Usool-e-Deen
There are five fundamentals of the faith:
Tauheed: the Unity of God
Adl: the Divine Justice
Risalat: the Apostleship
Imamat: the Divine Guidance
Qiamat: the Day of Final Judgment
(2) ADL: THE DIVINE JUSTICE
Belief in the All-Just disposition of a ruling authority has a dual aspect for its subjects. When the subjects. are sure of justice being meted out by their ruler, they always guard against breaking the law and inviting punishment. At the same tune, knowing that there will be recognition and reward for loyalty, they are encouraged to be obedient. Justice attracts honour, reverence and loyalty, while injustice is corrupt and evil. God is All-Just and All-Perfect.
This is for what your (own) hands have brought forth and because God is not unjust to his servants. God Himself witnesseth that there is no god but He, and so do the angels and those possessed of knowledge, standing firm for justice, (there is no) god but He, the Mighty and Wise.
The absolute justice of God has been repeatedly declared in the Holy Qur'an and justice has repeatedly been enjoined on man in all his dealings with God and His creatures Besides, justice is an essential factor in the establishment and maintenance of peace and security on earth, and unless the Lord of the Universe Himself is just, He cannot expect man to be just. Faith in the Absolute Justice of God is one of the essential articles of Islam-Original belief identified as Shiaism. Some of the other schools subsequently established by the Muslims believe that God need not necessarily always be just.
The Divine Justice is tempered with Mercy
It must be remembered that divine justice of All-Merciful God cannot be compared with the justice meted out by judges in the courts of law. These judges are only executors of the law without authority outside the limits of the law. They are bound by the law and any petition for mercy must be addressed to the Crown only, is. the maker of the law. God is not a mere judge, bound by the law. He is the Absolute Monarch with Absolute Independence. Hence His justice is always tempered with mercy, for only He can grant mercy. Whereas an earthly judge cannot be swayed by a person's repentance, the All-Merciful may pardon him where there is sincere repentance and a determination to mend his ways.
(All) praise is God's alone, the Lord of the worlds, the Beneficent, the Merc'fu4 the Master of the Day of Judgment. (1:24) It should be noted that the above qualities of God have been declared to man in the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an which must be repeated at least seventeen times every day in the prescribed compulsory prayers which a Muslim must offer, so that he may always remember that God is All-Merciful and All- Just and at the same time Absolute Sovereign of the Universe.
It is for man to glorify God, rejoicing at His being All- Merciful as well as being warned of His Justice. Thus he will guard against breaking the divine law and promote goodness in himself and to others, knowing that there will be a reward from the All-Just Master of the Day of Judgment.
(3) RISALAT: THE APOSTLESHIP
God alone and none else could ~ granted His creatures knowledge and guidance. With the creation of man began the divinely commissioned apostleship (Risalat) for the guidance of mankind. Every person on earth had a warner and guide, an apostle from God in his own language. And for every people (was sent) an apostle; and when their apostle came, the matter between them was decided with equity and there shall not (in the least) be done (any) injustice. (10:47)
And indeed raised We in every nation an apostle (of Ours), (preaching) that "Worship ye God (only) and shun ye (the worship) of idols" so of them there were some whom God guided, and of them were others on whom error was confirmed. (16:36) Verily We sent thee with truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a people but a warner hath gone among them. (35:24)
And we sent not any apostle but with the language of the people that he might clearly explain (Our commandments) unto them; then God leaveth to stray whom He willeth and guideth whom He willeth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (14:4) A guide from God should necessarily be infallible, is. sinless by nature, and all the apostles of God were naturally so. otherwise the one who is himself fallible cannot reasonably preach sinlessness to others. The demand of Islam regarding the apostles of God is found in the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
Say ye (O Muslims!), "We believe in God and that which hath been sent down unto us and that which was sent down unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and which was given to Moses and Jesus, and that which was given unto the apostles from their Lord. No difference do we make between any of them and to Him (alone) have we submitted (ourselves)." (2:136)
The above verse is clear in its declaration that a Muslim has to believe in God and the Holy Qur'an and all the heavenly Scriptures revealed to the ancient prophets who preceded the Prophet Muhammad, and there should be no distinction made about their personal purity and truthfulness, and a Muslim is be who has submitted himself to God.
