The Presence Of Angels And Description Of The Type Of Their Supplications

So far, negation by the atheists, including alternative but timid accounts put forward by the philosophers as the proof of the presence of Angels, have been considered here. We shall however provide a detailed discussion on this issue in the next chapter.

Currently, we must understand that all Muslim theologians were united on the concept that Angels were non-material creatures of God, and they were certainly present. Their number was enormous and their true count was only known to God.

Like Jinns and Humans, the purpose of their creation was to serve God, but their mode of service was different from ours. Their leisure pursuits and practices were also diverse. Some were busy in glorifying and praising God. Some were in prostration and others were in qayam (to stand still in praise). Some were appointed to protect human beings and the others were to query the dead in their graves. Similarly, a group was given the task of monitoring human actions and deeds. The performance of each group was considered as an act of worship for them. God had divided their tasks and they would do as they are required to do. The Qur’an said,

وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مِن دَابَّةٍ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“And whatever creature that is in the heavens and that is in the earth makes obeisance to Allah (only), and the angels (too) and they do not show pride” (16:49).

يَخَافُونَ رَبَّهُم مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

“They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded” (16:50).

It was also mentioned in the Qur’an that they did not act sluggishly and continually remain occupied with their allocated task. No Muslim could believe God Himself was unable to do the task that these Angels were performing, as had been suggested by some misguided people. It was therefore, essential for us to believe that He had his own reasons to allot these tasks to them and made it as an act of worship for them.

Appointment Schedule For Karaman Katibeen And Their Duties

God, in His own judgement, had appointed this act of worship for the two Angels to be stationed with every male or female, who had reached the age of puberty, and record their entire actions that might be good or bad. In the Qur’anic terminology, they are called Karaman Katibeen, which literally meant respected scribes. It was stated in the Qur’an,

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ

“And most surely there are keepers over you” (82:10).

كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ

“Karaman Katibeen, Honourable recorders” (82:11).

يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

“Who put in writing everything that you do” (82:12).

إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ

“When a person does something, the two Angels, who are stationed on the left and right of him, inscribe everything” (50:17).

مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

“He does not utter a word, but a janitor stays with him” (50:18).

This is why Imam Ali (‘a) said, “When a man matures mentally, he withholds his tongue” (i.e. he does not smear his character book by employing loose talk).

It became clear from narrations of Imams of Ahl al-Bayt that the honourable scribes for the day and night were separate and they were so intense in numbers that once an Angel visited the earth for their scribal duties, he might not find a second chance to visit that man, until the Day of Judgement.

Mohaddas Jazairi commented on this narration by saying that God did not wish that an Angel repeatedly became aware of all of His servant’s wrongdoings.

Honourable Scribes Present Their Work To The Prophet And Aimma

It was reported that the day time Angels monitored everything that a person did and presented their findings in the evening to the presence of the Prophet, and then to the Imams in turns, until it finally reached the twelfth Imam. He examined both files of every person, and if there were minor faults that could be forgiven, he requested God for His mercy. This was why Imam had issued the following message to his followers, “When your charge sheet of sins reaches me, it must be rectifiable and not the one that cannot be resolved”

After this the Angels took the character sheet to the heavens to be presented to God. This was the meaning of the Qur’anic Verse:

ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

“Continue with your endeavours. Your actions are being watched by God, the Prophet and a selected group of believers” (9:105).

After this the Angels appointed for the night shift arrived and they continued their task till dawn, and all the four Angels meet at this cross over. Any person who had offered his morning prayer at the right time, his deed was noted by both groups of Angels. That is why God had mentioned in the Qur’an,

أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

“Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun (zuhr and asr) till the darkness of the night (maghrib and isha’) and the morning recitation (subh); surely the morning recitation is witnessed (by the angels)” (17:78).

The same procedure was applied to the night time Angels as far as presentation of the character sheet was concerned.

Mulla Muhammad Salah Zindani, wrote in his commentary on Usul al-Kafi, with regard to the traditions applicable to the presentation of deeds, “It becomes apparent that the character sheet of all individuals is presented to the Imam each day. However, there is a question. Is that presentation made once or twice a day in the evening and during the day? However, the narration by Abdullah Ibn Ziarat favours the concept of double presentation, and this system continues until the last breath of a person.”

Description Of Some Secrets And Sign Of The Character Sheet

The true nature of the scribing of character sheets of people was only known to God who had initiated this scheme. Some of the Ahadith that had been quoted above also shed some light on this subject.

The Prophet and the Imams should be made aware of the activities of their Ummah. Any person was sent to hell on the Day of Judgement would be justified on the basis of this document, so that no one could make complaint against God or His Angels. That is why God said in the Qur’an:

اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا

“Read your personal file, and make your own judgement this day” (17:14).

So far as the reasons for appointment of the Angels to do specific jobs were concerned, it was sufficient to quote a Hadith of Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) that had been reproduced by the author of Tafsir al-Safi from Ihtijaj al-Tabrasi. It was said that Imam was asked if God knew all the apparent and hidden things, why then He had appointed these Angels? Imam replied,

“God has taken this service from the Angels so as to make them witness on to His people, in order that they might think twice before committing sins and perform virtuous acts in the knowledge that His delegates are with them all the time.”

The Scrutiny Becomes Harsher After Forty Years

Although, the process of monitoring one’s character sheet began at the age of adolescence, but some of the Ahadith suggest that its monitoring was relaxed up to the age of forty, because this is a period of great temptations. However, after this age the Angels were instructed to become stricter, with a view that during this era the probability of temptations and inducements was much more reduced. Therefore, if anyone continued to commit sins at this juncture then he was an inconsiderate and hardened sinner, who was very casual about religion.

It was narrated that once somebody’s beard had whitened and he was still occupied with sins, then Satan came in front of him and said,

“May my parents be ransom to this face, which will never do well, and says that he was his goal post and aspiration?”

It was related from Imams that they were astonished at two kinds of people, the one who became arrogant, while he was poor and needy and the other who developed illicit relationship at older age.

Who could count the blessings of Allah? It was apparent from various Ahadith that when a person fell ill, He instructed the scribes to write nothing but virtues that he was performing in good health, in his character file, as long as he was detained by sickness.

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) said that when the Angels reached the presence of God, He enquired from them about the state of His servant. The Angels replied that there was nothing to report but his constant grumbles and complaints. At this moment God replied,

“It is not fair, if I imprison someone with (disease) and then stop him from protesting. Therefore, O, Angels continue writing righteous deeds in his character file as long as he is sick just as you were compiling his actions, while he was in good health.” (Hadith Qudsi)

Merits are added to people’s character files, for performing a single good deed, while a solo virtue was credited just for a good thought. Similarly, a reprieve was given for seven hours for repentance if a sin was committed, and if he failed to do so then only a single entry was made into his register. It was also confirmed through various reports that God, through His absolute affection, allowed ten virtues for one good deed and only one entry for committing an iniquity against Him in their personal files.