So I’ve been reading the Creed series, which is a total of 8 books altogether.
These books are basically just pure Aqeedah.
The first book is Belief in Allah.
The second is The World of the Angels, which is the one I’m on.
Then it goes further on to the World of the Jinns/Devils, the Messengers, the Resurrections, Paradise and Hell, and Divine Will/Qadr.
Pretty interesting stuff, I didn’t know much of anything about the angels until I read what was in here.
Basically one thing I got out of it, there are angels like, everywhere.
And there’s so many. So so so so so many.
The angels on your shoulders change during different times of day, I think it was Fajr and Asr.
There were hadith about, say when you’re praying, when the Imam says samiAllah hulimaan hamida, and you say Rabbanna Walakal Hamd, and you say it at the same time an angel is saying it, you will be forgiven of all your sins.
SubhanAllah how cool is that. Just for basically jinxing with an angel, you’re forgiven.
Some stuff was about their huge size, so huge that they reached from the east horizon to the west horizon, I think that was a hadith talking about Jibreel.
And also, just like we have our own personal jinns with us at all times, we also have our personal angel who urges us and wants us to do good.
There were a lot of stories where people met angels too.
I’m not sure who it was, but I read that a man asked the Angel of Death to show himself in the form that he comes to disbelievers or people who have done wrong in their lives. The Angel of Death warned him that he wouldn’t be able to withstand the fear that he would get, but he did it anyways.
He turned into this huge black thing, I guess the closest I can depict it as would be a dementor or a grim reaper, freaking scary.
Also when people recite Qur’an, it was said that Angels come down from the Heavens to listen. There were stories where people would read Qur’an and their horses or cows would start acting all strange and weird.
And then a small cloudish mist with lights could be seen disappearing. When the people told the Prophet (S) what they saw, he said that those were angels listening to the recitation.
You also can’t pick favorites among the angels, as they’re all friends and companions of the believers.
Nor are we to hate any one of them for any reason. There’s actually a punishment for that too.
The angels even pray for forgiveness for the believers. For me and you. Wow.
They’re always coming and going. Always looking for people who are practicing dhikr, they witness the Jummah prayers and even prayers in Jamaah.
Even in the halaqas. The very halaqas we do every Friday at the different masjids, there are angels sitting among us there as well.
The Prophet (S) said: “Allah has angels who go around the highways and byways, seeking out the people of dhikr. If they find some people who are remembering Allah, they call out ‘Come to what you are looking for!’ And they encompass them with their wings up to the first heaven.”‘
Doing righteous deeds brings the angels closer to us and us closer to them. If people were actually able to maintain a high spiritual state they would really be able to reach the level of actually seeing the angels and shaking hands with them.
Sounds pretty far-fetched, till I read this:
Hanzalah al-Usaydi said that the Prophet (S) said “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if you remained in the state in which you are when you are with me, and you continued to remember Allah, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds and on the street.”
Man. Insha’Allah maybe in this life or the next life, I’d want to shake hands with an angel and give my salaams.
It’s nice to know all this stuff now. Wherever I am or wherever I go I now know that there are probably angels with me, if Allah (SWT) wills.
Just the thought of them being there while I pray Fajr is all the more reason for me to get up and pray.
In a hadith: 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 we left while they were praying.”
That’s why Fajr is a really special blessing. It even says in the Qur’an,
“Indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed” [17:78]
And speaking of Fajr, I should really get to sleep now. Imagine yourself praying amongst angels around you next time you stand up for salat. It makes it easier to remember Allah (SWT) is watching you as well.
And Allah (SWT) knows best.
=)