Though the names of all those apostles of God are not given in the Holy Qur'an, the number of them is reported to be a lakh and twenty4our thousand, and this number may mean the innumerable numbers of guides given to humanity since its advent on earth.
And verily sent We apostles before thee, of them there are those whom We have mentioned unto thee; and of them are those whom We have mentioned not unto thee; and it was not given to any apostle to bring a sign (miracle) save with the leave of God, but when came the 97 behest of God, (it) was executed with truth, and those who stood on falsehood were then the losers. (40:78)
The first of them was Adam and the Last the Holy Prophet Muhammad, with whom concluded the apostleship and after whom neither any other apostle came nor would ever come until the end of the world. A Muslim has to believe in the finality of the apostleship of Muhammad, the last Apostle of God. Belief in the Prophets preceding the Holy Prophet Muhammad:
This is another proof of Islam's being the universal religion of man that, unlike any other religious order of the world, Islam demands faith in the infallibility and the truthfulness of all the prophets preceding the Holy Prophet Muhammad, that they were truly Messengers of God sent for the guidance of the human race throughout the world.
A Muslim has to believe in a lakh and twenty-four thousand prophets, of whom only a very few have been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. The following are a few of the verses concerning the divinely sent Messengers of God:
This Our argument We gave to Abraham against his people; We exalt (any one) whom We please; Verily thy Lord is All- Wise, All-Knowing. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias; every one was of the righteous (ones).
And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot; and every one We did exalt (with Our apostleship) over the worlds.
These are they to whom gave We the Book and the authority of apostleship; so if these (people) disbelieve it, indeed have We (already) entrusted it unto a people who are not disbelievers. (6:84-90)
And indeed We did send apostles before thee and gave We unto them wives and offspring! And it is not for an apostle to bring or show a sign (miracle) but by God's permission; for every term there is a book prescribed (13:38)
And indeed We did send apostles before thee among the people of yore. (15:10) Indeed sent We Our apostles with clear proofs, and sent We down with them the Book and the Scale that people may establish themselves in justice; and sent We down from wherein is latent (in its use) mighty power and also benefits for mankind and that God may prove who helpeth Him and His apostles in secret; Verily God is All-strong and Ever-Present. (75:25) The advent of Muhammad1 the Last Apostie1 prophesied:
In the Old Testament:
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken. (Dent. 18:25) I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren and will put My words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My name I shall require it of him. (Deut. 18:18,19) In the New Testament: The Holy Prophet Jesus had also prophesied the advent of this Promised Guide:
And I will pray the Father, and he' will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever. (John 14:16)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away, for if l go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, and if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:7,8)
But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatever I have said unto you. (John 15:25) I have yet many things to say unto you, but he cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come. (John 16:12- 13)
The above verses clearly identify the Holy Prophet Muhammad as the one promised by God, and the Holy Qur'an as the Word of God put into his mouth, and state that he will speak only that which is revealed to him by God.
He (Our Apostle Muhammad) speaketh not by himself but only that which hath been conveyed to him by revelation. (53:3) The quoted verses of the Christian Scriptures clearly show that the Holy Prophet Muhammad is the "Comforter", "The Holy Ghost", and "The Spirit of Truth" foretold by the Holy Prophet Jesus, and "The Prophet" prophesied by Moses.
