The Honourable Angels of Islam: A British Muslim Family's Guide (UK)

The angels Allah honoured by name in the Quran and Sunnah

Belief in the angels is the second of the six articles of Islamic faith. The Quran and the authentic Sunnah preserve the names and roles of specific angels — beings of light, created without free will to disobey, who serve specific functions assigned by Allah. This guide is the British Muslim parent\'s reference to the named angels and their roles, complementing our broader guide on the statistics of angels in the Quran.

The major named angels

Jibrīl (Gabriel)

The angel of revelation. He brought the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ across 23 years and brought the previous revelations to earlier prophets. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:97-98 names him directly: "Whoever is an enemy to Jibrīl — it is [none but] he who has brought the Quran down upon your heart, [O Muhammad]..."

The Prophet ﷺ saw Jibrīl in his original form twice in his life — once at the time of the first revelation in Cave Hira, and once during the Night Journey. His original form is described in authentic hadith as covering the entire horizon, with 600 wings.

Mīkāʾīl (Michael)

The angel responsible for sustenance and rain. Named alongside Jibrīl in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:98. Classical scholarship attributes to him the management of the natural sustenance Allah provides through the orderly cycles of the earth — the rains, the harvests, the food chains.

Isrāfīl

The angel who will blow the Trumpet on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet ﷺ described him as having his lips placed on the Trumpet at all times, awaiting the divine command. His name is not in the Quran but is established in authentic hadith.

Mālik

The angel guardian of Hell. Named in Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:77. The disbelievers in Hell will call out to him asking Allah to end their existence; the divine response will be that there is no escape.

The angel of death

Quran 32:11 names him simply as "the angel of death" (malak al-mawt) — the popular name "ʿAzrāʾīl" is from later tradition rather than authentic hadith. He takes the soul of every human being at the appointed time.

Munkar and Nakīr

The two angels who question every deceased person in the grave about their Lord, their religion, and their prophet. The questioning is established in hadith collected in Tirmidhi and elsewhere.

The Kirām Kātibīn (the Honourable Scribes)

The recording angels — two assigned to every Muslim, one on the right recording good deeds and one on the left recording bad deeds. Surah Qāf 50:18: "He utters not any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record]."

The Ḥafaẓa (the Guardians)

The angels who guard each person from harm — a different role from the recording angels. Quran 13:11 references them: "For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah..."

The angels of the Throne

Eight angels who will carry the Throne of Allah on the Day of Judgement (Quran 69:17). Their original number that currently sustains it is not specified in the Quran or authentic hadith.

Riḍwān

The angel guardian of Paradise — named in classical tradition though not directly in the Quran by this name.

The 19 angels of Hell

Quran 74:30 specifies that there are 19 angels appointed over Hell — a number that has been the subject of extensive classical and contemporary scholarly discussion.

The character of the angels

The Quran and Sunnah describe the angels as:

• Created from light (Muslim 2996)
• Without free will to disobey Allah (Quran 66:6)
• Possessing wings (Quran 35:1)
• Visible to humans only when Allah permits (typically in human form)
• Continuously engaged in worship (Quran 41:38)
• Honourable in conduct, never tiring, never sleeping

The categories of angelic activity

Category	What they do
Bringing revelation	Jibrīl and possibly other angels in the conveyance of divine messages
Carrying the Throne	The eight angels of the Throne on the Day of Judgement, plus the angels currently sustaining it
Recording deeds	The Kirām Kātibīn assigned to every person
Guarding	The Ḥafaẓa protecting each person from harm
Taking souls	The angel of death and his assistants
Questioning the dead	Munkar and Nakīr in the grave
Managing natural systems	Mīkāʾīl and others responsible for rain, sustenance, and the natural order
Guarding Hell and Paradise	Mālik and Riḍwān
Witnessing prayer gatherings	Angels surround Quran study circles and Friday Jumuʿah
Sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ	Surah Al-Aḥzāb 33:56 — the angels join Allah in sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ

Practical implications for British Muslim families

1. Two angels are with you at all times. No private moment for a Muslim. Every word and action is recorded.
2. Angels seek out gatherings of worship. Saturday madrasah classes, Quran study circles, Friday prayers — all surrounded by angels.
3. Angels do not enter homes with dogs (as pets) or with images of living beings used decoratively. British Muslim families with these in their homes should be aware of the classical position.
4. Angels respond to specific prophetic invocations. Saying "Āmīn" with the imam, sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, the bismillah at meals — all elicit specific angelic responses.
5. The angels are not divine. They are created beings, however honoured. They are never to be worshipped or prayed to as intermediaries.

Frequently asked questions

Where to go next

For more on the angels and the unseen world, see our guides on Statistics of Angels in the Quran, Who the Angels Are, The Day of Judgement, and Monotheism in Islam. To study the Quranic verses about the angels with a qualified teacher, book a free trial lesson.