Angels
Total Hadiths 29
Authentic Sahih Hadiths About Angels and Their Divine Roles
Belief in angels is a fundamental part of Islamic faith, and the authentic prophetic traditions offer us a beautiful glimpse into their duties and interactions with our world. According to these sahih hadiths, when Almighty Allah loves one of His servants, He commands the Angel Gabriel to love them, who then spreads this love among all the inhabitants of the heavens, establishing acceptance for that person right here on earth. Furthermore, these heavenly beings carry out divine decrees, descending to the clouds where they mention matters decided in heaven, though devils try to steal these words to misguide people. The traditions also highlight their active role in our weekly worship; every Friday, angels stand at the gates of the mosque to meticulously record the names of believers arriving for prayer in chronological order, only folding their scrolls to listen once the Imam begins the sermon.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَرُ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ وَعَدَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ إِنَّا لاَ نَدْخُلُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ صُورَةٌ وَلاَ كَلْبٌ.
Narrated Salim's father: Once Gabriel promised the Prophet (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3227In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 38USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 450
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَخْلَدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَتَابَعَهُ أَبُو عَاصِمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ الْعَبْدَ نَادَى جِبْرِيلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحْبِبْهُ. فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ، فَيُنَادِي جِبْرِيلُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ. فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِي الأَرْضِ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, 'Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.' Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. 'Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,' and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3209In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 20USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 431
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَالأَغَرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ باب مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ، يَكْتُبُونَ الأَوَّلَ فَالأَوَّلَ، فَإِذَا جَلَسَ الإِمَامُ طَوَوُا الصُّحُفَ وَجَاءُوا يَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "On every Friday the angels take their stand at every gate of the mosque to write the names of the people chronologically (i.e. according to the time of their arrival for the Friday prayer) and when the Imam sits (on the pulpit) they fold up their scrolls and get ready to listen to the sermon."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3211In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 22USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 433
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَتَعَاقَبُونَ، مَلاَئِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلاَئِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ، ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ، فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ وَهْوَ أَعْلَمُ، فَيَقُولُ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ {عِبَادِي} فَيَقُولُونَ تَرَكْنَاهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ، وَأَتَيْنَاهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Angels keep on descending from and ascending to the Heaven in turn, some at night and some by daytime, and all of them assemble together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers. Then those who have stayed with you over-night, ascent unto Allah Who asks them, and He knows the answer better than they, "How have you left My slaves?" They reply, "We have left them praying as we found them praying."If anyone of you says "Amin" (during the Prayer at the end of the recitation of Surat-al-Faitiha), and the angels in Heaven say the same, and the two sayings coincide, all his past sins will be forgiven."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3223In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 34USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 446
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا قَالَ الإِمَامُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ. فَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ وَافَقَ قَوْلُهُ قَوْلَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the Imam, during the prayer, says, "Allah hears him who praises Him', say: 'O Allah! Our Lord! All the praises are for You/, for if the saying of anyone of you coincides with the saying of the angels, his past sins will be forgiven."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3228In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 39USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 451
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُلَيْحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا دَامَتِ الصَّلاَةُ تَحْبِسُهُ، وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ. مَا لَمْ يَقُمْ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ أَوْ يُحْدِثْ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "As long as any-one of you is waiting for the prayer, he is considered to be praying actually, and the angels say, 'O Allah! Be merciful to him and forgive him', (and go on saying so) unless he leaves his place of praying or passes wind (i.e. breaks his ablution).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3229In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 40USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 452
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا دَعَا الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَأَبَتْ، فَبَاتَ غَضْبَانَ عَلَيْهَا، لَعَنَتْهَا الْمَلاَئِكَةُ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ ". تَابَعَهُ شُعْبَةُ وَأَبُو حَمْزَةَ وَابْنُ دَاوُدَ وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If a husband calls his wife to his bed (i.e. to have sexual relation) and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3237In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 48USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 460
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ ذَرٍّ، ح قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ ذَرٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِجِبْرِيلَ " أَلاَ تَزُورُنَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا تَزُورُنَا " قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ {وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلاَّ بِأَمْرِ رَبِّكَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَمَا خَلْفَنَا} الآيَةَ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked Gabriel, "Why don't you visit us more often than you do?" Then the following Holy Verse was revealed (in this respect):--"And we (angels) descend not but by the order of your Lord. To Him belong what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between those two and your Lord was never forgetful." (19.64)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3218In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 29USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 441
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ ".
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Gabriel read the Qur'an to me in one way (i.e. dialect) and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways."
[1] The Prophet ﷺ wished that the Qur'ān would be easily read and understood by the various Arab tribes of his time.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3219In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 30USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 442
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَ أَجْوَدَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي رَمَضَانَ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ، وَكَانَ جِبْرِيلُ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، فَيُدَارِسُهُ الْقُرْآنَ، فَلَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَجْوَدُ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ. وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ. وَرَوَى أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَفَاطِمَةُ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُهُ الْقُرْآنَ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel used to meet him. Gabriel used to meet him every night in Ramadan to study the Holy Qur'an carefully together. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to become more generous than the fast wind when he met Gabriel.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3220In-book reference : Book 59, Hadith 31USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 443