The Christian Scriptures further declare that the coming of the Promised Prophet, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, had been continuously prophesied by all the ancient prophets:
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken have likewise foretold these days (Acts 3:22) The Apostleship of the Holy, Prophet Muhammad:
The following are a few of the verses of the Holy Qur'an referring to the position of the Holy Prophet Muhammad as the Apostle of God: And Muhammad is not but an Apostle; (other) apostles have already passed away prior to him; Therefore if he dieth or be slain, will ye turn upon your heels? And he who turneth upon his heels will by no means do harm to God in the least, and shortly will God reward the grateful ones. (3:143) Whatever good befalleth thee (O man) it is from God and whatever evil befalleth thee, it is from thyself We have sent thee (O Our Apostle Muhammad) unto mankind as (Our) Apostle; and God is sufficient witness (thereof)
Whoso obeyeth the Apostle, he indeed obeyeth God; and whoever turneth away, We have not sent thee upon them to watch. (4:79-80)
O mankind! Verily the Apostle Muhammad hath come unto you with truth from your Lord; Believe (in him), it is good for you. (4:170) Indeed hath come unto you an Apostle from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, (he is) solicitous regarding your welfare, towards the faithful (he is) compassionate, (and) merciful (9:128)
And We sent thee not (O Our Apostle Muhammad) but a Mercy unto (all) the worlds. (21:107)
And We sent thee not (O Our Apostle Muhammad) but a Bearer of glad tidings and a Warner (25:56)
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but an Apostle of God and the seal of the prophets; and God is Of all things ever the Knower. (33:40) O (Our) Prophet (Muhammad), Verily We have sent thee as a Witness, and as a Bearer of Glad Tidings and as a Warner. And as the Inviter unto God by His command, and an illuminating torch. And give you the glad tidings unto the believers that there shall be for them from God a great grace. (33:45, 46,47)
And (O Our Apostle Muhammad), We sent thee not but unto the whole of mankind, a Bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, but most of the people know (it) not (34:28)
There are many other verses of the Holy Qur'an referring to the Holy Prophet Muhammad and his unique position as the Last Prophet of God. Muhammad the Last Apostle of God:
The Holy Qur`an, the final Word of God, declares in clear terms that the Holy Prophet Muhammad is the last of the apostles of God, meaning that no other Prophet, apostle or messenger will ever come after him:
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but an Apostle of God and the Seal of the prophets; And God is Of all things ever the Knower. (33:40) After this heavenly declaration, a Muslim has to believe as an article of faith that no prophet did come, or will ever come, after the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and if any one claims to be a prophet he is definitely a liar and an imposter.
Why Prophethood ended with the Holy Prophet
Prophethood or apostleship is only the office through which the Word of God is conveyed in revealing to the human world the code of living or the religion. Prophet after prophet was sent to various parts of the earth according to the mental evolution of the different ages. Finally the divine guidance was consolidated in a universal teacher to unite all mankind under a single constitutional order in a final divinely regulated and perfect code. The religion was finally declared to have been perfected and was given the name "Islam", Submission.
This day have I perfected for you your religion, and have completed my favour on you, and chosen for you Islam (to be) the Religion.
The greatest of the favours of God is his guidance, and in sending His last Apostle Muhammad and perfecting the religion for man the divine favour was complete. Once perfected, there was no need to send any other apostle. Hence the conclusion of prophethood saw the institution of Imamat, the Divine Guidance towards the true meaning of the Holy Qur'an and its correct interpretation in practical life. Imamat is only for the preservation of the Word of God and the correct guidance on the path preached and practised by the last Apostle of God, the Holy Prophet Muhammad. The Strict Surrender to the Verdict of the Holy Prophet demanded:
Every Muslim, as ordained by the following ordinance from the Lord, must accept the verdict of the Holy Prophet without reluctance and with implicit submission.
So No! By thy Lord! They believe not (really) until they have set thee up as their judge in all that they dispute about among themselves and thereafter find not in their selves any vexation (at all) against what thou decideth and submit (themselves) with total submission. (4:65) Particularly concerning the faith, one must remember the verdict of the Holy Prophet as to the only source of the correct meaning of the Holy Qur'an:
I leave behind me amidst you Two great things, The Book of God (the Holy Qur'an) and my Ahlul-Bait (the members of the Holy Family, namely Ah and Fatema and their godly issue). Should ye be attached to these Two, never, never shall ye go astray from me, for verily these Two will never be separated from one another or until they meet me at the Spring of Kauthar (See Tafsire-Kabir, Tafsire-Durre, Manthur and others)
According to the above ordinance of God, and the declaration of the Holy Prophet, every Muslim has to follow only Ameerul Momineen Ali ibne Abi Taleb as his Maula or Lord in the place of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet, before the great assembly of the Hajies at Ghadeer-e-Khum while returning from his last Haj (pilgrimage),
which historic event none of the historians could fail to report, raised All by the Prophetic strength of his own arms from the improvised pulpit, declaring him to be the Maula, the Guardian and Master of the Muslims in his place. And immediately coming down from the pulpit, he commanded every one to address All as the Ameerul-Momineen, and Omar ibne Khattab was the first one commanded to do so, which he did, acknowledging Ah as the Ameer, or the Commander of the Faithful. Why the appointment of the Ameer by the Holy Prophet was set aside, and whether setting aside the verdict of the Holy Prophet and the appointment of another was legal and acceptable is left to the readers to judge. The Holy Prophet had declared:
Of whomsoever I am the Maula (or the Lord), this Ah is his Lord.
