ANGELS
Those people are to be pitied who, by being affected by the darkness of false philosophy, deny the existence of angels and satans and reject the clear texts and proofs comprised in the Holy Quran, and foolishly fall into the pit of heresy. This problem is one of those for proof of which, from the verities comprised in the Holy Quran, God Almighty has chosen me alone. All praise is due to Allah for this {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, p. 89}.
God Almighty, Who in His Transcendence and Holiness is above everything, employs appropriate agencies for His manifestations. Bodies and material things being confined to their personal characteristics and being conscious of their existence, and being characterized by their designs and natural actions, and having a permanent existence, which comprises self and excludes non-self, have drawn far away from the Cause of causes and the Absolute Benevolent and are shut off by a thick veil of their own existence and ego and their having been created. They are not worthy that those graces of the Almighty should descend upon them directly which can only descend if the veils that have been mentioned did not intervene and their existence wholly resembled nonexistence. As their existence does not resemble non-existence, everything of this kind of creation loudly proclaims its existence. The sun proclaims that it is a body that is the source of heat and cold that affects the world in three hundred and sixty-five days and creates heat by its rays and causes cold by their diversion and rules over bodies and their matter and their shapes. The earth proclaims that it is a body divided into a thousand countries, that it produces vegetation of diverse types, that it prepares various types of minerals inside it and that it accepts heavenly effects like a woman. The fire proclaims that it is something that burns and possesses the quality of combustion and is a substitute for the sun in the dark. Thus everything in the earth praises itself....
All these things proclaim their praise and are veiled in the screen of their characteristics and have drawn away from the Source of Grace and, without the intervention of such things as are free from these veils, no design of the Fountainhead of Grace can establish a relationship with them inasmuch as the veil steps in between. The Wisdom of God Almighty, therefore, demanded that to be the primary manifestation of His designs, there should be a form of creation which should not be veiled by self, but should possess a form which, contrary to other things, should by its nature be free from intervening self and should serve God Almighty as His limbs, and its numbers should correspond to the designs of God Almighty which are related to the whole of creation. That external creation should possess a nature like transparent mirrors and should be ever present before God Almighty. It should have two directions. One direction should be that of uniqueness and transcendence and, being imperceptible and free from veils, it should be different from the other forms of creation and should resemble completely by way of reflection the Being of God Almighty and should not be veiled by self. The other direction should be that of being created, on account of which they should have a relationship with the rest of creation and should be able to approach them. Thus, through this design of God Almighty, this strange form of creation came into being which is called angels. They are so lost in obedience to God that they have no will or fashion or design of their own, and no personal faculties whereby they could be kind to anyone on their own, or could be angry with anyone on their own, or could desire something on their own, or could dislike something on their own; they are wholly like the limbs of the Divine. All the designs of God Almighty are first reflected in their transparent mirrors and through their mediation are spread in the whole of creation. As God Almighty, on account of His Perfect Holiness, is in extreme uniqueness and transcendence, therefore, those that are not free from ego and from the opaqueness of veiled existence and are conscious of their existence have no relationship with the Fountainhead of Grace; and thus the need arose of a form of creation which on the one side should be related to God Almighty and on the other to His creation so that they should obtain grace from one side and communicate it to the other {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 16I-170, footnote}.
