Write an account of Muslim belief in angels. Include examples of instances in which angels met with Abraham and Muhammad (pbuh).

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Mark according to the marking grid for AO1 – Knowledge, given on page 4.
2. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
3. The Islamic belief in angels is the belief in their existence as creations of God who have no right to be worshipped, the belief in the names by which they are identified in the Qur'an and Sunna and the belief in the tasks assigned to them in the Qur'an.
4. Candidates could say that angels are a part of the unseen world, that they are created from light with the sole purpose of obeying God. Angels were created before the creation of Adam. They are truthful and innocent of any sin. There are angels for guarding people throughout their lives. They breathe the soul into the foetus. They do not need rest or food. They play a part in the everyday lives of Muslims; answers could go on to say how they do this.
5. Mikaeel is the angel responsible for rain, wind and sustenance for all living things.
6. Izraeel is the angel of death; he is assigned the task of taking away the souls of the dying.
7. Israfeel is the angel who will blow the trumpet (Soor) when directed on the Day of Judgment.
8. Jibril brought the divine revelations to the chosen prophets and holds a great status in all three monotheistic faiths.
9. Some other angels and their duties are: Ridhwan, the gatekeeper of paradise Maalik, the gatekeeper of hell The Kiraaman Kaatibeen, are the recoding angels Munkar and Nakeer are responsible for questioning in the grave.
10. Angels also continually visit human beings; they gather to witness the prayers and listen to the recitation of the Qur'an. Their exact number is unknown.
11. For the second part of the answer, it could be said that angels appeared before prophets. For example, Ibrahim, Lut and Muhammad (pbuh). The story of Ibrahim in the Qur'an (al-Dhariyat, 51:26–28) tells us that they visited him in the form of men to give him the glad tidings of the birth of a son. He offered them a calf cooked in their honour which they refused to eat and when Ibrahim became fearful, it was then that they revealed to him that they were angels.
12. Angels appeared before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as we know from the Hadith of Jibril '...whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black...'.
13. Examples such as at Ta'if could also be given as development of the answer, here the angel of mountains appeared before the Prophet (pbuh).
14. Mark according to the marking grid for AO2 – Understanding, given on page 5.
15. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
16. Here candidates need to give their opinion about why belief in angels is important in Islam. It could be said that the existence of angels is an Article of Faith and not having that belief would place a person outside the folds of Islam.
17. Accounts of angels is also given in the Qur'an, and Muslims implicitly believe all that the Qur'an says without question. The Sunna of the Prophet (pbuh) also gives Muslims evidence of the existence of angels so belief in their existence is an important aspect of Islam.
18. Belief in angels and knowing that they are recording our deeds makes Muslims more God conscious. The belief that angels will question Muslims in their graves about their deeds helps them live righteous lives.