Our Relationship with the Angels: How These Invisible Beings Shape Our Lives

What kind of beings are angels, and why are they hidden from our sight? How does our relationship with the angels work, and what role do they play in our lives?

Everything in the universe has two sides. One is the outward, physical aspect—the part we can easily see and interact with every day. The other is its inner, hidden reality (Malakut), which remains hidden from our perception and is visible only to saints and those with deep spiritual insight who have looked beyond the material veil.

In their strictly physical form, things do not possess life in the fullest sense. True life belongs to the inner, hidden reality. For example, a piece of wood might seem lifeless to us, but it is not truly dead. It actually holds a form of consciousness, life, and perception. However, because this consciousness exists in a spiritual and unseen realm, it is beyond our ability to perceive it.

Even the most advanced sciences, capable of exploring the deepest structures of an atom, cannot observe the hidden reality of that piece of wood. The reason is simple: The inner and hidden reality is completely beyond the reach of sensory and empirical science. Perceiving it requires an inner eye capable of seeing deeper realities.

The connection between the Realm of Malakut and the physical world is much like a mother’s womb and the outside world. Just as the womb exists within and is completely surrounded by the larger world, our physical universe exists within and is entirely encompassed by the greater Realm of Malakut.

A fetus relies on the outside world for everything it needs, like nourishment and energy. Without this external support, the unborn child could not survive—in fact, it would not even form in the first place. The same principle applies to the material world and the Realm of Malakut. If the connection between them were severed for even a split second, the entire universe and everything in it, including us, would simply cease to exist.

We have touched on these ideas in previous lessons and briefly revisited them here as a refresher. Now, let us dive deeper into how the Realm of Malakut interacts with the physical world. Specifically, we want to understand how the Malakut provides for our worldly needs, which beings facilitate this process, and how they carry out their duties.

More precisely, we will explore our relationship with the angels and the role they play in our lives because angels are the beings that—by God’s permission—support humanity, provide for our needs in this world and the hereafter, and protect us in countless ways.

A Journey from the Realm of Command (Ālam al-Amr) to the Realm of Creation

Existence can be understood through two spheres: The Realm of Command and the Realm of Creation.

The Realm of Creation is the physical world we currently live in and experience through our five senses. The Realm of Command—often called Malakut—is entirely different. It is immaterial and inward by essence, making it impossible to perceive through the five senses.

This realm sits at a higher level of existence than the physical world, but lower than the realms of Jabarut (Realm of Dominion or Intellect) and Lahut (Realm of Divinity). Every single event in the physical world—every movement, life, death, the distribution of sustenance, and every phenomenon we witness—is directed and managed from the Realm of Malakut. As mentioned earlier, the physical world could not exist without the constant influence of Malakut.

To picture the connection between our world and the Realm of Command, think about the images we form in our minds. When we imagine something—like a tree, a car, or a loved one’s face—it only holds its shape as long as we focus our attention on it. The second our focus shifts to something else, the image vanishes.

This disappearance does not mean the image is permanently destroyed; it simply returns to the soul from which it originated. We can bring it back to life whenever we want using our imagination.

Similarly, the physical world relies on continuous attention and sustenance from the Realm of Malakut. If God and the angels acting as His agents were to look away from the world for even a moment, the physical form of the human and all other beings would vanish back into the Realm of Malakut, just like a forgotten thought.

The Essence and Hierarchy of Angels

Angels are among the inhabitants of both the Realm of Command the world of creation. The Arabic word mala’ika (angels) is the plural of malak, a word that conveys power and authority—the ability to execute tasks and influence the cosmic order.

Angels are invisible, supernatural beings endowed with intellect and awareness. They carry out God’s commands in both this world and the afterlife. God has tasked them with overseeing the universe and managing many aspects of creation.

While the Quran does not detail the exact nature of angels, it is clear that they are fundamentally different from humans, jinn, and animals. Scholars debate their exact makeup: Some Muslim thinkers believe angels are entirely immaterial, while others argue they possess a subtle kind of body.

A subtle body is not like normal physical matter. It lacks measurable weight, volume, or physical dimensions and cannot be sensed. Regardless of the interpretation, both views agree that angels exist completely beyond the reach of our five senses.

Angels also operate within a hierarchy, with varying ranks and duties. Some of the most prominent, high-ranking angels include Gabriel (Jibril), Michael (Mikail), Israfil, and Azrael.

Their responsibilities are vast. Angels deliver divine revelations to prophets, record our deeds, protect us from harm, and help us in difficult times. Angels also have a direct role in distributing both material and spiritual provision, taking souls at death, guiding hearts toward the light, and bringing down divine punishment upon rebellious and sinful peoples.

 From the Movement of Atoms to the Motion of Planets: Everything Operates Through the Power of Angels

Our relationship with the angels is an existential one. This goes much deeper than simple interaction or closeness; it means our very existence and essence are fundamentally tied to and dependent upon theirs and vice versa.

We are connected to every part of the universe in this way. Nothing in creation is separate from us. Humanity is the center of creation, with the universe structured to meet our material and spiritual needs. Angels are no exception. Their creation is deeply intertwined with our needs and our journey toward perfection.

Many philosophers and spiritual scholars view angels as the driving forces of the cosmic order. They are the instruments God uses to enact change and activity throughout the universe. Because of this, our relationship with the angels is incredibly close and complex. Simply put, human life would be impossible without them.

From the moment we are conceived in the womb in the secure place, through birth, life, death, and into the Barzakh and afterlife, angels are by our side. Every detail of life, big or small, unfolds with the help and power of these unseen beings. They help provide essentials like light, water, oxygen, and food, and they protect our lives in ways we cannot even count.

In truth, we live in an ocean of angels. Countless angels surround us at every moment, performing their duties with flawless precision and dedication. If we could truly see the sheer scale of their presence, we would be left in awe.

The drifting of clouds, the crack of thunder, the falling of rain and snow, the perfect geometry of a snowflake, the sprouting of seeds, the movement of planets, the Earth’s rotation, chemical reactions in the soil, and the thriving life in our oceans—all these processes are powered and guided by angels.

Every blessing we receive from the natural or supernatural world is a part of our relationship with the angels and their service to us. Not a single atom, electron, or proton moves without an angel guiding it along its destined path.

Ultimately, angels are the active manifestations of God’s names. Whenever a divine attribute impacts the universe, it is through the angels that its effects become real. Every single event—creation, death, connection, separation, and transformation—happens through their work.

We will dive even deeper into this subject in future articles. We will look at how divine attributes manifest through angels, how this impacts the universe, and how angelic power compares to what modern physics calls forces and energy. Until then, we invite you to reflect on these concepts and share your thoughts with us.