Under the above apostolic declaration, he who holds the Holy Prophet as his Lord must necessarily hold Ali as his Lord, meaning that he who does not hold Ali as h is Lord, does not hold the Holy Prophet as his Lord. Be in known that it is under this divine ordinance of God communicated to us through the Holy Prophet at Ghadeer-e- Khum that the Shias, or the followers of the Islam- original, follow Ali as their guide or Imam in the place of the Holy Prophet Muhammad after his departure from this world. And to identify themselves from those who do not follow the verdict of God and the Holy Prophet, they call themselves the Shias of Ali, ie. the followers of Ali, the Maula or the Ameer appointed by the Holy Prophet at God's Command. The readers must judge whether this is justifiable.
(5) QIAMAT: THE LAST DAY OF THE FINAL JUDGMENT
Islam demands that a Muslim believe in the return of everything to the Lord for the final Judgment of every soul in matters of faith and action. There are repeated declarations in the Holy Qur'an warning mankind to guard his life on earth against the retribution which is sure to come. This should keep man on the right track protected against future accountability. A Muslim must believe in Ma 'ad or Qiamat, the Final Day of Judgment and live such a clean life that he will easily earn eternal life and heavenly bliss. The fifth principle of the faith of Islam-Original, or Shims, is the belief in Ma'am or Qiamat. Every human being is Individually accountable for his own faith and deeds.
And for all (are ranks assigned) according to what they did; that (God) may (fully) recompense their deeds, and they shall not be done any injustice. (46:19)
After death, each human being will rise from the dead to be rewarded and punished according to the sum of his virtue and vice in this life. The present life is only a season for cultivation and effort, while the afterlife will be a period of harvest. This life creates the causes for the effects in the hereafter. As one sows, so shall he reap. It is not necessary to repeat that human life on earth started with a single pair, Adam and Eve, and over countless ages that life multiplied. Something that has a beginning will have an end.
Death is not the extinction of life; if it were, there would be no difference between the end of the good and the evil. The good and the evil can never be equal.
Say (O Our Apostle Muhammad!) equal are not the bad and the good though the abundance of the bad may enchant thee; so then fear ye God, O ye of under- standing, that ye may be successful (5:100)
When we are enjoined to do good only and to abstain from every evil, the question arises, "Why?" The only natural or reasonable answer can be that if good is done, good will return, and if evil is done, evil will return. It is with this assurance that one will incline to goodness and resist evil. Note the Qur'anic declarations:
On that day shall come out people (from their graves) in (scattered) groups, to be shown their own deeds. Then he who hath done an atom-weight of good shall see It. And he who has done an atom-weight of evil shall see it. (99:6-8)
It would not be divine justice to allow both good and evil lives to end in extinction. It would not be just and reasonable for those who have suffered misery, torture and painful death for the sake of goodness to please the Lord to be put on the same level as those who have lived in vice, sinful luxury and criminal enjoyments prohibited by the Lord.
Moses and Pharaoh, Jesus and his persecutors, Muhammad the Holy Prophet and Abu Jehl, Ali and ibne Mulim, Husain and Yazid, can never be equated. The merits and the sins must be recognised. The Ma 'ad or Qiamat is for this alone.
Death is only a turning point in life, a transition from this life of causes to the state of effects.
The period between death and the Day of Judgment is called Barzakh (Purgatory). The Last Day will be the Day of Final Judgment when every soul shall account for individual good or evil during life on earth. On this day the people will be divided into three groups: those who did only good, did not pollute themselves with any evil and did good to others; those who lived their whole life in evil and did evil to others; and those who have a mixed record of good and evil.
It is also well known that a good deed may seem to be a minor goodness, yet may have an abiding major effect; and an evil may seem to be minor, yet it may have a far-reaching consequence. Hence every good deed, major or minor, and every evil deed, major or minor, will be judged according to the actual merit or demerit of its consequent effects.
Those who did good will enjoy eternal bliss; those who did evil shall suffer punishment; and those who did both good and evil will have their deeds balanced against each other, and will be rewarded or punished in accordance with the result.
