What if 99.9965% of the universe is completely invisible to us? Not just dark undetectable by any telescope, satellite, or scientific instrument.
In Chapter 2: Angels in Islam – The Unseen Creation of Light of Chronicles of Unknown, we explore one of Allah’s greatest creations: the Mala’ikah (angels) beings made of noor (a cold, invisible light) that exists beyond our electromagnetic spectrum.
Belief in angels is a core pillar of imaan. The Quran even declares enmity from Allah against those who show enmity to angels like Jibreel and Mikaa’eel (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:98).
But why can’t we see them? And what do they really look like?
Why Angels Are Invisible to Us
Everything we detect stars, radio waves, X-rays, gamma rays falls on the electromagnetic spectrum. The part visible to human eyes? Just 0.0035% (the tiny band of visible light between 380–750 nanometers).
Angels are created from noor a light not on this spectrum. Science can map 19 bands of energy but angels exist outside them all.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn from smokeless fire, and Adam from what was described to you [clay].” (Sahih Muslim 2996)
This noor is not the same as sunlight or light bulbs. It is a creation of Allah that He chooses to reveal or conceal. When angels appear to prophets in human form, they adopt a visible shape. But their true form is so immense and terrifying that humans cannot bear to look.
Popular Question Answered: How are angels created from noor, and why can’t we see them?
They are made from a special light that Allah created outside our physical spectrum. Our eyes are not designed to detect it just as we cannot see ultraviolet or infrared without tools.
From Cradle to Grave: Angels Are Always With Us
You are never alone. From before birth until the Day of Judgment, angels surround you.
1. In the Womb
An angel is sent to breathe the soul into the fetus at 120 days. That same angel writes four things: your rizq (provision), your lifespan, your deeds, and whether you will be blessed or wretched (Sahih Bukhari 6595).
2. Guardian Angels (Mu’aqqibat)
“For each person, there are angels in succession, before him and behind him, who protect him by Allah’s command.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:11)
These angels guard you from harm unless Allah decrees otherwise. They take turns, day and night.
3. Kiraman Katibeen (Noble Scribes)
“Indeed, over you are appointed guardians, noble and recording, who know whatever you do.” (Surah Al-Infitar 82:10-12)
Two angels sit on your shoulders one on the right recording good deeds, one on the left recording bad. Not a word or even a thought escapes them. On Judgment Day, every person will be given their book.
4. At Death (Malak al-Mawt)
“Say: The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you will be returned to your Lord.” (Surah As-Sajda 32:11)
Izra’eel (A.S.) is the Angel of Death. He has helpers who gently extract the souls of believers (like water from a pitcher) and violently rip the souls of disbelievers (like thorns from wet wool Sunan an-Nasa’i).
5. In the Grave (Munkar and Nakeer)
After burial, two terrifying angels Munkar and Nakeer come to question every soul. They have black faces, blue eyes, and voices like thunder (Sunan al-Tirmidhi). They ask three questions: Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man sent to you? Believers answer correctly. Disbelievers and hypocrites cannot.
Special Protection (Uhud Incident):
During the Battle of Uhud, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas saw two men in white fighting fiercely beside the Prophet ﷺ angels in human form (Sahih Bukhari). The Prophet later confirmed they were Jibreel and Mikaa’eel.
Popular Question Answered: Who are Munkar and Nakeer, and what happens in the grave questioning?
They are the angels of the grave trial. Their appearance is terrifying, and their test is real. The grave becomes either a garden of Paradise or a pit of Hell until resurrection.
The Mightiest Angels Across the Seven Skies
During the Night Journey (Mi’raj) , the Prophet ﷺ witnessed angels in each heaven (Sahih Bukhari 3207, 3397):
| Sky | Angel(s) / Description |
| 1st | An angel half of fire, half of ice glorifying Allah for merging them without melting or extinguishing |
| 2nd | Angel guarding the sky |
| 3rd | An angel with 70,000 heads, each head with 70,000 mouths, each mouth with 70,000 tongues all glorifying Allah |
| 4th | Kisfaa’il the angel of tears. He weeps for the sins of humanity |
| 5th | Malik stern guardian of Hell, commanding the Zabaniyyah (19 fierce angels of punishment, Surah Al-Muddaththir 74:30-31) |
| 6th | An angel of mercy |
| 7th | Bayt al-Ma’mur (the Flourishing House) visited daily by 70,000 angels who never return until Judgment Day |
Popular Question Answered: What is Bayt al-Ma’mur and Sidrat al-Muntaha from Mi’raj?
Bayt al-Ma’mur is a sacred house directly above the Ka’bah in the seventh heaven, circumambulated by angels. Sidrat al-Muntaha (the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary) is a gigantic tree at the end of the seventh heaven, beyond which no creation not even angels can pass.
