1.1. The attitude of the angels regarding the believers
i. Loving the believers
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said, “When Allah loves a person, He calls out to Jibril, saying: O Jibril, indeed Allah loves So-and-so, so love him. So Jibril loves him and Jibril calls out to the inhabitants of heaven: Indeed Allah loves So-and-so, so love him. So the inhabitants of heaven love him, then he finds acceptance among the inhabitants of the earth.” [136] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6040; Muslim, 2637.

Al-San‘ani said, “indeed Allah loves So-and-so, so love him. So Jibril loves him’ in obedience to Allah’s command. ‘and Jibril calls out to the inhabitants of heaven.’ This includes all of the heavens. The call is by the command of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,: ‘indeed Allah loves So-and-so, so love him’ is by way of highlighting that person’s status and by way of honouring him. ‘So the inhabitants of heaven love him, then he finds acceptance among the inhabitants of the earth’ that is, he becomes dear to people’s hearts.” [137] See: al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami‘ al-Saghir, 3/263.

ii. Helping and supporting the believers
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says regarding ‘Isa (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning), "And We gave ‘Isa, the son of Maryam, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit." (al-Baqarah 2:87) Al-Sa‘di said, “and supported him with the Pure Spirit that is, Allah strengthened him with the Pure Spirit. Most of the commentators said that this refers to Jibril (peace be upon him).” [138] See: Tafsir al-Sa‘di, p. 58; Tafsir al-Shawkani, 1/129.

It was narrated from Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “O Hassan, respond in defence of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). O Allah, support him with the Pure Spirit.” [139] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 453; Muslim, 2485.

Ibn Hubayrah said, “This indicates that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, may support the poet, even with Jibril. What the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant when he asked Allah to support him with Jibril was for him to be protected lest the Shaytan cause him to say something that was not good.” [140] See: al-Ifsah ‘an Ma‘ani al-Sihah, 6/107.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that Sulayman (peace be upon him) said, “Tonight I shall surely go around to one hundred wives, each of whom will give birth to a boy who will fight in Allah’s cause. The angel said to him: Say in sha Allah, but he did not say it, and he forgot. Then he went around to them, and none of them gave birth except one of them, who gave birth to an incomplete human being.” The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If he had said, In sha Allah, he would not have broken his oath, and that would have been a means of attaining what he hoped for (Muslim).” [141] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5242; Muslim, 1654.

Al-Qastalani said, “‘The angel’ – Jibril or another – ‘said to him: Say’ – because he had forgotten – ‘In sha Allah.” [142] See: Irshad al-Sari, 8/121.

iii. Sending blessings (salah) upon the believers
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that the angels send blessings (salah) on the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as He says (interpretation of the meaning), "Verily, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings upon him and salute him with the salutation of peace." (al-Ahzab 33:56) And Allah tells us that they also send blessings on the believers, as He says (interpretation of the meaning), "For it is He Who sends blessings upon you, and His angels ask Him to bless you and forgive you, so that He may bring you forth from the depths of darkness into the light. And He is Most Merciful to the believers." (al-Ahzab 33:43) What is meant by blessings (salah) from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, on His slave is His praising him before the angels, as was narrated from Abu’l-‘Aliyah. [143] Narrated by al-Bukhari in a mu‘allaq majzum report before hadith no. 4797; narrated in a mawsul report by Isma‘il al-Qadi in Fadl al-Salah ‘ala al-Nabi, 95. According to the version narrated by al-Bukhari: Abu’l-‘Aliyah said: The blessing (salah) of Allah is His praising him before the angels. What is meant by blessings (salah) from the angels on the believers is their offering supplication for them. [144] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 19/175.

One of the proofs that the blessing (salah) of the angels has a good impact on the believer is the verse in which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "For it is He Who sends blessings upon you, and His angels ask Him to bless you and forgive you, so that He may bring you forth from the depths of darkness into the light." (al-Ahzab 33:43) Al-Baghawi said: “What is meant is that by His mercy and guidance, and the supplication of the angels for you, He brought you forth from the darkness of disbelief to the light.” [145] See: Tafsir al-Baghawi, 3/647.