Angels Are External Means Of The Fulfillment Of Our Spiritual Needs In order to accept the existence of angels, the easiest way is that we should direct our reason to the following. It is admitted that for the training and perfection of our bodies, and in order that the desired actions of our senses should be carried into effect, God Almighty has promulgated the law of nature that the elements and the sun and the moon and all the stars have been pressed into service, that they should help our bodies and faculties to perform all their functions in the best manner possible; we cannot, therefore, escape from the verity that our eyes cannot perform their function by their own light unless they are aided by the light of the sun, and our ears cannot hear anything by their faculty of hearing unless they are aided by the air. Does this not prove that Divine law has ordained that the perfection of our faculties should be achieved through external means and that our nature cannot dispense with the help of external means? If we will observe carefully we will find that not in one or two matters, but for the perfection of all our senses and faculties and powers, we are dependent upon external help. As this law and system of God Almighty, Whose works display unity and appropriateness, operates firmly and compulsorily with reference to our external faculties and senses and our material needs, then does it not follow necessarily that there should be some system for our spiritual perfection and spiritual performances so that the identity of the two systems should prove the Unity of the Creator? It is obvious that the All Wise One Who has instituted this external system and has chosen that through the effect of the external means like the heavenly bodies and elements, etc., our bodies and faculties and senses should be perfected, the same All-Wise and All-Powerful One would have chosen that system for our spiritual perfection, for He is One without associate and there is unity in all His wisdom and works. Thus the external means which affect our spirituality and fulfill our spiritual needs, as the sun and the moon and the elements help us with regard to our physical needs, are known by the name of angels. This proves the existence of angels and, observing the law of nature as a whole, we are compelled to acknowledge their existence though we may not be able to penetrate to their reality, nor is this necessary. When we have accepted the external law, there is no reason why in the same way we should not accept the internal law. We shall have to accept it in the same way as we have accepted the external law. That is the reason why God Almighty in His Holy Book has set forth these two laws in the same words, as for instance: We call to witness the winds that waft the vapors, and carry the load of moisture, and blow gently and distribute the command of Allah (51:2-5); that is to say, God puts forward the testimony of the winds that separate the vapors from the oceans and other waters and carry them inside like pregnant women and waft them in the shape of clouds to their goal and the testimony of the angels that put into effect all these matters. This indicates that the winds have no power in themselves to lift the vapors from the oceans and to convert them into clouds and to cause them to send down rain where it is needed and thus administer these matters. All this is the function of angels. In these verses God Almighty first indicated, like philosophers, the cause of rain descending from the clouds and set out how water becomes vapor and then becomes clouds, then in the last verse: 'distribute the command of Allah'; disclosed the reality that no one should imagine that the system of material causes and effects is adequate for the Divine dispensation, but that a system of spiritual causes is behind this physical system which supports this visible system. At another place it is said: We cite in evidence those who proceed slowly, and then they push on fast, spreading the Message abroad discriminating between truth and falsehood, announcing the Exhortation (77:2 6). This means that God Almighty puts forth the testimony of the winds and angels which proceed slowly and then proceed fast, and the winds that raise the clouds, and the angels which are appointed over them, and the winds that carry the Message to the ears, and the angels who carry the Divine Word to the hearts. In this way, God Almighty has combined the angels and stars in the verse: That administer the affairs of the earth (79: 6). The seven planets have been referred to as arranging the affairs of the earth externally and the angels are referred to as arranging them internally. The commentary Fathul Bayan sets forth both these views on the authority of Muaz bin Jabal and Qashiri. Ibn Katheer has reported on the authority of Hasan that all arrangements that are carried out between heaven and earth are carried out through angels, and Ibn Katheer writes that this is an agreed interpretation. IbnJareer has interpreted the verse: Distribute the command of God; as meaning that the angels carry out the arrangements of the universe, that is to say, that though on the surface, stars and the sun and the moon and the elements carry out their functions, yet in reality it is carried out by angels {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. I33-I37. Footnote) } Of Independent ExistenceOur observation and our reflection and intelligence and thinking clearly show that for every grace there are intervening causes between God Almighty and ourselves, through whose intervention every faculty receives grace according to its need. This establishes the existence of angels and jinns. We have only to prove that for the performance of good or ill our faculties alone are not enough and that we are in need of external help and assistance which has external effect. These helpers and assistants do not operate directly without any mediation. There are some mediatory means. The observation of the law of nature has established conclusively and certainly that those helpers and assistants exist outside of us. We may not be aware of their true reality, but we know for certain that they are neither the Almighty Himself operating directly, nor are they our own faculties and capacities. They are a species of creation which have independent existence. When we name any of them as calling to good, we would describe him as the Holy Spirit or Gabriel, and when we name him as calling to evil we will describe him as Satan or Iblees. It is not necessary that we should exhibit the Holy Spirit or Satan to every dark heart, though those who have insight can see them and they become visible in visions {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 86-88).}
Angels Carry Out Appropriate DutiesMay Allah guide you, the Holy Quran nowhere says that God is changeable, but it does say that man is changeable. Therefore, God carries out changes appropriate to him. When a child is in the womb it is nourished on blood, and when it is born, for a time it is nourished on milk and thereafter takes other food. God Almighty makes appropriate provision for it from time to time. When a child is in the womb God Almighty commands the internal particles to manufacture blood for it. When it is born that command is canceled. The angels of the mother's breasts, which are their particles, are commanded to produce milk. When a child finishes its nurture through milk, that command is also canceled and the angels of the earth, who are its particles, are commanded to produce food and water for it till the end. We admit, therefore, that there are such changes in God's commandments....