The Greatest Angels by Name
1. Jibreel (Gabriel, A.S.) The Messenger of Revelation
“Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel for indeed, he brought it down upon your heart by Allah’s permission” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:97)
Jibreel appeared in his true form twice: once with 600 wings covering the horizon, raining pearls and rubies (Surah An-Najm 53:5-11). He brought the first “Iqra!” to the Prophet ﷺ and guided him through the Mi’raj.
2. Mikaa’eel (Michael, A.S.) Angel of Rain and Sustenance
He is in charge of rain and food. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Mikaa’eel has never smiled since Hell was created.” (Musnad Ahmad) out of awe of Allah’s punishment.
3. Israfil (A.S.) The Trumpet Blower
“And the Horn will be blown and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead, except whom Allah wills.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:68)
Israfil has held the trumpet to his lips for millennia, his eyes fixed on the Throne, waiting for Allah’s command to blow. The first blast ends the world. The second resurrects all souls.
4. Malak al-Mawt (Izra’eel, A.S.) Angel of Death
He knows every soul on land and sea. His helpers extract souls. He himself comes for prophets and saints gently.
5. Malik (A.S.) Guardian of Hell
When the people of Hell cry out for mercy, Malik remains silent for 1,000 years, then replies: “You will remain [in Hell].” (Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:77)
Popular Question Answered: Who are Zabaniyyah, the terrifying angels of Hell (Surah Al-Alaq)?
They are 19 fierce, stern angels who drag the disbelievers into Hell by their faces and feet. Their strength is unimaginable.
Do Angels Have Wings? Yes And Terrifying Ones
“Maker of the angels, messengers with wings two or three or four [pairs]” (Surah Fatir 35:1)
Some angels have hundreds of wings. The Prophet ﷺ saw Jibreel with 600 wings in his true form. Each wing was so large that it covered the horizon. Some wings are made of pearls, others of rubies.
Abu Jahl’s Terror:
Once, Abu Jahl threatened to step on the Prophet’s ﷺ neck while he was prostrating. He approached then ran away screaming, saying he saw a trench of fire and winged horrors (the Zabaniyyah) ready to devour him (Sahih Muslim 1797).
The Throne Bearers: Beyond Imagination
“And the angels will be at its edges, and above them, eight will carry the Throne of your Lord that Day.” (Surah Al-Haqqah 69:17)
The eight mighty angels who carry the ‘Arsh are so immense that the distance between one angel’s ear and shoulder is 700 years of travel. Their praise echoes through the heavens. When Allah decrees a matter, it passes sky by sky, carried by angels, until it reaches earth.
A Beautiful Promise: The Gathering of Dhikr
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has angels roaming the earth seeking gatherings of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). When they find such a gathering, they sit with them and call to one another: ‘Come to what you desire!’ They surround them with their wings up to the lowest heaven.”
Allah then asks (though He knows): “What do My servants say?” The angels reply: “They glorify You, praise You, seek Paradise, and fear Hell.”
Allah says: “Be witnesses I have forgiven them all, and I have granted them what they asked, and I have protected them from what they feared.”
Even the person who came for worldly reasons is forgiven by their company. (Sahih Bukhari 6408, Sahih Muslim 2689)
Popular Question Answered: What is the role of angels in forgiving gatherings of dhikr?
They carry the news of those who remember Allah to the heavens, and Allah publicly forgives the entire gathering a mercy beyond measure.
Why Chapter 2 Matters
From the womb to the grave, from the angel who writes your rizq to the one who questions your grave, Chapter 2:
- Confirms the unseen reality you are never alone; angels surround you.
- Reveals the hierarchy Jibreel, Mikaa’eel, Israfil, and the Throne bearers.
- Terrifies and comforts the same angels who punish the wicked guard the faithful.
- Inspires gratitude every breath, every protection, every good deed recorded is a mercy.
Teaser for Chapter 3: The other unseen creation jinn made of smokeless fire, living among us, and the eternal enemy of humanity.
Popular Questions Answered in This Chapter
- What does the Quran say about believing in angels as part of imaan? ✅
- How are angels created from noor, and why can’t we see them? ✅
- Who are Kiraman Katibeen and what do they record? ✅
- What is the role of Mu’aqqibat guardian angels in human life? ✅
- Who is Izra’eel, the Angel of Death, and how does he take souls? ✅
- What are Munkar and Nakeer, and what happens in the grave questioning? ✅
- Who are Zabaniyyah, the terrifying angels of Hell (Surah Al-Alaq)? ✅
- What is Jibreel’s true form with 600 wings (Surah An-Najm)? ✅
- What tasks are assigned to Mikaa’eel and Israfil? ✅
- What is Bayt al-Ma’mur and Sidrat al-Muntaha from Mi’raj? ✅
Your Turn
Which angel amazed you most Jibreel’s 600 wings covering the horizon? The Throne bearer with 700 years between ear and shoulder? Or the guardian angels always with you, recording every deed?
Drop a 👼 if you feel closer to the unseen after reading this. Share with someone who needs to know they are never truly alone.
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