Angels' Bodies

18-10-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

Do Angels have a body like human beings do?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Angels have bodies. But these bodies are different from those of human beings. There are pieces of evidence from the Quran and Sunnah proving this. Some of their features are described in the Quran and Sunnah.

‘Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet said: “Angels were created from light. Allah Says (what means): {… [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. ….} [Quran 35:1] [Muslim]

This verse is an evidence that Angels have wings.

Al-Bukhaari, Muslim, At-Tirmizi and Ahmad reported from Zir Ibn Hubaysh from Ibn Mas’ood about the interpretation of the verse: {And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer.} [Quran 53:9]; that Ibn Mas’ood said that the Prophet saw Angel Gabriel and that the latter had 600 wings.

In At-Tirmithi's narration of the same Hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah narrated that when the Prophet saw Gabriel, the latter was so huge, he covered the horizon.”

At-Tayaalisi reported from Anas that the Prophet described one of the angels who bear the ‘Arsh (throne) saying that the distance between his earlobe and his shoulder is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey (at the throbbing of a bird).”  [Al-Albani classified it as authentic]

There are other proofs of their great and enormous creatures.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 21084, 47317, 86160, and 90406.

Allah knows best.