Mala'ikah, or Angels, are believed to be among God's many creations, and belief in angels is symbolic of a Muslim's belief in al-Ghayb, the world of the unseen (a world of which only God has knowledge). Angels are considered heavenly beings created by God to perform various duties. Angels by nature do not deviate from righteousness, as they do not possess an inherent free will as do human beings.

Some angels are considered more prominent than others. Jibreel (Gabriel), for example, is known as the "Angel of Revelation," since he communicated God's revelations and scriptures to various human prophets. He also announced (much to her surprise and incredulity) to Mary, mother of Jesus, that she would bear the Messiah awaited by the Children of Israel. Indeed, Jibreel is uniquely described in the Qur'an as a Spirit (ruh) from God due to his role in bridging the divine and human spheres.

Muslims also believe that each human being is assigned two angels by God—one to keep track of good deeds, and the other to record bad deeds or sins. Tradition holds that these "personal" angels will present the records of one's deeds to each individual as he or she stands before God on the Day of Judgement.