Examples of good deeds because of which the angels send blessings upon the doer and offer supplication for him:
a. Those who wait for prayer in congregation
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “The angels send blessings upon any one of you so long as he remains in his spot in which he prayed, saying, ‘O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him.’” [146] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 659; Muslim, 649, in a lengthy hadith.

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that the angels pray for forgiveness for the believer, so long as he remains in the place in which he prayed. [147] See: Zad al-Ma‘ad, p. 341.

b. Those who pray in the first row
It was narrated from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah and His angels send blessings upon the first rows.” [148] Narrated by Abu Dawud, 664; Ahmad, 18516 in a lengthy hadith. Classed as sahih by al-‘Aqili in al-Du‘afa’ al-Kabir, 4/86; al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, 664; Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Musnad Ahmad, 18516; al-Wadi‘i in al-Sahih al-Musnad, 138. Its isnaad was classed as hasan by al-Nawawi in al-Majmu‘, 4/226. According to another report: “… upon the front rows.” [149] Narrated by al-Nasa’i, 811; al-Hakim, 2099. Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan al-Nisa’i, 811. According to yet another report: “Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the first row.” [150] Narrated via several isnads: Ibn Majah, 997; Ahmad, 18621 in a lengthy hadith. Classed as sahih by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 2157; al-Nawawi in al-Majmu‘, 4/300; al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah, 997; Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Musnad Ahmad, 18621. Classed as hasan by al-Wadi‘i in al-Sahih al-Musnad, 144.

‘Ali al-Qari said, “‘Indeed Allah and his angels send blessings’ by sending down mercy from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and by offering supplication for divine help and support, and so on, on the part of the angels.” [151] See: Mirqat al-Mafatih, 3/854.

c. Those who fill gaps in the rows
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who complete the rows, and whoever fills a gap, Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby.” [152] Narrated by Ibn Majah, 995; Ahmad, 24587, from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah, 995; classed as hasan by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Musnad Ahmad, 24587.

Al-Minawi said, “‘Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who complete the rows’ in such a way that they do not leave a space for one person to stand in. What is meant is that Allah forgives them and commands His angels to pray for forgiveness for them.” [153] See: Fayd al-Qadir, 2/269.

d. Those who eat sahur
It was narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and His angels send blessings upon those who eat sahur.” [154] Narrated by Ahmad, 11086. Classed as sahih by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Musnad Ahmad, 11086; classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami‘, 3683. Its isnad was classed as qawiy by al-Mundhiri, 1/150; al-Busayri in Ithaf al-Khiyarah al-Maharah [??], 3/92. This hadith was also narrated by Ibn Hibban, 3467; al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat, 6434; Abu Nu‘aym in Hilyat al-Awliyah, 8/320, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (MR). It was classed as sahih by Ibn Hibban; Ibn Mulaqqin in Sharh al-Bukhari, 13/135; Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Sahih Ibn Hibban, 3467. Classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami‘, 1844.

Al-San‘ani said, “The blessing (salah) of Allah is His mercy, and the blessing of the angels is their praying for forgiveness for them. This is encouragement to eat sahur, and tells us that there are benefits in it: it helps one to fast, and Allah loves the one who does that and has mercy on him, and the angels offer supplication for him, asking Allah to forgive him.” [155] See: al-Tanwir Sharh al-Jami‘ al-Saghir, 6/464.

e. Those who send blessings (salawat) on the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
It was narrated from ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever sends one blessing upon me, the angels will keep sending blessings on him as long as he sends blessings on me. So let a person do a little of that or a lot.” [156] Narrated by Ibn Majah, 907; Ahmad, 15680.

iv. Saying Amin to the supplication of the believers
The angels say Amin to the supplication of the believer, and thus the supplication is more likely to be answered, by Allah’s leave. It was narrated from Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said, “A Muslim’s prayer for his brother in his absence will be answered. At his head there is an angel who is appointed, and when he prays for good for his brother, the angel who is appointed says: Amin, and may you something similar.” [157] Narrated by Muslim, 2733.

It was narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “If you are in the presence of one who is sick or dying, then say good things, for the angels say Amin to whatever you say.” [158] Narrated by Muslim, 919, in a lengthy hadith.

