Description of the angels

12-10-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

Would you please provide me with a description of the angels? What are their jobs in this world and in the Hereafter?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Angels are creatures of Allaah The Almighty.  He created them from light. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that the angels were created from light. [Muslim] 

Allaah The Exalted has provided them with wings with which they can fly. In this regard, He The Almighty Says (what means): {[Who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four.}[Quran 35: 1] Likewise, it was reported on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ood that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that he had seen Jibreel (Gabriel) with six hundred wings. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allaah The Almighty has provided them with a wondrous shape and physique. It was narrated on the authority of Jaabir that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, described one of the angels who bear the ‘Arsh (throne) saying that the distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey. [Abu Daawood: Saheeh (Authentic)]

This is some of what was reported about the description and appearance of angels.

And Allaah Knows best.