Islam Its Belief and Practices - Radical Truth

12 ISLAM ITS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
head is high in heaven opposite the
Preserved Tablet, and his feet in the
deepest regions under the earth; to a
believer, however, he appears in a
pleasing shape. See Qur'an 32: 11.
6: 93.
(b) Kiraman Katibln, the two illustrious writers.
The two recording angels one on each
shoulder of every person. Qur'an 82. 43: 80.
(c) Munkar and Nakir: "The Unknown" and
"The Repudiating". The two angels who
are said by MulJ,ammad to visit the dead
in their graves and to interrogate them as to
their belief in the prophet and his religion.
(d) Malik: Lit. One in authority. The angel who
is said to preside over hell, and superintend
the torments of the damned. Qur'an 43: 77.
(e) Zabaniyah: Lit. Guards. The angels in charge
of hell, of whom Malik is said to be the cbief.
Qur'an 96: 17, 18.
Qur'an also mentions nineteen angels who are
in charge of the punishment of the damned,
see 74: 30, 31.
(f) Rigwan: The name of the angel in charge of
paradise.
(g) Sijjil: The angel who has the charge of the
register of the fate of mankind. Qur~an
21: 104.
(h) I;iamalatu'l-'Arsh: The Bearers of the Throne
of God. They are said to be at present four,
but will on the day of resurrection be
strengthened by an additional four who will
bear the Throne of God above them. Qur'an
40: 7; 69: 17.
FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH 13
(i) I;iif~atun: Guardian angels: these angels continually
attend men to guard them from
dangers and such calamities, as are not
decreed by God. Qur'an 6: 61; 86: 4.
{j) Hariit and Mariit: Two angels who, in consequence
of their complaints for the sin of
mankind were sent down to earth to be
tempted. They both sinned by falling in
love with a woman. They were permitted to
choose whether they would be punished now
or hereafter, they preferred to be punished in
this world and consequently are suspended
by their feet in a rocky pit at Babel. Qur'an
2:96.
(2) Jinn: The belief in Jinn is based on the teaching of the
Qur'an. They are especially mentioned in chapter
72. They are peaceable by nature. They eat and
drink, and propagate their species, sometimes in
conjunction with human beings; in which latter
case, the off-spring partakes of the nature of both
parents. In all these respects they differ from the
angels. Some of the Jinns are said to be Muslims,
and others infidels.
The tradition says that God created Jinn of smokeless
fire (Qur'an 15: 27) some two thousand years
before Adam. They are said to appear to mankind
most commonly in the shapes of serpents. dogs,
cats, or human beings. In the last case they are
sometimes of the stature of men, and sometimes of
a size enormously gigantic. If good, they are generally
resplendently handsome; if evil, horribly hideous.
They become invisible at pleasure or suddenly
disappear in the earth or air. or through a solid wall.