MALÂIKAH –  ملائكة

 

Etymology and Literal Meaning: Connected to the root m-l-k (ك ل م ), signifying power, dominion and governance, this word is fundamentally derived from al-ma'lakah, which literally means the status of an envoy, a mission and the execution of a command.

As an Islamic term: The Malâikah are the angels created from nûr. They are the luminous, unseen and conscious entities of the ‘âlam who possess a pure and unalterable fitrah. Entirely free from the constraints of a nafs, physical needs and biological reproduction, and existing as innocent creatures with constant ranks, they embody absolute obedience to the commands of Allah. Rather than being mere abstract forces, they are the living, conscious overseers and messengers who represent and execute the takwînî Sharî’ah across the universe, mirroring the majestic sovereignty of the Creator.

Excerpts from the Risale-i Nur that elucidate the haqiqah of the malâikah:

Haqiqah and hikmah require that the samâwât, like the earth, should have inhabitants appropriate to them. In the language of the Sharî'ah, these different classes of entities are named the malâikah and the rûhânîyât. Yes, haqiqah requires it to be thus. For, despite its small size and insignificance, the earth being filled with living and conscious creatures, emptied from time to time and again re-enlivened with conscious beings indicates — indeed, explicitly demonstrates — that the samâwât, too, which are adorned palaces possessing magnificent towers, are filled with conscious creatures endowed with perception. They, too, like man and jinn, are the spectators of this palace of the ‘âlam, the studious readers of this book of the universe and the proclaimers of the sovereignty of Rubûbiyyah. For the adorning of the universe with innumerable ornaments, beauties and embroideries evidently demands the gazes of the appreciators engaged in tafakkur and the enraptured admirers. Indeed, beauty requires a lover, and food is given to the hungry. However, man and jinn are able to perform only a millionth of this endless duty, this majestic oversight and this vast ‘ubûdiyyah. That is to say, infinite kinds of malâikah and infinite classes of rûhânîyât are necessary to perform these infinite and diverse duties and ‘ibâdah.

Through the indication of some riwâyât and the hikmah in the order of the ‘âlam, it can be said that some kinds of travelling bodies, from planets to drops of rain, are the mounts of a kind of malâikah; they mount them with Allah's permission, wander through the ‘âlam ash-shahâdah and spectate it. It also can be said that some species of animal’s bodies, from the birds of Jannah — which are called طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ 1 in a hadith — to flies, are the aircraft for a kind of rûh. They enter them at the command of Haqq, travel through the physical ‘âlam, and gaze upon the physical miracles of fitrah through the windows of the senses of those bodies.

Al-Khâliq, Who continuously creates subtle life and luminous creatures endowed with perception from dense soil and turbid water, indeed has conscious creatures suitable for rûh and life from this sea of nûr and even from the sea of darkness. And they exist in great abundance. In a risale of mine entitled Nokta on the existence of malâikah and rûhânîyât and in the Twenty-Ninth Word, this has been proved with the certainty of two times two equals four. If you wish, refer to them.

The Fifteenth Word-First Step

 

The Malâikah are an Ummah, Who are Employed with the Sharî’ah of Fitrah

There are two Ilahî Sharî’ahs that arise from two Attributes; two forms of "man" are both addressed by them and bound by their obligations.

The takwînî Sharî’ah, arising from the Attribute of Irâdah, is the law that organises the states and involuntary movements of the ‘âlam, which is the vast man. It is the execution of Rabbânî Irâdah, which is erroneously misnamed as "nature" through a faulty terminology.

As for the Sharî’ah arising from the attribute of Kalâm, it is the law that organises the voluntary actions of man, which is the minute ‘âlam. These two Sharî‘ahs sometimes become united in the same place.

The malâikah of Allah are an immense ummah and an army of Subhân.

They are obedient bearers and representative workers of that first Sharî’ah. Moreover, some of them are ‘abds performing tasbîh, while others are completely immersed (istighrâq2) as the muqarrabûn3 of the ‘arsh.

The Words – Gleams