There is room for intercession, but it is conditional and will not be for those who have intentionally rebelled against the authorities set up by God and have tortured and killed God's viceregents on earth, namely the Apostle and the Holy Imams.
The Holy Qur'an says that killing one man is equal to killing the whole human race, and saving one man's life is like saving the whole human race. If this is true of an ordinary man, consider the gravity of the killing of an apostle or Imam of God, and what will be the fate of those who killed Husain and his whole godly band of faithful supporters of the truth?
For this reason did We prescribe unto the Children of Israel that he who slayeth any one (man) without (that being for) murder, or for mischief in the land, ('t shall be) as though he hath slain mankind as a whole; and he who saveth it (a human life) shall be as though he hath saved mankind as a whole; and certainly our Apostles came unto them with clear evidences and yet, verily, many of them even after that certainly commit excesses in the land. (5:32)
The return of everything to its Creator Lord in the life hereafter has repeatedly been declared: And He is God, there is no god but He! His is all praise, in first and (in) the last, and His is the authority, and unto Him (only) ye shall be returned (28:70)
The day of a total gathering is announced:
On the day (of resurrection) when We will gather them all together, then will We say unto those who associated others (with Us), "Keep ye where ye are, ye and your associated gods." Then We shall separate them, the one from the other, and shall say (unto them) their associate gods, "It was not Us that ye worshipped" (10:28)
Regarding the return of all men to their True Lord, and the speed with which it will be effected, it is declared:
Then they are returned unto God, their Maula Master), the (only) Real One; Beware! (now surely), His (alone) (as the Master) is the Judgment, and He is the swiftest of reckoners. (6:62) (See also Chapter 36, "Yasin", particularly verses 51-54 and 65) 134
The following verse tells of the deeds which will he judged according to their merits and demerits, and will be rewarded accordingly:
And for all (are ranks assigned) according to what they did; that (God) may (fully) recompense their deeds, and they shall not be done any injustice. (46;19)
God is the best of judges:
what! Is not God the Judge of judges?
The following verses of Sura-Tatwif, (Sura 83, the Defaulters) clearly declare the facts about the Judgment:
Verse;
4 what! Think they not that they shall be raised?
5 For a mighty day.
6 On the day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.
10 Woe on that day unto the disbelievers.
11 Those who disbelieve the Day of Judgment.
12 And disbelieve if not (any one) save a transgressor.
16 Verily, they shall be committed to the flaming fire.
17 Then shall it be said (unto them): "This is that which ye disbelieved"
22 Verily, the righteous ones shall be in bounteous bliss.
24 Thou (O Our Apostle Muhammad!) wilt recognise in their face the (delightful) radiance of bliss;
29 And verily they who ore the guilty ones used to laugh at those who believe.
30 And when they pass by them, wink they at one another.
31 And when return they unto their people, return they jesting.
32 And when they see them, they say: "These are the ones who have gone astray. If;
33 while they are not to be watchers over them.
34 So today, those who believe shall laugh at the disbelievers.
35 On couches (exalted they shall be) seeing (the delightful sights.
36 Shall not the disbelievers be (also) recompensed for what they used to do?
These verses declare that:
(i) There is a Day of Final Judgment;
(ii) At that time every soul shall return to the Lord.
(iii) The evil shall he punished and the good rewarded.
(iv) There is a place of suffering for the evil which is called Hell and there is a place of eternal bliss for the good which is called Heaven or Paradise.
(v) The reward or punishment shall he according to the merit or demerit of the individual.
The Holy Qur'an is full of warnings to mankind about the life after death and the Last Day of Judgment. The following is a glossary of words used: 136
(i) Jannat: Paradise or Heaven.
(ii) Nar: Hell-fire.
(iii) Akhirat: Hereafter.
(iv) Mahshar: The place of the gathering of the souls.
(v) Qiamat: The Resurrection.
(vi) Meazan: The Balance - The means of discrimination or balancing against each other such things as merits of intention and action.
(vii) Siraat: The correct Path. Every soul shall pass through it The righteous shall have no difficulty, but the wicked will have great difficulty and perhaps find it impossible to traverse successfully. Every soul will find it easy or difficult according to the merit or demerit earned in this life.
(viii) Sawale-Munkir wa Nakir: Every human soul upon leaving the body shall be questioned about its faith and deeds in this present life and will be admitted to the transitory state, Barzakh (Purgatory) in accordance with the answers given.
