Angels are made of Nur (light). They have no free will and obey every command of Allah (Subhanna Ta’la) (God). They do not eat or sleep. They do not have a gender. They have wings that can be in pairs of threes or fours. Angels are invisible.

There are 2 angels, one on each shoulder, known as “Kiram al Katibin.” They write down everything a person says or does. Their names are Raqib and Atid. Raqib writes down all the good deeds, and Atid writes down all the bad deeds.

However, there’s one time when both angels come into action at the same time: when Darood (blessings on the Prophet, peace be upon him) is read. The angel on the right-hand side writes 10 good deeds, and the angel on the left-hand side erases 10 bad deeds.

Some scholars (learned men) say there are 4 angels with each person; other scholars say there are 5 angels with each person. Allah knows best. One is on each shoulder to write down their good and bad deeds. Two protect the person—one from the front and one from behind. Additionally, one angel encourages the person to do good, known as the ‘Al-Mulhim’ (meaning the one who inspires).

Some of the Major Angels in Islam:

Jibreel
It is his duty to give messages from Allah (God) to the Prophets. He is the one who brought the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The first living, breathing being of Allah was Jibreel.

He was the first being given a soul. Jibreel was sent to 124,000 prophets. When Prophet Yusuf was thrown into a well by his brothers, Angel Jibreel caught him in his hands in the well to prevent him from getting hurt.

Mikaaeel
He is the angel that takes care of nature and provides food to all beings (human and animal). He has power over the weather (rain, wind, snow). There are many angels that work under him.

Israafeel
This is the angel in charge of blowing the trumpet (horn) on the Day of Judgment, announcing the end of the world.

Azrael
Known as the angel of death, he is sent by Allah (God) to take a person’s soul when it is time for them to die. Many angels work under him.

Malik
He is the angel who is the guardian of Hell. Many angels work under him.

Ridwan
He is the angel who is the guardian of Paradise. Many angels work under him.

Darda’il
These are angels who roam the world and pray for Muslims who do dhikr (remember God). Dhikr includes salat (prayer), reading the Qur’an, and doing tasbeeh such as reciting Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), Subhanallah (Glory be to God), and Allahu Akbar (God is Greater).

Angels and Their Sizes

Angels are of different sizes; generally, the greater the work an angel does, the greater his size. Jibreel is the biggest of the angels. He has 600 wings with pearls, rubies, and diamonds dripping from each wing.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Jibreel twice in his original form. His size filled the entire horizon. The colors of his wings and the soles of his feet were green.

Munkar and Nakir
These are two angels who question people in their graves after they pass away (die). They ask three questions:

1. Who is your Lord?
2. What is your religion?
3. Who is your Prophet?

There are many, many angels in the world. No one knows their exact number except Allah (God). When angels are born, they are born saying, “La hawla wala quwwata illa billah,” which means “There is no power and no might except that of God.”

Angels on Judgment Day

On Judgment Day, when the trumpet (horn) is blown, everyone will die except the angels—Jibreel, Israafeel, Mikaaeel, and the angel of death (Azrael). By the command of Allah, these angels too will die one by one, even the angel of death. The only being left alive will be Allah (God). After that, Allah (God) will give life to everyone again, including the angels.

The easiest way to surround yourself with angels is to read the Qur’an out loud. Angels love to listen to the Qur’an and surround a person reading it.

More on this topic:

1. Islamicity: The Power of Darood Sharif
2. IslamQA: How Many Angels Are Assigned to Each Person?
3. IslamQA: Three Questions in the Grave
4. IslamWeb: The Number of Angels Assigned to Each Person
5. Questions on Islam: Duties of Mikail
6. Quran Academy
7. Quran.Live: Angels
8. YouTube: Basic Beliefs of Islam - Angels (University of Nottingham, Jan 27, 2016)
9. YouTube: Birth and Death of Angel Jibreel
10. YouTube: 8 Important Angels in Islam