Abu’l-‘Abbas al-Qurtubi said, “Here the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the angels say Amin to the supplication of those who are present. Based on this, the scholars determined that it is recommended for righteous and good people to visit the dying person to remind him as he is dying, to offer supplication for him and for those whom he is leaving behind, and to say good words. Thus their supplication and the Amin of the angels are combined, and that will benefit the dying person, those who are bereaved by his passing, and those who are left behind.” [159] See: al-Mufhim, 2/571.

v. Praying for forgiveness for the believers
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that the angels pray for forgiveness for those who are on earth, as He says (interpretation of the meaning), "The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels exalt Allah with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful al-Shura 42:5. Al-Sam‘ani said: “The words and ask forgiveness for those on earth mean: for the believers who are on earth.” [160] See: Tafsir al-Sam‘ani, 5/63.

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Those angels who carry the Throne and those around it exalt Allah with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, saying, “Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.” (Ghafir 40:7) It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, "The angels send blessings upon any one of you so long as he remains in his place in which he prayed, saying, ‘O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him,’ so long as he does not break his wudu’.” [161] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 659; Muslim, 649, in a lengthy hadith.

vi. The angels attend the gatherings of knowledge and circles of dhikr, and surround them with their wings
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah has angels who travel about with no other task but to seek out people of dhikr. When they find some people who are remembering Allah, they call out to one another: Come to what you are looking for. Then they encircle them with their wings up to the first heaven.” [162] Narrated in a lengthy hadith by al-Bukhari, 6408; Muslim, 2689.

And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:  “No people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it together, but tranquillity will descend upon them, mercy will overshadow them, the angels will surround them and Allah will mention them to those who are with Him.” [163] Narrated by Muslim, 2699.

vii. The angels record the names of those who attend Jumu‘ah
The angels attend the mosques on Friday, standing at the doors to record the names of those who attend Jumu‘ah prayer, the first to arrive, then the next, and so on. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “On Friday, the angels stand at the door of the mosque to write down the names of the first to arrive, then the next, and so on… Then when the imam comes out, they roll up their scrolls and listen to the reminder (khutbah).” [164] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 929; Muslim, 850.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever does ghusl from janabah on Friday, then comes to the mosque early, it is as if he sacrificed a camel. Whoever comes at the second hour, it is as if he sacrificed a cow. Whoever comes at the third hour, it is as if he sacrificed a horned ram. Whoever comes at the fourth hour, it is as if he sacrificed a chicken. Whoever comes at the fifth hour, it is as if he sacrificed an egg. Then when the imam comes out, the angels come in to listen to the reminder (khutbah).” [165] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 881; Muslim, 850.

Al-Nawawi said, “Regarding the words ‘the angels come in to listen,’ the scholars said that these are angels other than the recording angels whose job is to write down the name of those who attend Jumu‘ah.” [166] See: Sharh Muslim, 6/135-137.

viii. The angels record what people say of good words
It was narrated that Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "One day we were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When he lifted his head from bowing he said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise him),” and a man behind him said, Rabbana wa laka al-hamdu hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). When he finished the prayer, he said: “Who was the one who spoke just now?” The man said: Me. He said: “I saw thirty-odd angels rushing to see which of them would write it down first.” [167] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 799

Ibn Hajar said, “This was quoted as evidence for the fact that some righteous deeds may be written down by angels other than the recording angels.” [168] See: Fath al-Bari, 2/286.

ix. The angels come to people in succession
The angels who go about in the streets seeking those who remember Allah (dhikr) and the angels who attend Jumu‘ah and prayers in congregation come to people in succession. When one group comes another group leaves, and they meet at Fajr prayer and ‘Asr prayer. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “There come to you in succession angels by night and angels by day, and they meet at Fajr prayer and ‘Asr prayer. Then those who were with you overnight ascend, and Allah asks them, although He knows better than them: ‘How did you leave My slaves?’ They say: ‘We left them when they were praying, and we came to them when they were praying.’” [169] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 555; Muslim, 632.

Perhaps these are the angels who take people’s deeds up to their Lord. It was narrated that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up and told us five things. He said: “Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not sleep and it is not befitting that He should sleep. He lowers the Balance and raises it; the deeds of the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night...” [170] Narrated by Muslim, 179.

