Also on the authority of `Umar (radi Allaahu ‘anhu), who said:
| “One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journey were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down in front of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam), with his knees touching against the Prophet’s (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs he said: “O Muhammad, tell me about Islaam.”The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Islaam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, to perform prayers, to give zakaah, to fast in Ramadaan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.”He said: “You have spoken rightly”; and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.He (the man) said: “Tell me about Eemaan.”He (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny (qadr), both the good and the evil of it.”He said: “You have spoken rightly.”He (the man) said: “Then tell me about Ihsaan.”He (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to worship Allaah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then (knowing that) truly He sees you.”He said: “Then tell me about the Hour.”He said: “The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.”He said: “Then tell me about its signs.”He said: “That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefooted, naked destitute shepherds competing in constructing lofty buildings.”Then he (the man) left, and I stayed for a time. The he (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?”
I said: “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It was Jibreel, who came to teach you your religion.” It was related by Muslim |
Brief Commentary
- Belief in the Angels entails belief in their:
- Existence
- Names
- Characteristics
- Duties
- Belief in the Angels helps us:
- Realise the greatness of Allah
- Feel grateful towards Allah
- Thank Allah for not commanding us to worship Him to the extent the Angels do
- Realise the greatness of the worship of the Angels
- Realise the sins we make harm the Angels
- Things about the Angels:
- Do everything Allah commands them to do
- Never disobey Allah
- Differ in status (best of Angels are the ones that fought in badr)
- Number is unknown
- Have magnificent speed
- Neither male nor female
- They are modest
- Able to take on different forms
- Reside in the sky
- Do not eat or drink
- Are very handsome
- There is no space in the sky except there is an Angel doing sujood
- Make salah for us by asking Allah to forgive us
- Make du’aa for us and say Aameen to our du’aas
- Help the believers in times of war
- Harmed by what harms the humans, e.g. foul smell
- Belief in the books entails:
- Belief they came down from Allah
- Having specific belief in the ones we have been given the names of
- Belief that every singles verse in the Qur’an is the truth and is brought down by Allah
- Act according to what it says
- Allah gave us many ways to know His existence:
- Our fitrah (natural disposition)
- Our intellect
- Via looking at His creation
- Via the holy scriptures which He revealed to us
- We need the holy scriptures to know how to worship Allah in the correct way and to know the correct path
- Allah has made two laws:
- Laws of nature, e.g. Earth orbits the Sun, gravity, etc
- Laws of Shari’ah, e.g. no stealing, no fornicating, etc
- We need the books of revelation to know the laws of shari’ah
- Just like if the laws of nature are not followed there will be corruption and destruction on the land, if the laws of shari’ah are not followed, then there will be the same fate, so we must ensure to follow the rules and laws of shari’ah
Benefits and action points:
- Thank Allah for not asking us to worship Him as the Angels do
- Do not harm the Angels by having a foul smell, or playing haram sounds
- Freshen our breath when reading the Qur’an as an Angel puts its mouth on your mouth when you recite and ascends with what you recite
- Come early to the Masjid for Salah to receive the du’aa of the Angels
- Learn about the laws of Shari’ah from the Qur’an and Sunnah
- Seek to implement and uphold the laws of Allah where possible
- Learn more about the Angels and the books of revelation by reading “The creed series” by Umar Al-Ashqar
Hadith Commentary 
Thank you very much