Emaan on Allah’s Malaik
What is Emaan in light of Quran?
Unlike what most Muslims believe, Emaan does not mean blind faith which is devoid of reasoning and knowledge. On the contrary, Emaan as per Quran stems out from the word Aman and it means to accept truthfully, to be convinced with strong conviction and verification that comes after something has been verified through reasoning, logic and seeking of information. Thus, it means to have strong faith in, to trust, to submit to, to declare something being confirmed truth, to guarantee, to obey and to have strong conviction in something being true after due verification and conviction that comes out of knowledge. It is not a blind faith but is a conviction based on reasoning and knowledge; a conviction that results from full mental acceptance and intellectual satisfaction; the kind of conviction which gives us a feeling of inner peace, contentment and satisfaction of heart and mind.
The word A’emanihim also stems from Ai’man with the same meanings as strong conviction and verification but with additional aspects of being committed, being in oath, promises, vows, pledges or undertakings. For instance, in the ayah 2:224-225, the word Aimanekum is used in the meanings of pledges, oaths or promises. Similar meanings are used in many ayahs for instance in ayah 16:91 “And fulfill your covenant with Allah when you have taken it, and do not break the Aimana after their confirmation…” used here in the meanings of oath, promise, pledge, or undertaking. The phrase ma malakat Aimanhum is not slave girls or those who are in your right hands but in fact refers to those people for whom one has pledged to take care of, for whom an oath has been undertaken to be responsible for through any contract or oath. We have clear ayahs in Quran, telling us about the five fundamentals of Emaan. As per Quran, the five Fundamentals of Emaan are;
- Emaan on Allah
- Emaan on Allah’s Messengers & Prophets
- Emaan on Mala’ik (Angels)
- Emaan on Book of Revelation
- Emaan on the Day of Judgment
[Quran 04:136] O you who have believed, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Kitaab- the Book of Revelations that He sent down upon His Messenger and the book which He sent down before. And whoever does Kufar in Allah, His Malaik, His Kitaab, His messengers, and the Day of Judgement has certainly gone far astray.
Since Emaan is not blind faith but a deep conviction of heart and mind of something which is based out of knowledge, logics, reasoning and the use of our intellectual faculties. Therefore, it’s extremely important that we understand each and every aspect of these five fundamentals of Deen, because without knowledge, without the use of our intellectual faculties, logics and reasoning, there is no concept of having Emaan. Thus it’s extremely important we understand what exactly are Malaik in order to understand what does it mean to have Emaan on Malaik of Allah.
What are Allah’s Malaik? Are they Creations of Allah?
No where in Quran Allah mentions the creations, the birth or death of Malaik. These are NOT the creations of Allah. The concept of Malaik and Emaan on Malaik is one of the 5 fundamentals of Emaan as per Quran. Therefore it is very important to understand the actual concept of the term Malaik as per Quran. Malaik does not mean some Angels with wings as widely misunderstood and mistranslated since how can we have Emaan on Angels with wings, invisible, unknown, unable to witness by humanity, as we know the concept of Emaan has to be based on knowledge and due verification. Even for our Emaan on Allah, we have been given by Allah so many arguments and ayahs in terms of work of Allah and words of Allah so that we get firm conviction and Emaan on Allah with the usage of all our God’s given faculties of intelligence. Therefore, we cannot have Emaan on Malaik if Malaik are some angels with wings that we cannot even understand.
The word Malaik shares the same characteristics as from the “Maalik” means the one who has the power, the authority. Therefore, the word Malaik means the powers, processes and forces of nature on the basis of which Allah’s whole universe is kept running. Malaik share the characteristics from the word “Alak” which means messengers or communicators for instance refer the following ayah:
[Quran 22:75] Allah chooses from the Malaik messengers and from the people
Thus, Malaik are those forces of nature that carry out all the tasks of the universe, including communicating or as messengers. In order to keep the universe in order and in balance, and to keep the universe and everything running, Allah has assigned specific roles and responsibilities to the Malaik. Nowhere in Quran Allah has mentioned the creation of Malaik, neither is it mentioned anywhere about their deaths. Unlike Jinn and Ins, they were never created nor they will taste death. Since Malaik are Allah’s powers, laws and forces of nature, therefore there is no concept of birth or death of Malaik.
What are Allah’s Malaik? Are these Angels with Wings?
A vast majority of Muslims assume and interpret Malaik as some sort of supernatural creation of Allah, Angels who have wings. For those, our first counter response would be that how are you supposed to have knowledge of these supernatural creatures since without knowledge there is no concept of Emaan. Even if we agree to their definition of Malaik being angels with wings, let’s see what Quran says about these “wings”.
[Quran 35:01] ALL Hamd is for Allah , Creator of the Skies (sumawaat) and the earth, made the Malaik as Rasool (Messengers) with Jannaha اَجۡنِحَةٍ in twos, threes and fours. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
The meanings of the Word Jannaha اَجۡنِحَةٍ, The word اَجۡنِحَةٍ is used in Quran in many meanings such as hands, powers, wings, to take in protection, to protect Ayah 28:32 , to bow in submission, to take sides or to support- Ayah 15:88. For instance, in ayah 17:24, the use of the same word is basically talking about supporting parents with gentleness, humility and humbleness. Also notice the use of the word اَجۡنِحَةٍ in the following Quranic ayahs:
[Quran 15:88] “Strain not your eyes at what We (Allah) have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and grieve not for them, but lower your janâha to the believers.”
[Quran 17:24] “And lower to them the janâha of humility out of Raham, and say: My Rabb, have Raham on them, as they brought me up when I was small.”
[Quran 26:215] “And lower your janâha to the believers who follow you.”