Allah has emphasised the importance of Fajr prayer, and has told us that the angels attend it, as He says (interpretation of the meaning), "Establish prayer at the decline of the sun from the meridian until the darkness of the night, and recite the Qur’an at dawn, for verily the recitation at dawn is ever witnessed by the angels." (al-Isra’ 17:78) Al-Shawkani said, “The angels of the night and the angels of the day witness it, as was narrated in the sahih hadith. This is the view of the majority of commentators.” [171] See: Tafsir al-Shawkani, 3/298.

x. They come down when the believer recites Qur’an
It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "A man recited al-Kahf, and in the house there was an animal which got spooked. He looked and saw that a cloud had overshadowed it. He mentioned that to the Prophet (S) and he said: “Recite, O So-and-so, for it is tranquillity (sakinah) that came down when the Qur’an is recited – or that came down because of the Qur’an.” [172] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3614; Muslim, 795.

Abu’l-Abbas al-Qurtubi said, “The word sakinah translated here as tranquillity comes from the word sukun, which means dignity and reassurance. Here it refers to the angels, as was explained in the other report. [173] This refers to the hadith of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (MR). He referred to them thus because of their great dignity and calm, by way of showing respect to the recitation of this surah.” [174] See: al-Mufhim, 2/437.

xi. The angels convey to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after his death the greetings of salaam from his ummah
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has angels who travel around on earth, conveying to me the greetings of salaam from my ummah.” [175] Narrated by al-Nasa’i, 1282; Ahmad, 3666. It was classed as sahih by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 914; Ibn Baz in Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 9/311; al-Albani in Sahih Sunan al-Nasa’i, 1282; al-Wadi‘i – according to the conditions of Muslim – in al-Sahih al-Musnad, 885.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses like graves, and do not make my grave a place of regular visitation. And send blessings (salawat) upon me, for your blessings will reach me, wherever you are.” [176] Narrated by Abu Dawud, 2042; Ahmad, 8804. Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, 2024. Classed as sahih due to corroborating evidence by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Sunan Abi Dawud, 2042. Classed as hasan by Ibn Taymiyah in al-Ikhna’iyyah, 265; Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hadi in al-Sarim al-Munki, 207; Ibn Hajar in al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyyah, 3/314.

Ibn ‘Uthaymin said, “The words ‘for your blessings will reach me, wherever you are’ … How do the blessings reach him? The answer is to say, when we come across a text such as this, which speaks of a matter of the unseen (al-ghayb), that what we must say is: How that happens is unknown. We do not know by what means it reaches him, but it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that ‘Allah has angels who travel around on earth, conveying to me the greetings of salaam from my ummah.’ If this report is sahih, then this is how they reach him.” [177] See: al-Qawl al-Mufid, 1/448.

xii. The angels give glad tidings to the believers 
The angels give glad tidings to the believers by Allah’s command: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says, "Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allah” and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, saying, "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised." (Fussilat 41:30) Al-Sam‘ani said, “The angels will descend upon them that is, at the time of death or, it was said, at the resurrection. It was narrated that Abu’l-‘Aliyah al-Riyahi said: The believer is given glad tidings on three occasions: when he is placed in his grave, at the resurrection and when he enters Paradise.” [178] Tafsir al-Sam‘ani, 5/50.

The angels give glad tidings in this world to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) of righteous offspring. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Has there reached you the story of the honored guests of Ibrahim? When they entered upon him and said, “We greet you with peace.” He answered, “And upon you peace, you are a people unknown.” Then he went to his family and came with a fat roasted calf And placed it near them; he said, “Will you not eat?” And he conceived a fear of them. They said, “Fear not,” and gave him good tidings of a learned boy." (al-Dhariyat 51:24-28) They also gave glad tidings to Zakariyyah of Yahya (peace be upon them). Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, “Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of Yahya…” (Al ‘Imran 3:39)

xiii. The angels fought alongside the believers and made them steadfast in their battles
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says regarding the battle of Badr (interpretation of the meaning), "Remember when your Lord inspired the angels saying: Verily, I am with you, so support those who believe." (al-Anfal 8:12) It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said on the day of Badr, “Here is Jibril, holding the head of his horse, armed and ready for battle.” [179] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3995.

