree with each other include a general increase in immorality and fornication, murder and crime, and general lawlessness, debauchery and falling away from religion and true knowledge.  Accompanying these signs of civil malaise will be internecine[1] wars, and natural disasters following closely one upon the other.  The details and timings of these, however, are substantially different, even within particular faiths.  How the Christian faith regards the second coming depends on the doctrinal view held.  Four broad views are prominent: Historical and Dispensational Ante-millennialism, and Preterist Post and A-millennialism.[2]

Ante-millennialism[3]  has two branches of interpretation.  Both postulate that Jesus will come and then, after defeating the Anti-Christ, will rule the earth with the ‘elect’ for 1000 years before the evil souls are resurrected, and Satan is unbound in the resurrected Anti-Christ[4].  They differ significantly concerning the events around this second coming.

Dispensational Ante-millennialism

While both agree that it will occur during a seven year period of Tribulation when the Anti-Christ reigns, one places the return of the Jews to Israel and the rebuilding of the temple during this seven year period, while the other holds that Jesus will re-establish Jerusalem as his Capital, rebuilding of the temple during his reign.  The former determines that the past elect of Church will be raised to life before the tribulation starts, and then chosen to rule with the descended Jesus, while the righteous Jews will be resurrected along with heroes who stood against the Anti-Christ and died at the end of the tribulation, heralding his reign of peace and plenty.  The latter holds that the ‘rapture’ of all the elect, these being all the dead saints of Christianity and the righteous of Judaism before the advent of Christ, will be at the second coming of Jesus, and will thereafter constitute, with their offspring, the deserving citizens of the millennium rule.  When Satan is finally loosed in the resurrected Anti-Christ, a great battle will be fought with the minions of Satan and Satan, the false prophet, will be defeated and hurled into Hell, ushering in the end of the world.  Here, again, the two branches differ.  The Historicist sees Gog and Magog as the nations Satan leads in rebellion when he is loosed, while the Dispensationalist, although he agrees Satan will lead an army of deceived nations, does not place The Gog and Magog as being among them.[5]


Historical Ante-millennialism

After the defeat of the forces of evil, mountains will crumble, the earth will become a flat plain and Judgment will be instituted on the people of earth.  The true believers in Christ will be rewarded with heaven and eternal communion with God, and the disbelievers and unrepentant sinners will be consigned to hell and eternal separation from God.

Preterism is the general name for the viewpoint found in both the views that oppose Ante-millennialism.  It sees the return of Jesus as having already happened at the time of the destruction of the temple Jerusalem, at least in terms of judgment.  That is, they see people as judged when they die.  Hence it sees the earth itself as everlasting, and that perfecting our faith and the truth about God is a never ending task set us by God.[6]  Among the partial Preterists, the moment of perfection is the second physical coming of Jesus, who will then reign forever over those who have achieved salvation.

Post-millennialism sees the 1000 year reign of Jesus as more figurative than literal, and that it has already begun.  Jesus is literally the king of earth right now, judging the dead as they die, and the Christian church is in the process of perfecting belief in him and defeating Satan.  Then Jesus will return to vanquish the Anti-Christ, heralding the end of the world, and establish the Church to rule with him.

Post-millennialism

A-millennialism[7] also sees the 1000 year reign as figurative and already established, but, like ante-millennialism, it envisages Judgment Day as the day of sorting out the good from the bad and eternally consigning them to their respective destinations.

A-millennialism

These viewpoints often overlap, so one is not sure where one doctrine leaves off and the other starts.  None of them, however, conform to the Islamic view of the reign of Jesus and his role in the second coming.

Islam sees Jesus’ return as a completion of his life and work, which he left incomplete.[8]  As the true Messiah, he alone has the power granted to him by God to defeat the false Messiah at the end of time.  His rule will witness the invasion of the Gog and Magog, whom not even he will be able to defeat.  Rather, he will pray to God who will then destroy them Himself.  The end of the Gog and Magog will herald the beginning of a world hegemony in which every one will believe, or at least submit to, his reign as God’s representative.  He will rule by God’s Law as taught by Muhammad (i.e. Islam), may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, until he dies at the age of about 70 or 75.  In this period of time there will be plenty for all, and peace throughout the world.  Then, some time after he dies and is buried, all the Muslims will be caught up by a breeze and wafted into the hereafter.  The remaining people on earth will be unbelievers, and they alone will witness the final chapter of earth. Read the rest of this entry »


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