As is clearly mentioned above, the use of the same word- does it mean we have wings too?? Clearly the word Jan’ha “اَجۡنِحَةٍ” in the above verses are used in a metaphoric sense: ‘to have اَجۡنِحَةٍ’ means ‘to have more power, bounties, wealth, knowledge, resources or abilities. As a result, we may think that we are better than the next person. But in these ayahs, we are encouraged to lower our “اَجۡنِحَةٍ”, and hence our pride. – To be humble, in complete submission with Allah’s Rules and guidelines, to be obedient and to be in Submission.
Therefore, the word Jan’aha اَجۡنِحَةٍ in the ayah 35:01 is used in the meanings of powers, resources, abilities which are employed and used in humility, in complete submission to Allah. Thus, in this ayahs 35:01 the word اَجۡنِحَةٍ would means Malaik- forces powers of nature, who communicate/interact having various powers, abilities, working in complete submission to Allah’s rules and universe. This again is in perfect alignment with the use of the word Malaik in ayah 41:30/31 and our complete discussion on this ayah. At all times we need to keep in mind that no Quranic ayah can contradict any other Quranic ayah. Whenever and in order to authenticate any of our concepts, we need to talk ALL the ayahs and would realize that each and every ayah/command/ discussion in Quran is in perfect alignment and harmony with each other.
What does it mean by Sajda to Adam by Allah’s Malaik?
As Malaik they cannot refuse or disobey Allah. Refer the following ayah;
[Quran 16:49-50] And to Allah everything does Sajda whatever is in the skies and whatever is on the earth of creatures, and the Malaik, and they are not arrogant. They fear their Rabb above them, and they do what they are commanded.
Thus, it is not possible for any Malaik to refuse or to not obey Allah. We all know Sajda only belongs to Allah, the Sajda which has been asked to Maalik for Humans was in its linguistic meaning of being helpful and work along with humans once the humanity get to the point of acquiring the knowledge. At that stage of development of humanity, on the basis of knowledge, the humanity would utilize these powers, the Malaik to accommodate humans’ efforts and work along with them in order to benefit the mankind and in order to carry out their duties as Khalifa on earth. Take for example the flying of an aeroplane, which uses the knowledge of thermodynamics, metal, air pressure and gravity. Therefore, the Malaik- Allah’s powers has done Sajda, i.e., being supportive to Adam- us as mankind as Khalifa on earth, on the basis of being taught Names by Allah, that is on the basis of us acquiring knowledge and understanding of these Malaik. Refer the following ayahs;
[Quran 2:30] When your Rabb said to Malaik, “I am making Khalifa on earth,” they said, “Will You make someone who will cause Fasaad and shed blood, whereas we do Nussabeh with Your Hamd and sanctify You?” Allah Said, “I know what you do not know.”
[Quran 2:31] And taught Adam the names, all of them, then presented them to the Malaik and said, “Inform Me the names of these, if you are truthful.”
[Quran 2:32] They said, “Subhanka! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed! You are the All-knowing, the All-wise”
[Quran 2:33] Said, “O Adam, inform them the names of these” And when he informed them the names, said, “Did I not tell you that I know the hidden secrets of the Skies and the Earth and that I know what to reveal to you and what to conceal from you?”
[Quran 2:34] And when WE said to the angels, “Do Sajda to Adam,” they did Sajda, except for Iblees who A’baa. He became arrogant and one of the Kaafireen.
Thus, as obvious from above ayahs, All of the Malaik, except Ibless, have done Sajda to Adam, on the basis of Knowledge, in order to aid our role as Khalifa on earth.
What does it mean by Emaan on Malaik?
Emaan on Malaik does not mean Emaan on angels with wings- but in fact as per Quran, Malaik are Allah’s powers which perform all the work as ordained by Allah, on the basis of which Allah has created the whole universe and everything in it, and on the basis of which Allah is maintaining and running every matter- Amoor in the universe. Therefore, few examples of Malaik are: Malaik of birth and death, Malaik of revelations, gravity force, electromagnetic fields, wind and air pressure, atom electron protons power, water power etc. Science can tell us some of the factors which are holding this universe intact, and all of these forces, powers, processes are actually Malaik/Powers of Allah. To have Emaan on Allah’s Malaik means to seek knowledge, to explore and use this knowledge of the Malaik of Allah for the benefit of humanity and in order to carry out our role as Khalifa on earth, as a duty to take care of Earth and all of its inhabitants.
When Allah asked Malaik to do Sajda to Adam, this Sajda doesn’t means the Sajda which is only for Allah. It means to work with humans, to support humans when they reach to that level of knowledge where humans can use Malaik’s help and assistance, like flying an aeroplane using air power (Malaik), against the forces of gravity (Malaik), through the use of thermo dynamics (Malaik). Similarly, taking rockets to the space, sailing ships in the waters, using Earth’s natural resources such as water, wind, son, atom etc. to create powers and electricity and so on. There are many examples of mankind being able to use Allah’s Malaik for the benefit of humanity, on the basis of knowledge. It is because of this that the Malaik did Sajda to Adam only on the basis of knowledge. Thus, the basic foundation of Emaan on Allah’s Malaik is built on the concept of mankind being assigned as Khalifa on earth in order to take care of as custodians and caretakers of Earth and all of its habitants, including, living and non-living things, including humans and animals. In order to carry out this task and only on the basis of knowledge, we, as mankind can employ Allah’s Malaik, in order to assist us and help us to carry out these duties. But the Malaik of Allah has done Sajda ONLY on the basis of knowledge. Thus, seeking knowledge of science and these Malaik of Allah in order to use this knowledge for the purpose of carrying out our duties as Khalifa on earth is basically the meanings of Emaan on Malaik.
Can also refer to the presentation on this topic at this link Emaan on Malaik PPT