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, explained the wisdom behind this support, as He said (interpretation of the meaning), "Allah granted it only as good news with which to reassure your hearts, for victory comes only from Allah. Verily, Allah is Almighty, Most Wise." (al-Anfal 8:10) Ibn Kathir said, “That is, Allah only made the sending of the angels and His telling you about them as glad tidings, which to reassure your hearts, otherwise He Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is able to support you against your enemies without that. Hence He said, for victory comes only from Allah.” [180] See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/21.

And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Remember when your Lord inspired the angels saying: Verily, I am with you, so support those who believe. I will instil dread in the hearts of those who disbelieve. So strike them above the neck and strike all their limbs (al-Anfal 8:12) During the battle of al-Khandaq, Allah sent His angels to support the believers, as He says (interpretation of the meaning), "O you who believe, remember the favour that Allah bestowed upon you, when enemy troops came against you, but We sent against them a strong wind and forces that you could not see." (al-Ahzab 33:9) Ibn al-Qayyim said regarding the battles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “The angels fought alongside him in the battles of Badr and Hunayn, and the angels came down on the day of al-Khandaq (the Trench), when they shook the polytheists and defeated them.” [181] See: Zad al-Ma‘ad, 1/125.

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) returned from al-Khandaq, he lay down his arms and took a bath. Then Jibril came to him, brushing dust from his head, and said: Have you laid down your arms? By Allah, we have not laid them down. Go out to them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Where?” Jibril pointed towards Banu Qurayzah. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fought them, and they surrendered, agreeing to accept the judgement of the Messenger of Allah (S), and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred judgement concerning them to Sa‘d." [182] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4117; Muslim, 1769.

Ibn al-Mulaqqin said, “This indicates that the angels fought with weapons. It also indicates that the angels accompany the mujahidin who fight in Allah’s cause, and that they help them so long as they remain steadfast, but if they commit treachery or steal from the war booty, they will forsake them.” [183] See: al-Tawdih li Sharh al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, 17/401.

xiv. The angels protected the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) 
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Abu Jahl said: Does Muhammad rub his face on the ground i.e., prostrate among you? It was said: Yes. He said: By al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, if I see him doing that, I will stamp on his neck or smear his face with dust. He came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was praying and he wanted to stamp on his neck, but suddenly they saw him turning upon his heels, trying to shield himself with his hands. It was said to him: What is the matter with you? He said: Between me and him is a ditch filled with fire, terror and wings. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If he had come near me, the angels would have torn him limb from limb.” [184] Narrated in a lengthy hadith by Muslim, 2797.

Al-Muzhiri said, “What is meant by wings here is the angels who protected him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) … In other words, Abu Jahl asked his companions about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and whether he put his forehead on the ground? He was told yes, so he swore by the idols that if he saw him prostrating, he would put his foot on his neck. Then he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was praying, and he went to do that, but when he approached him, he saw a huge fire all around him and terror, as is clearly mentioned in the hadith. So he turned on his heels and went back to his people, shaken and scared.” [185] See: al-Mafatih fi Sharh al-Masabih, 6/177.

xv. The angels attend the funerals of some of the righteous
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said regarding Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him), “This is the one for whom the Throne shook, the gates of heaven were opened, and seventy thousand angels attended his funeral. He was squeezed once, then let go.” [186] Narrated by al-Nasa’i, 2055; al-Tabarani, 10/6, 5333; al-Bayhaqi in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, 4/28. Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan al-Nasa’i, 2055; al-Wadi‘i – according to the conditions of Muslim – in al-Sahih al-Musnad, 781; Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Sahih Ibn Hibban, 15/507. Its isnad was classed as sahih by al-Nawawi in al-Khalasah, 2/1042.

