The Holy Quran, like a radiant lamp, guides humanity towards truth and knowledge. Within this divine scripture, concepts such as Al-Muaww and Angels occupy a distinguished position, each narrating in its own way the boundless mercy of God and the magnificent order of the cosmic system. Al-Muaww, as a secure refuge, embraces the hearts of the believers within Gods mercy, while the Angels, like countless hosts of God, serve as executors of divine commands throughout the universe. This treatise, through a profound examination of Quranic verses, elucidates these two fundamental concepts and expounds the Quranic teachings for readers with clear and dignified language. By reflecting on these notions, one may, like a traveller resting beneath the shade of a mighty tree, reach the depth of divine wisdom.
The attribute Al-Muaww is a divine epithet derived from the root aww, signifying to grant refuge and shelter. This attribute, like a merciful canopy, protects the believers against storms of fear and peril and bestows upon them divine security. The Quran highlights this concept in a manner that indicates its exclusivity for the faithful, as opposed to more general divine names such as Ar-Razzaq, which encompasses all creation.
And remember when you were few and weak in the land, fearing that people might seize you, but He sheltered you, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things so that you might be grateful.
This verse, like a clear mirror, reveals that God sheltered the early believers at times of weakness and fear. The term Fa-awkum denotes divine sheltering accompanied by support through victory and provision of wholesome sustenance, as if God, like a compassionate mother, embraces His faithful children within His mercy. This attribute, alongside Muayyad meaning supported and empowered, complements one another and illustrates the comprehensiveness of divine grace. Contrary to the disbelievers whose refuge is the fire, the believers find shelter under the merciful canopy of Al-Muaww.
The concept of Al-Muaww in the Holy Quran, like a pure spring, manifests the special mercy of God toward the believers, serving as their refuge and support in times of hardship and weakness. This attribute, accompanied by divine assistance and wholesome provision, demonstrates the comprehensiveness of Gods mercy and invites the faithful to gratitude and praise.
The angels, like the innumerable stars in the sky, constitute the vast hosts of God, who assume innumerable roles in the cosmic order. The Holy Quran mentions the angels collectively over sixty-eight times, and except in specific cases such as Maalik al-Mawt (Angel of Death), does not refer to angels in the singular form Malak. This multitude, like a boundless ocean, indicates the infinite abundance and diversity of angels, encompassing those nearest to God as well as those assigned specific duties such as guardians of the fire.
And to God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth. And God is Almighty, Wise.
This verse, like an inscription on a tablet, introduces the angels as part of Gods great hosts dispersed throughout the heavens and the earth with the honour and wisdom of their Lord. Their number, as mentioned in verses such as Perhaps your Lord will support you with three thousand angels sent down and Your Lord will support you with five thousand marked angels, represents only a sample of their infinite multitude rather than a numerical limitation.
The angels, like a caravan of light, are scattered in various ranks and functions throughout the cosmos. Some of these duties include:
And you see the angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying the praise of their Lord.
This verse, like a celestial image, portrays the Muqarrabn engaged in glorification within the sacred precincts of God. The diversity of angelic ranks, akin to varied colours in a grand tableau, manifests the astonishing order of the cosmos.
The multitude of angels, like the stars in an infinite sky, transcends the capacity of mundane mathematics, which is confined to finite numbers. Angels are not generated by biological means such as ovum and pregnancy, but are created continuously like a ceaseless fountain.
The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him during a Day whose measure is fifty thousand years.
This verse, like a window into the unseen realm, indicates that the movement of angels operates on a scale beyond human time and space. Their numbers, sometimes referred to as three or five thousand, serve only as examples for human comprehension, not limits on their infinite abundance.
The angels, as countless hosts, bear various responsibilities in the cosmic system. From the Muqarrabn who glorify God in His sacred realm to the Musawwimn who assist the believers in battle, their diversity and multitude reflect the greatness of the Lord. These hosts, managed with astonishing order, are beyond enumeration by limited human mathematics.
Humans, like precious gems, possess a collective status enabling them to perform diverse tasks, as if a single person encompasses a whole world. Angels, however, each like a star with a specific light, have unique duties and lack this comprehensiveness.
And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."
This verse, like a golden tablet, introduces humans as Gods vicegerents who, by virtue of their collective status, are capable of undertaking all tasks. Angels, each with a particular form, engage solely in their assigned duties. This distinction, like that between a sea and a drop, demonstrates the grandeur of the complete human.
The Holy Quran, as a scientific and guiding book, refers to the great capacity of angels which Islamic communities have neglected. This neglect, like a buried treasure, prevents them from benefiting from divine support. The verses indicate that angels speak to steadfast believers and assist them, but this connection requires spiritual readiness and avoidance of material defilements.
Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is God" and then remain steadfast the angels will descend upon them.
This verse, like a springtime promise, heralds that angels accompany steadfast believers and converse with them. Yet hearts sullied by material corruption, like broken vessels, lack the capacity for this grace.
Humans, with their collective status, resemble gems capable of accomplishing all tasks, whereas angels each bear a specific duty. Neglecting the capacity of angels obstructs access to divine support. Islamic communities must reflect upon Quranic verses and prepare spiritually to revive this capacity and regain their dignity and authority.
The concepts of Al-Muaww and Angels in the Holy Quran, like two wings of knowledge, guide humanity towards divine truth. Al-Muaww is a merciful refuge safeguarding the believers under Gods mercy, while the Angels, as countless hosts of God, with their infinite variety, maintain the order of the universe. Humans, endowed with collective status, have the ability to benefit from these blessings, yet neglecting these capacities is like being lost in a desert, deprived of divine power. The Holy Quran, as a precise and scientific book, reveals the path to these blessings and invites Islamic communities to revive this knowledge so that, through reflection and action, they may reclaim their honour.