God has taught us in the Holy Quran that this natural system does not run by itself and that all the particles of these things hear the voice of God and are His angels, who are appointed by Him to carry out certain functions and they do so according to His will. The particles of gold manufacture gold, and the particles of silver manufacture silver, and the particles of pearls manufacture pearls, and the particles of the human body prepare the human child in the womb. These particles do not function on their own, but hear God's voice and act in accordance with it That is why they are called His angels. Angels are of many types These are angels of the earth. The angels of heaven exercise their influence from heaven as the heat of the Sun is an angel of God which ripens the fruits and performs other functions. The winds are God's angels which assemble the clouds and influence the fields in different ways, and then above them there are other angels which exercise their influence Physics bears witness that angels are essential beings We observe them with our own eyes (Naseeme Dawat, pp. 94-95)
Three Types Of AngelsThe Holy Quran mentions three types of angels. First, the particles of earthly bodies and the faculties of souls. Secondly heaven, the sun, the moon and the clouds of the earth that are in operation. Thirdly, the higher powers above all these like Gabriel and Michael and others which are called Jinn in the Vedas.... The Holy Quran uses the word angel very frequently. Everything that hears God s voice is His angel. Thus every particle of the world is an angel of God for it hears His voice and obeys Him (Naseeme Dawat, pp. 89-90).
Angels Do Not Move From Their Appointed PlacesIslamic scholars do not affirm that angels descend upon the earth in person walking on their feet. This notion is obviously false for had it been necessary for the angels to descend upon the earth in their proper person for the performance of their functions it would have been impossible for them to carry out anything to its end. For instance, the angel of death takes possession in one second of the souls of thousands of people who dwell in different countries and towns at long distances from each other. Were it necessary for him to travel on his feet to each country or town or home to take possession of the soul of each person, it would require not only one second to accomplish his task, but a period of many months would not be sufficient. Is it possible that someone moving like human beings should go round the world in the twinkling of an eye? Angels do not move an inch from the places appointed for them by God Almighty. God Almighty says on their behalf in the Holy Quran: Everyone of us has an appointed station. We are all standing in rows (37: I65-I66). As the sun occupies its station and its heat and light spreading upon the earth benefit everything, in the same way, the heavenly spirits whether they are called heavenly bodies according to the concept of the Greeks, or they are called the spirits of the planets in the terms of the Vedas, or we should call them in a straightforward way the angels of God, this wonderful creation occupies its appointed place and by the perfect Wisdom of God Almighty is occupied in carrying everything that is eager, to its desired goal. This creation performs external services as well as internal services. As our bodies and our overt faculties are influenced by the sun and the moon and other planets, in the same way, our hearts and minds and all our spiritual faculties are influenced by these angels according to our diverse capacities. Whatever possesses the capacity to become something excellent - even if it is a speck of dust, or is a drop of water which enters a pearl-oyster, or is a drop of water which enters the womb- by the spiritual training of the angels of God becomes a pearl, or a ruby, or an emerald, or a sapphire, or a man of superior heart and mind.