‘Ali al-Qari said, “Ibn Hajar said: That is because, even though the Throne is inanimate, it is not far-fetched to say that Allah has given it some kind of awareness by means of which it can distinguish between souls and their levels of perfection. This is something that is possible, which the Lawgiver mentioned to highlight the great virtue of Sa‘d, and to alert people to the squeezing of the grave. This should be understood according to its apparent meaning, unless we see evidence to indicate otherwise. And it was said that what is meant is the rejoicing of the bearers of the Throne at his death, because of his soul ascending to heaven. Al-Suyuti said in Mukhtasar al-Nihayah: The ‘arsh translated above as Throne shook at the death of Sa‘d – this refers to the bier on which the deceased is carried, and its shaking was by way of its rejoicing at Sa‘d being carried to his grave on it.” [187] See: Mirqat al-Mafatih, 1/218.

xvi. The angels shade the martyrs with their wings
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haram (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "On the day of Uhud, my father, who had been mutilated, was brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and placed before him. I wanted to uncover his face as he was covered with a cloth, but my people told me not to do that. He the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the voice of a woman wailing, and he was told that she was the daughter of ‘Amr – or the sister of ‘Amr –. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Why are you weeping – or do not weep – for the angels are still shading him with their wings.” [188] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 2816; Muslim, 2471.

Abu’l-Abbas al-Qurtubi said, “The angels were shading him with their wings because they gathered around him, crowding around him to reach him and take his noble soul up to heaven and to give him the glad tidings of what there was for him with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, of honour and high status. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, knows best.” [189] See: al-Mufhim, 6/388.

xvii. The angels who brought the Ark of the Covenant
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "And their Prophet said to them: The sign of his kingship is that there will come to you the Ark of the Covenant, in which there is reassurance from your Lord, and a remnant of that which was left behind by the family of Musa and the family of Harun, carried by angels." (al-Baqarah 2:248) Al-Sa‘di said, “Then their prophet also told them of a tangible sign that they could see for themselves, which was the coming of the Ark of the Covenant, which had been missing for a long time. The Ark contained reassurance which would give them peace of mind, along with a remnant of that which was left behind by the family of Musa and the family of Harun. It was brought to them by the angels who carried it, whilst they were looking on.” [190] See: Tafsir al-Sa‘di, p. 108.

xviii. The angels will protect Makkah and Madinah from the Dajjal
It was narrated from Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said, “The terror caused by the false messiah, the Dajjal, will not enter Madinah. On that day it will have seven gates, with two angels at every gate guarding it.” [191] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 7125.

Ibn Battal said, “Hence we are certain that the Dajjal will not be able to enter it at all, and this is an immense blessing for Madinah. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has told us that He has appointed angels to protect whomever He wills among His slaves from problems, enemies and tribulations, as He Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "For each one are successive angels before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah." (ar-Ra‘d 13:11) In other words, by the decree of Allah that he is to be protected. There have always been, and still are, angels who benefit the believers and support them with their supplication and prayers for forgiveness, and they ask Allah to forgive them their sins.” [192] See: Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, 4/551.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “On the roads leading to Madinah there are angels; neither the plague nor the Dajjal will enter it.” [193] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1880; Muslim, 1379.

Al-Muzhiri said, “The word anqab translated here as the roads leading to Madinah is the plural of naqb, which refers to a road between two mountains. What is meant here is that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has appointed angels on the roads leading to Madinah, to defend it against the Dajjal and the plague, which is an epidemic.” [194] See: al-Mafatih fi Sharh al-Masabih, 3/374.

xix. What there is of reward in saying Amin or doing other actions at the same time as the angels
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, "When the imam says ‘Amin’ then say ‘Amin,’ for if a person’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [195] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 780; Muslim, 410.

Ibn Hajr said, “What appears to be the case is that what is meant is those of the angels who attend that prayer, among those on earth and in heaven.” [196] See: Fath al-Bari, 2/265.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “When the imam says, ‘Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him,’ the say: ‘Allahumma Rabbaana laka’l-hamd (O Allah, our Lord, to You be praise).’ If a person’s saying that coincides with the angels’ saying it, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [197] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 796; Muslim, 409.

