12. HUMANS (‘ INSAN) AND ANGELS (MALAK)
I still wonder at whoever still believes that Allah favours Angels (malaika) over Prophets and close-friends of Allah (awliya) because if such favouritism is based on the images of each kind then be sure that the image of mankind is more astonishing than the image of those with wings.
And if you disregard the image of humans because of the impurity and filth a human generates. Then know that the image you see is just a modelled form and not what makes a human being, let alone that Allah praises in humans what is often dispraised. Such as the bad smell of the mouth due to fasting, the blood of the martyrs, sleeping [without praying at night just because he intended sincerely but was unable to] and so forth. Thus, the image of humans becomes vivid as the ruling is given based on the meaning that such images resemble
Do Angels even have the rank of?
“They love Him and He loves them.” [al-Ma’idah (5):54]
Or even the rank of talking about our magnificence?
Despite the outcome, they prostrated to us, which suffices as evidence that we are favoured over them. If favouring would be based on knowledge then we all know the story when they said,
“we have no knowledge…” (al-Baqarah (2): 32)
And
“O Adam, inform them of their names…” (al-Baqarah (2): 331
and if favouring would be based on their essence of creation then know that the essence of our souls is from the same essence as them and then added to the weight of our bodies. Indeed, a rider needs his camel, therefore he stops from time to time to look after it, maintain it and be gentle with it in order for it to carry him swiftly.
I wonder! How do you still believe Angels are favoured over humans due to their excessive worship when you know they are created with no desires (shahwa)? Does running water or a waterfall whose water is speedily falling surprise you?
Indeed, if anything should surprise you it should be a person who walks through his journey and overcomes all obstacles. Given their endowed power to break down mountains and split the earth, assuming they may dispute or even claim Lordship is possible, Allah warned them:
“And whoever of them should say, ‘Indeed, I am a god besides Him’—that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus, do We recompense the wrongdoers.” (al-Anbiya (21):29)
But since they understand the punishment if this happens, they never dare do so. In contrast, mankind is far from acquiring the full knowledge of the Creator (al-Khaliq), and so have less certainty (yaqin).
And we are created with whims (hawa) and desires (shahwa) as well as heedlessness (ghafla), therefore further and greater efforts are needed to struggle against all that, which makes it a much greater struggle than what Angels go through.
By Allah, if any Angel was tested with what we have been tested he would not have handled it. We are created and addressed and directed by the Legislator, to support our family and ensure our source of income is lawful, all the while, we are influenced by what is beyond our actions such as loving the family, having the heart attached to one’s children and needs of the body that cannot be ignored.
At one time, Prophet Ibrahim (‘alay In as-saliwi) is ordered to slaughter his son, the fruit of his heart, with his own hands. At another time he was prepared to be thrown into a fire by a ballista, and Prophet Musa (‘alay hi as-salam) was ordained to fast a month, day and night. The angry is ordered to hold his anger, the seeing to lower his gaze, the speaker to be silent, the sleeper to get up and pray at night, the one whose beloved is deceased to be patient, the one hurt to be thankful, and the fighter in the battle not to run away. Then, we are informed that death comes with the severest bitterness as it pulls the soul out of the body. Thus, we should be firm, and that we will be ruined in the grave, and vet we are ordered not to complain against the decree of the Lord. And do not complain to people about your sickness and pain.
How far is all that from the Angels who only worship, as this is their innate nature, and hence they neither resist an opposing nature nor defy desires.
Unlike us, their worship lacks the essence of meaning, though its outer exists in the form of prostration (sujud), bowing (rukuh) and exaltation (tasbih) of Allah. Besides, most of them are at our service; some record our deeds, some divert harm from us, some were created to handle rain and wind, and the greatest duty of theirs is to ask Allah to forgive us.
Having said all that, how is it that someone still argues that they are favoured over us though there is not any clear evidence to support the argument?
On top of all that, it some of them are tested such as what was reported to happen to Harut and Marut, the outcome of their test is disastrous.
No one should think that 1 believe or even think that the worship of Angels is inadequate, because their extreme solicitude (ishfaq) and tear (kawf) of Allah is due to their tactual knowledge and certainty of the Magnificence of the Creator (azamatal-Khdliq). What 1 intend to say is that the tranquility (tamammah) of whoever is never mistaken should strengthen himself, whereas the case of a person whose annoyance results from his sins should elevate his soul to reach the highest levels.
O brothers, you should know your noble (sharaj) status as a human being, and protect your essence from debasing it with the regret of sins because you have been favoured over Angels. So beware of being lowered to the rank of animals because of your sins!
Indeed, there is no power and will except with Allah, the Greatest
(source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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