Angels Are The Life Of The PlanetsThe manner in which the Holy Quran has expounded the subject of angels is straightforward and reasonable and there is no escape from accepting it. Deep reflection over the Holy Quran discloses that for the development of man, and indeed for the external and internal development of the whole universe, some intermediaries are needed. It appears clearly from certain indications in the Quran that some of the pure beings that are called angels have distinct relationship with heavenly bodies. Some of them drive the wind and some cause the rain to descend and some others cause other influences to descend upon the earth. There is no doubt that those pure creations would be related to the bright and illumined stars that are in heaven, but this relationship should not be deemed to be the relationship that exists between every animate and its soul. Those pure spirits have, on account of the brightness and light that they possess, spiritually an indeterminate relationship with the bright stars which is so strong that, if it were to be supposed that those pure spirits had departed from those stars, the faculties of the latter would be upset. It is through the hidden power of those spirits that the stars carry out their functions. It might be said that as God Almighty is, as it were, the life of the universe, those illumined spirits are, as it were, the life of the planets and stars and by their departure the condition of the planets and the stars is bound to be disrupted. No one has ever differed that all the stars and planets in heaven are occupied all the time in the development and perfection of the earthly universe. It is a proved verity that all vegetables, minerals and animals are influenced day and night by heavenly planets. Even an ignorant peasant believes that the light of the moon fosters the size of fruits and that sunshine helps to ripen and sweeten them and certain winds increase their quantity. As the visible universe is developed through the influence of heavenly bodies, there can be no doubt that the invisible universe is, by the command of God Almighty, influenced by the bright spirits which have such a strong relationship with the bright heavenly bodies as the soul has with the body.
Angels Sometimes Appear In Human FormApparently it appears disrespectful that there should be a mediator between God Almighty and His holy Prophets for the conveyance of the lights of revelation, but reflection would show that there is here no disrespect but that this is in accord with the general law of God Almighty which is in operation with regard to everything and which can be clearly perceived, for we observe that the Prophets also depend upon mediators in the matter of the operation of their bodies and their faculties. However illumined and blessed is the eye of a Prophet, yet like the eyes of the common people he cannot see anything without the help of the light of the sun or some substitute for it, and his ear cannot hear without the mediation of the air. Thus one is compelled to admit that the spirituality of a Prophet must be affected by the bright spirits of the stars even more than the spirituality of the common man for the clearer and more perfect is the capacity the clearer and more perfect is the influence. The Holy Quran shows that the stars and the planets each possess a spirit and as each of them has characteristics which influence everything in the earth according to their capacity, in the same way, their illumined spirits also possess diverse qualities which by the command of the All Wise One influence the spirit of the earthly universe. These bright spirits appear in human form to perfect servants of God. These are not mere words but it is an authority which must be accepted by a seeker after truth and wisdom {Tauzihi Maram ( Amritsar, Riyaz Hind Press) , Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 3 pp. 30-41}.
