There are many angels but we know only a few of them:
(1) The Archangel Gabriel is the angel of revelations. He dictated the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (saw) in a period of twenty- three years. When Muhammad (saw) was forty years of age, the revelation came down to him. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to him and said: ‘Read', but as Muhammad (saw) was an illiterate man, he said to the Angel: ‘I cannot read, I am not a reader.' The Angel then repeated his request and Muhammad (saw) repeated the same answer: ‘I cannot read'. The Angel said: ‘read, in the name of your God, who created, created man from…. Read….'
(2) The Angel Israfil, the Angel who will announce the event of Resurrection.
(3) The Angel Azra'il, the Angel of death.
(4) The Angel Michael and some others.
There are angels before and behind us, who act as guardians and watch over us.
“But verily, over you are protectors (angels), kind and honorable, writing down (your deeds), they know all that you do.” (82: 10-12)
“He sends down His angels with inspiration of His command to such of His servants as He pleased, (saying): ‘Warn (man) that there is no god but I, so do your duty to Me'.'' (16: 2)
(c) The belief in all Prophets and Messengers of God:
The third article of Iman is the belief in God's Prophets and Messengers. There are many prophets and Qur'an mentioned a few of them e.g. from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Moses, Elias…. to Jesus and Muhammad (saw). Qur'an says:
“Say: ‘We believe in God and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham and Isma'il and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes (of Israel ), and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Him do we submit ourselves'.” (2:136, also 3: 84-85)
So, submission to God means Islam, therefore Islam is not a new religion. It is the original religion that goes back to Adam, Noah and Abraham and their descendants. Its teachings brought by the many different Messengers of God in different times.
Muslims believe that all prophets were truthful and faithful men. They have the same human needs and feelings but they were only of special qualities, whom God had chosen to carry out His commands. They committed themselves to convey His mission, with which they were entrusted. Each one of them conveyed the message that suited the people they addressed at that particular time. Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the last Messenger of God. His message was the final one of God's instructions and guidance to mankind for all time to come.
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