1.2. The attitude of the angels with regard to the disbelievers and evildoers
The angels do not like the disbelievers, wrongdoers, and evildoers; rather they take them as enemies and fight them. Among the things which it is narrated that the angels do to them are the following:
i. Bringing down punishment upon the disbelievers: Allah destroyed the nations who rejected and disbelieved in the Messengers, and the angels sometimes took on the task of destroying them. One example of that is the destruction of the people of Lut: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "When Our command came, We turned the cities upside down and let loose upon them a shower of stones of baked clay, one after another specifically marked, and kept with your Lord; nor are they ever far from the evildoers." (Hud 11:82-83) When the disbelievers of Quraysh demanded to see the angels so that they would believe the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, told them that the day on which they saw the angels would be a bad day for them, because they would see them when they brought punishment upon them, or when death came to them and the veil was removed from their eyes, so that they could see clearly. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Those who do not expect to meet Us say: Why have angels not been sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord? Indeed, they think too highly of themselves and have greatly exceeded all bounds in
On the day when they see the angels, on that day there will be no glad tidings for the evildoers. The angels will say: That glad tidings is absolutely forbidden for you." (al-Furqan 25:21-22)
ii. Cursing the disbelievers and some of the evildoers: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Those who disbelieve, and die as disbelievers – upon them is the curse of Allah and of the angels and of all humankind." (al-Baqarah 2:161) Ibn Jarir said, “That is, those who disbelieved and died as disbelievers, upon them will be the curse of Allah. In other words: Allah cast them far away from His mercy. And the curse of the angels means: the angels and all the people will also curse them. The curse of the angels and the people means that they will say: May the curse of Allah be upon them.” [198] See: Tafsir Ibn Jarir, 2/741.

The angels do not only curse the disbelievers; rather they may also curse those who commit specific sins, including the following:
a. Cursing one who conceals the truth: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Those who conceal the clear signs and guidance that We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book – on them will be the curse of Allah, and the curse of the cursers, except those who repent and mend their ways and openly declare what they used to conceal; they are the ones whose repentance I will accept, for I am the Accepter of repentance, the Most Merciful." (al-Baqarah 2:159-160) Ibn Kathir said, “In the hadith it says that everything prays for forgiveness for the scholar, even the fish. In this verse it says that for the one who conceals knowledge, Allah, the angels and all the people will curse him, and those who curse will also curse him, which refers to everyone, whether he is able to express himself clearly or not, either explicitly or implicitly; or it refers to anything that has the power of reason; or it refers to what will happen on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.” [199] See: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/473.

b. The angels curse the woman who does not respond to her husband’s request for intimacy
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If a man calls his wife to his bed and she does not come to him, and he goes to sleep angry with her, the angels will curse her until morning.” [200] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3237; Muslim, 1436.   According to another report: “until she goes back.” [201] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5194; Muslim, 1436.

Ibn ‘Uthaymin said, “The angels’ curse means that they pray against this woman, asking that she be cursed. What is meant by being cursed is being expelled and cast far away from the mercy of Allah. If he calls her to his bed for the purpose of intimacy in the way that Allah has permitted to him and she refuses to come, then the angels will curse her – Allah forbid – meaning that they will pray against her, asking that she be cursed, until morning comes.” [202] See: Sharh Riyadh al-Salihin, 3/141.

c. The angels curse the one who points a piece of iron (a weapon) at his brother: It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever points at his brother with a piece of iron (a weapon), the angels will curse him until he drops it, even if it is his brother through his father and mother.” [203] Narrated by Muslim, 2616.   

Abu’l-‘Abbas al-Qurtubi said, “The fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who points a weapon at someone else indicates that doing so is prohibited in all cases, whether in earnest or in jest, and it is quite clear why the one who does that deliberately is cursed, because he wants to kill or injure a fellow Muslim, both of which are major sins. As for doing that in jest, it is terrifying a Muslim, and it is not permissible to terrify him; moreover it is a means it could lead to killing or causing injury, both of which are prohibited.” [204] See: al-Mufhim, 6/601.

d. The angels curse the one who introduces innovation or gives shelter to an innovator in Madinah
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Madinah is a sanctuary, and whoever commits evils in it or grants refuge to one who commits evil in it, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people.” [205] Narrated by Muslim, 1371.

Al-Nawawi said, “What is meant is that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will curse him, and likewise the angels and all the people will curse him, so as to emphasise that he will be cast far away from the mercy of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,.” [206] See: Sharh Muslim, 9/140.

‘Iyad said, “The words ‘whoever commits evils in it or grants refuge to one who commits evil in it’ mean: whoever commits sin or shelters someone who commits a sin, and protects him and keeps him with him… What is meant by the curse is being cast far away, but this is not like the curse of the disbelievers who are kept completely away from Allah’s mercy.” [207] See: Ikmal al-Mu‘allim bi Fawa’id Muslim, 4/486.