We do not deny the descent of angels and if anyone were to offer proof that the angels descend in such manner that they depart from heaven, we would be prepared to examine this proof and to accept it if it were established. The existence of angels is part of faith. The descent of God towards the heaven of the world and the descent of angels are both realities which we cannot comprehend. So much is established by the Book of God that angels appear on the earth as a new creation. The appearance of Gabriel in the form of Dehya Kalbi was a new creation, or what else was it? It is not necessary that to admit the possibility of a new creation, we should destroy the first creation. The first creation is established and settled in heaven and the second creation is a result of God Almighty's wide power. Is it beyond the power of God Almighty that He should exhibit one being at two places in two bodies? Certainly not. Know you not that Allah has power to do all that He wills? (2: 107) { Sirrul Khilafah ( Amritsar, Riyadh Hind Press 1312 A.H.) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 8 pp.81-82})
Ascent And Descent Of AngelsI believe that to Allah belong angels and that they are close to Him. For everyone of them there is an appointed place. None of them descends from that place or ascends from it. Their coming down that is mentioned in the Holy Quran is not like the descending of a man from a higher to a lower level, nor is their ascending like the ascending of a man from a lower level to a higher level, inasmuch as the descending of a man involves a change in his position and is achieved by effort and involves fatigue; whereas angels do not suffer any fatigue nor have they to make any effort, nor are they subject to any change. Therefore, do not imagine that their descent and scent resembles the descent and ascent of other bodies; their descent and ascent resembles the descent and ascent of Allah from and to His Throne to and from the heaven of the earth. Allah has made their existence a part of faith, and has said: None knows the hosts of thy Lord but He (74:32). Then believe in their descent and their ascent and do not seek to penetrate into their reality, that is best and closest to righteousness. Allah has described them as standing, in prostration, arranged in rows, glorifying God and occupying their appointed places. He has bestowed these attributes upon them eternally and permanently and has made them characteristic of them. It is not, therefore, permissible that the angels should give up their prostration and their standing and should disrupt their rows, or should interrupt their glorification of God and their proclaiming His Holiness and should descend from their appointed places to the earth and should depart from the high heaven. Indeed they move in accord with their nature while still keeping to their appointed places like the King Who has settled Himself on the Throne (20: 6) .You know that Allah descends to the heaven of the earth in the latter part of the night, but it cannot be said that He departs from His Throne and then ascends back to it later. The same is the case with the angels who reflect the attributes of their Lord as the shadow reflects the original. We do not realize the reality of it but we believe in it. We cannot describe their condition in the terms of the conditions of man, the reality of whose attributes and the limits of whose qualities and whose movements and whose stillness we recognize and understand. Allah has forbidden us that and has said: None knows the hosts of thy Lord but He (74: 3 2) . Then mind your duty to Allah, O men of wisdom (Ayenae Kamalate Islam pp. 384-- 387).
Angels Are The Cause Of Every Change And DevelopmentNow that it is clearly established that by the Divine law of nature for the spiritual system there are, like the physical system, external influences which are called angels, it remains to show that whatever is happening in the physical system also does not take place without the mediation of angels. God Almighty has called angels regulators and distributors and they are the cause of every change and development. They bear aloft the Throne of God Almighty. The verse: There is no being but has a guardian over it (86: 5); proves the appointment of angels over everything. The following verse also indicates this: The heaven will cleave asunder and appear very frail that day. The angels will be standing on its sides, and above them eight of them will that day bear the Throne of thy Lord (69:I7-I8). This means that on the Day of Judgment heaven will be rent asunder and will lose its faculties, or the angels who were like the soul of the heavens and heavenly bodies will give up all the connections and will retire to the edges and on that day eight angels will bear aloft the Throne of God Almighty. In his commentary on this verse Shah Abdul Aziz writes that the continuation of heaven is through the spirits, that is to say, the angels who are like spirits of the heaven and heavenly bodies, and as the soul safeguards the body and controls it, in the same way some angels control heaven and heavenly bodies and all heavenly bodies exist through them and the action of the planets takes place through their means. When the angels will depart from that body as the soul departs from the physical body the whole system of heaven will be upset as the physical system is upset by the departure of the soul. Another verse of the Holy Quran also indicates this: We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and we have made them the means of driving away satans (67:6). It has been established by the Quranic text that the regulators and distributors of all matters from the heaven to the earth are angels, and in this verse it is said that the shooting stars are the stars which are in the lower heaven. This might appear to contradict the verses relating to the angels, but if we consider carefully there is no contradiction. The Holy Quran teaches that the angels are like the souls of heaven and heavenly bodies and it is obvious that the soul of anything is not apart from it. That is why God Almighty has in some places in the Holy Quran mentioned the angels as the cause of shooting stars and at other places has mentioned the stars as their cause, inasmuch as angels influence the stars as the soul influences the body. That influence proceeds from the stars and affects the earthly vapors that have the capacity to become shooting stars and they are set aflame by the power of Almighty God. In another way, the angels establish a connection with the shooting stars and direct them to the right and left with their light. No philosopher will deny that whatever happens on the earth or in the atmosphere its originative cause are the stars and heavenly influences. Not everyone can penetrate the mystery that the faculties of the stars derive grace from the angels. This mystery was disclosed by the Holy Quran and those possessing insight paid attention to it (Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. I37-- I43, footnote).
Everything that has a spirit is safeguarded by angels. Thus, according to this verse, we have to believe with regard to the spirit of the planets that all stars, the sun, the moon, mercury and mars, etc., are under the protection of angels, that is to say, everyone of them has an angel appointed who safeguards it and enables it to perform its functions properly (Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, p. 77, footnote).
Two Systems For The Proper Functioning Of The UniverseAngels safeguard against physical calamities also, but this safeguarding is in a spiritual manner. For instance, if a person is standing at a place where a wall is about to fall down, no angel will lift him up with his hands and take him away from the place. If that person is destined to be saved, an angel would convey to him the warning that he should move away. But the protection of stars and elements, etc., is physical (Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, p. 99, note).
The All-Powerful One has not confined the events of the world to a visible system, but there is also an invisible system which is in operation all the time. The sun and the moon and the earth, and the vapors that become rain, and the winds that blow fiercely, and the hail that descends upon the earth and the shooting stars have physical causes for all their actions and changes and revolutions and occurrences which are set out in books on astronomy and physics, yet those who possess insight know that behind these causes there are other causes which regulate them and which are called angels. Whatever they are connected with, they carry it to its goal and in their functions they keep in mind the spiritual objects that God Almighty has committed to them. Their action is not vain but in all that they do they have in mind great objectives. It is an established verity which we have set out in some detail in our booklet Tauzeeh Maram that the All-Wise One has instituted two systems for the proper functioning of the universe. The invisible system is related to the angels and there is no branch of the visible system which has not behind it the invisible system. It can be easily understood, therefore, that the causes of the visible system of shooting stars do not stand in the way of the causes of the spiritual system. The spiritual system is that an angel is appointed on every shooting star, who moves it in whatever direction it desires. The movement of shooting stars bears witness to this. It is obvious that the function of the angel cannot be without purpose. Behind it must be some object which is of benefit for the faith and the world, but it is not possible to apprehend the purpose of the function of angels without the mediation of angels. Thus through the mediation of Gabriel it was disclosed to the Holy Prophet that the object of the angels in the shooting of the stars is to drive away satans.
Shooting Stars And SatanThe mystery how the satans are driven away by the shooting of stars appears to be that there is enmity between satans and angels. At the time of the release of these shooting stars, whom they influence by the heat of the stars, the angels spread their bright power in the atmosphere and every shooting star that moves has an angelic life as it comes with the blessing of angels and it possesses a quality which consumes satans. It cannot, therefore, be objected that as jinns are created from fire, they cannot be harmed by fire. For the harm that is inflicted upon the jinns by the shooting stars is not caused by fire but by the light which accompanies the shooting star which is lit by the angel and which by its nature consumes the satans. So long as a person believes in the existence of God and is not an atheist, he would have to acknowledge that all this system is not in vain and that everything that happens issues from the wisdom and appropriate design of God Almighty, and that design is manifested in accordance with the system through physical means. As God Almighty has not invested bodies with knowledge and intelligence, therefore, for the achievement of that which needs knowledge and intelligence, the mediation of such things was needed which are invested with knowledge and intelligence and they are angels.
As angels do not operate in a vain and purposeless way, but have a purpose in all that they do, it would have to be acknowledged that they have a purpose in the
release of shooting stars and, as reason is unable to perceive that purpose, it is useless to question reason for the solving of this mystery.... Reason is dependent for
this perception on some other means which is beyond the limit of reason. That means is revelation which is bestowed upon man so that it should carry him to those
insights and verities to which reason alone has no access and so that it might disclose to him those fine mysteries which cannot be solved through reason. Here by
revelation we mean the revelation of the Quran which has disclosed to us that the purpose of the angels in releasing shooting stars is to drive away satans. This is the
type of spreading of the light by the angels which affects the darkness of the jinns and reduces their activity, and if the spreading of this light is in a high degree, then
on account of its magnetic attraction perfect manifestations of light are created from among men, otherwise, this spreading of the light on account of its angelic
quality pulls the hearts towards light and righteousness and this is a quality the proof of which has always been displayed in the world.
The Divine system is that what is happening in the bodies and the atmosphere, or becomes manifest on occasion, is not the result of the purposeless action of the
bodies. The Wise and Powerful One has committed the direction of all these into the hands of the angels, who are occupied with various types of action every
moment under the command of the All Powerful One. They do not act in vain, but cause various types of movement in heaven and earth in an altogether wise way
for the achievement of grand purposes, and no action of theirs is useless or meaningless (Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited
in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp.I24-133, footnote).
It should be remembered that in Islamic law special angels do not rank higher than special persons. Indeed, the latter rank higher than the former. Their being mediators in the physical or the spiritual system does not indicate their superiority. According to the Holy Quran they are assigned this function as servants; as it is said: He has constrained to your service the sun and the moon . . . (14: 34). A postman conveys the letters of a Ruler to a Governor, or a Governor-General, but that does not mean that the postman who acts as an agent between the Ruler and the Governor-General ranks higher than the Governor- General. The same is the case with the mediators, who convey the designs of the All-Powerful in the physical and spiritual systems to the earth and occupy themselves in carrying them out. God, the Glorious, has made it clear at several places in the Holy Quran that whatever has been created in earth and heaven is for the benefit of man and man ranks higher and above all of them and is served by them, as it is said: He has constrained to your service the sun and the moon performing their functions constantly (14:34).
At another place it is said:
Call to mind when thy Lord said to the angels: I am about to bring into being a man from clay, so when I have perfected him and have breathed into him My spirit, do ye all fall down in prostration before him. The angels all fell down in prostration, but Iblees did not (38:72- 75).
The True Meaning Of Prostration To ManThe angels were commanded to serve man humbly and to devote themselves to his service as if they were prostrating themselves before him. So the angels all fell into prostration before the perfect man, but Satan was deprived of this good fortune.
This command to the angels to fall into prostration did not relate to the time when Adam was brought into being; it was a separate command that when a man attains his full stature as a human being and achieves a balance, and the spirit of God Almighty takes up its dwelling in him, they should fall into prostration before such a perfect man, that is to say, they should descend upon him with heavenly lights and should call down blessings upon him. This is an indication of the eternal law which God Almighty puts into force with regard to His elect, that when any person achieves spiritual balance in any age and the spirit of God Almighty takes up its dwelling in him, that is to say, he loses his ego and achieves the rank of immortality in God, angels begin to descend upon him in a special manner. Though in the early stages of his search angels also occupy themselves with his help and service, yet this special descent of angels is so perfect and complete that it can be described as prostration. Prostration indicates that angels are not superior to perfect man, but like royal servants they pay reverence to perfect man by prostrating themselves before him (Tauzihi Maram ( Amritsar, Riyaz Hind Press) , Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 3, pp. 49-50).
Every Angel Performs A Different DutyAngels do not all have the same status and rank and do not all perform the same kind of function. Every angel is assigned a different task. Whatever changes take place in the world, and whatever emerges as action out of latent power, and whatever success is achieved by souls and bodies in their goals are all affected by heavenly influences. Sometimes the same angel influences different types of capacities in different ways. For instance, Gabriel, who is a grand angel and is related to a very bright heavenly body, is assigned many forms of service in accordance with the services performed by that heavenly body. Though he descends upon every person who is honored with Divine revelation, the circle of the effect of his descent assumes small or great proportions according to different capacities. The largest circle of his spiritual effects is that which is related to the revelation that was sent down to the Holy Prophet. For this reason the insights and verities and the excellencies of wisdom and composition which are found in their perfection and completeness in the Holy Quran are not found to the same degree in any other book. It should be borne in mind that the effect of an angel on a human spirit is of two types. First, the effect which by the command of Allah influences different types of seed in diverse manners in the womb. Secondly, the effect that comes into operation after his coming into being for the purpose of carrying to their perfection the hidden capacities of that being. This second effect, when it is related to a Prophet or perfect saint, is called revelation. It appears that when an eager spirit through the excellence of its light of faith and light of love establishes a friendly relationship with the Fountainhead of grace, and the life-giving love of God Almighty casts its reflection on his love, then whatever ability is conferred upon him to move forward is the manifestation of the hidden effect which God's angel produces in him while he is in the womb. When the person concerned attains to this rank by the attraction of the first effect, then the same angel casts his influence afresh on him which is filled with light. The angel does not do this on his own but in his capacity of a mediatory servant; like a pipe which draws water from one side and conveys it to the other, this pipe draws into itself the light of Divine grace and, when man on account of the union of two loves places himself next to the pipe of the holy spirit, the grace of revelation flows through that pipe into him. In other words, at that time Gabriel casts his bright shadow on that eager heart and inscribes a reflected picture of himself in it. As the name of the angel who is stationed in heaven is Gabriel, the name of this reflected picture is also Gabriel. If the name of the angel is the Holy Spirit, the name of the reflected picture also is the Holy Spirit. It is not that the angel enters into the man, but his reflection appears in the heart of the man. For instance, when you place a very clear mirror opposite to your face then according to the size of the mirror your features will be reflected in the mirror. It is not that your face and your head being separated from your body are placed in the mirror. hey will retain their place in your body. What will be reflected in the mirror is their picture and the size of the reflection will be in accord with the size of the mirror of the heart. For instance, if you look at your face in a small mirror in a ring you will see the whole of your face but every feature will appear very small, but if you look at your face in a large mirror, which is sufficient for the reflection of all your features, you will behold the reflection of all your features and limbs at their proper size. The same is the case with the effect of Gabriel. It is Gabriel who casts the effect of revelation on the heart even of a minor saint, and the same Gabriel used to cast the effect of revelation on the heart of the Holy Prophet. But the difference between the two revelations is like the difference in the reflection in the mirror of the ring and in a large mirror. Though it is the same Gabriel and he has the same effects yet not all matter that is affected has the same extent and the same clearness. The difference of the effects of Gabriel is not only in their quantity but is also with regard to their quality. That is to say, the purity of heart which is the condition of reflection is not of the same degree in all recipients of revelation. As you can observe not all mirrors possess the same degree of transparency. Some are so clear and bright that the reflection of the beholder is seen in its perfection in them, and some are so opaque and dusty and smoky that the reflection cannot be seen clearly in them. Indeed, some are so distorted that if the lips are visible in the reflection the nose is not, and if the nose is visible the eyes are not. The same is the case with the mirrors of the hearts. In a heart that is of the utmost purity the reflection is very clear and in a heart which is dusty, to some degree, the reflection is also vague to the same degree. This purity was possessed to a complete and perfect degree by the heart of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him; no other heart possessed such purity (Tauzihi Maram ( Amritsar, Riyaz Hind Press) , Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 3 pp. 67-72).