The Named Angels and Their Functions
Jibril (Gabriel): The angel of revelation (al-Ruh al-Amin — the Trustworthy Spirit). Responsible for delivering divine revelation to all prophets. The Quran directly references Jibril in 2:97-98. He is described as having 600 wings and capable of taking human form.
Mika’il (Michael): Responsible for sustenance (rizq) — rain, crops, and the material provisions of the created world.
Israfil: The angel who will blow the Trumpet (al-Sur) twice — once to cause all creation to faint and die, and once to resurrect all beings for the Day of Judgment.
‘Izra’il (Azrael): The Angel of Death (Malak al-Mawt). Responsible for the extraction of souls at death. The Quran: “Say: The angel of death will take you.” (32:11)
Raqib and ‘Atid: The two recording angels stationed with every human being — one on the right recording good deeds, one on the left recording sins. The Quran: “Indeed, over you are appointed guardians — noble scribes — who know what you do.” (82:10-12)
Munkar and Nakir: The two angels who visit the soul in the grave after burial and question it about its faith: “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man [the Prophet]?”
Malik: The guardian of Jahannam (Hell).
Ridwan: The guardian of Jannah (Paradise).
The Status of Angels vs. Humans — A Theological Debate
A major debate in Islamic theology: Are angels higher than humans, or are the righteous humans higher?
Majority Ash’ari and Sufi position: The highest of the awliya’ (saints) of the human being exceed the angels in spiritual station — because humans carry the divine amanah (trust) that even the mountains refused (33:72), and because of humanity’s capacity for free moral choice and love.
Mu’tazili and some other positions: Angels are higher because they are intrinsically pure, created from light, without nafs ammara.
The Ismaili Cosmological Reading
In Ismaili cosmology, the mala’ika have a ta’wil dimension:
The Cosmic Intellect (‘Aql) and Soul (Nafs) — the first two emanations — are the cosmic archetypes of which the worldly categories of Imam and Da’i are the manifestations. The angels in the cosmos correspond to the da’wa structure in the human world: both hierarchies serve to transmit divine light downward and draw creation upward toward its source.
Jibril’s function of carrying divine revelation to the Natiq corresponds to the Asas’s function of carrying the batin to the Imam — both are conduits of divine communication within their respective cosmic levels.
See also: Usul Al Din, Tawhid Divine Unity, Jinn, Signs Of Qiyamah, Barzakh, Dai Al Mutlaq Institution, Prophets In Islam