(ix) Nama-e-Aamaal: Record of deeds. Every one's deeds are recorded and the records are preserved.
From Sura 83: Verse;
7 Nay! the record of the wicked has been preserved.
in the "Sijjin"
8 And what will make thee know what the "Sijjin" is?
9 It is a Written Book.
18 Nay! The record of the righteous shall be in the "Illiyin".
19 And what will make thee know what the "Illiyin? is?
20 (It is) a Written book;
The Book referred to here does not mean a book of paper but a means of natural evidence.
The Day of Judgment shall be a horrible day of the revelation of the truth both hidden and manifest. Every part of man itself shall bear witness to his deeds:
On that day will We set a seal upon their mouths, and shall speak unto Us their hands and shall bear witness their feet of what they were deserving. (36:65)
On that day will bear witness against them their tongues and their hands and their feet, as to what they did (24:24)
On the day whereon shall stand the spirit and the angels arrayed, they shall speak not save he whom the Beneficent God giveth leave, who spoke not (only) the truth. (87:38)
That is the day certain, whoso then desireth may take refuge unto his Lord (78:39)
There are many more verses in the Qur'an dealing with various details of the Last Judgment. Every true Muslim must believe in the Judgment Day as an article of faith.
Jannat: Paradise:
Jannat is a place generally refereed to in English as Heaven. It is a place of eternal bliss, the abode of those who did good on earth. On the day of Judgment all actions will be weighed, and one whose goodness outweighs his evil will be granted a place here in a degree of bliss which is in accordance with his level of goodness: Verily (for) those who believe and do good, the Lord guideth them by their faith, beneath them will flow rivers in gardens of bliss. (10:9)
Their cry therein (will be), "Glory be to Thee O God!" and their greetings in it (will be), "Peace" and the last of their cry (will be) that to God is the praise, the Lord of the worlds.
On the Day of Judgment the Lord will declare to His good servants: O My servants! No fear shall be on you this day, nor shall ye grieve. Those who believed in Our signs and were Muslims (those submitting themselves to God). Enter ye the Garden, ye and your companions; ye shall be made to be delighted There shall be passed round unto them dishes of gold and cups (of drinks); and therein shall be whatever desire of their souls and (which) could delight the eyes; and ye shall abide therein. This is the Garden (paradise) ye are made to receive as a heritage (in recompense) for what he have been doing. (43:68-72)
The Faith in the Angels:
Angels are pure spiritual beings created to glorify the Lord and to execute His will. They can appear in any form, but not of any base animal. Their number is unknown. Only a few whose services are directly connected with this life are mentioned. Faith in the existence of these celestial beings is incumbent upon every Muslim. The following are a few of the verses of the Holy Qur'an concerning angels:
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards the East and the West, righteousness is rather one who believeth in God and the Last Day and the angels and the Book, the Apostles, and giveth his wealth out of love for Him to the kindred and the orphans and the poor and the wayfarer and the needy and for those in bondage; And establisheth prayer and payeth the poor-rate; And those who fulfil their promise and the patient ones in distress and affliction and in the time of war these are they who are Truthful and these are they who are the pious. (2:177)
He sendeth down the angels with the spirit (revelation) by His own decree on whomsoever He willeth of His servants saying: "Warn ye (mankind) that there is no god but I, therefore fear Me. (16:2)
And there shall be a blast on the trumpet. It is the Day Promised (warned against). "And shall come every soul, along with it a driver and a witness. (50:20,21)
By those who drag forth violently And by those who untie (the knot) briskly And by those (angels) who glide on (swiftly) Then those (angels) who go ahead with a foremost speed Then those (angels) who (subalissively) manage the affairs. (79:1-5) On the day whereon shall stand the spirit and the angels arrayed they shall speak not save he whom the Beneficent God giveth leave, who spoke not (only) the truth. (78:38)
There are three angels whose special duties are mentioned:
Gabriel: This angel is called Ameen, the Trusted. He is the foremost angel, the one who communicated God's commandments to the Prophets, and it was he who conveyed the Holy Qur'an to the Holy Prophet.
Izrael: The messenger of Death who separates the soul from the body.
Israfeel: The one who will blow the trumpet announcing the Day of the Final Judgment.
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Author: S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali
