Chapter 11 — The 10 Angels: One Network Within the Self

From Chapter 1 through Chapter 10, we have seen one system:

AMR → ANGELS → RUH → PHYSICAL BODY → QALB → ATTRIBUTES → AF‘AL → RECORD → EXPERIENCE

Now we bring together the functions of the 10 angels, which have often been taught merely as names to be memorised.

The question is not:

“HOW MANY NAMES OF ANGELS HAVE YOU MEMORISED?”

But:

“WHAT FUNCTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE WITHIN YOU?”

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1. ANGELS = EXECUTORS OF AMR

Allah says:

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بِالرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ

“He sends down the angels with the Ruh from His command.”

— An-Naḥl 16:2

This verse connects three things:

ANGELS + RUH + AMR

Within the model we have developed:

AMR = the Lord’s affairs

ANGELS = the network of executors

RUH = the flow / streaming

Therefore, the angels are not separated from the processes of human life.

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2. JIBRIL — TRUTH

Allah says:

نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ ۝ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ

“The trustworthy Ruh brought it down upon your qalb.”

— Ash-Shu‘arā’ 26:193–194

Jibril brings truth to the qalb.

Within our mapping:

JIBRIL = DATA OF TRUTH.

Facts enter.

Assumptions are tested.

What is wrong is corrected.

What is unclear becomes clear.

That is why Jibril stands at the beginning of the network.

Once the true facts are known, the other functions become organised according to that truth.

TRUTH GOVERNS THE ENTIRE NETWORK.

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3. MIKAIL — SUSTENANCE THAT IS EXPERIENCED

Sustenance has no meaning to the self if it cannot be experienced.

Food → tongue.

Fragrance → nose.

Sights → eyes.

Sounds → ears.

Touch → skin.

Then all of them reach:

THE HEART / FEELINGS.

Therefore, within our mapping:

MIKAIL = SUSTENANCE THAT IS RECEIVED AND EXPERIENCED.

Sustenance enters through the senses and becomes an experience within the self.

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4. ISRAFIL — THE CONTINUOUS NAFKH

As long as a human being is alive:

inhale,

exhale,

inhale,

exhale.

Nafkh continues.

It does not have to wait until the end of the world before it can be witnessed.

Within our mapping:

ISRAFIL = THE CONTINUOUS BLOWING / BREATH.

As long as the breath of life continues, the terminal of the physical body remains active.

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5. MALAK AL-MAWT — THE TERMINATOR OF THE TERMINAL

Allah says:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ

“Say: The Angel of Death who has been assigned to you will take you.”

— As-Sajdah 32:11

When this function occurs:

the worldly senses cease,

the update period ends,

the physical body is left behind,

the final sync takes place.

Therefore:

MALAK AL-MAWT = THE TERMINATION OF THE CONNECTION WITH THE PHYSICAL BODY TERMINAL.

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6. MUNKAR — QUESTIONING

Once the distractions of the world disappear, questions can no longer be buried beneath busyness.

Within our mapping:

MUNKAR = THE QUESTION.

What did you truly believe?

What did you understand?

What did you witness?

The answer cannot be constructed from empty memorisation.

It must already have become a state within the self.

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7. NAKIR — PRESSURE

If a question has an answer:

the qalb remains firm.

If a question has no answer:

conflict arises.

Therefore:

MUNKAR → QUESTION

NAKIR → PRESSURE

A question is not a problem when the answer is already there.

Pressure arises when the self is still confronted by something unresolved.

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8. RAQIB — GOODNESS THAT IS RECORDED AND REMEMBERED

Allah says:

مَا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

“No word does a person utter except that there is a watcher beside him, ready.”

— Qāf 50:18

Within our mapping:

RAQIB = THE RECORD OF GOODNESS.

What has been done does not simply disappear.

It becomes part of the profile of the self.

A person can recognise again what they have previously done.

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9. ‘ATID — WRONGDOING THAT REMAINS RECORDED

Wrong actions also leave traces.

If they are recognised, repented for and corrected during life, the profile can change.

But whatever is carried until the final sync remains part of the record.

Within our mapping:

‘ATID = THE RECORD OF WRONGDOING THAT REMAINS UNRESOLVED.

Therefore, Raqib and ‘Atid are connected with:

MEMORY + RECORD + PROFILE.

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10. MALIK — TORMENT THAT TAKES CONTROL

Allah says:

وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ

“And they will call: O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us.”

— Az-Zukhruf 43:77

Why Malik?

مَالِك — mālik

carries the meaning of owner/master.

Within our mapping, when:

regret,

fear,

pressure,

guilt,

conflict

take control of the entire state of the self:

MALIK = TORMENT THAT TAKES CONTROL.

When torment becomes the “ruler”, the other functions follow that state.

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11. RIDWAN — BLESSING AND TRANQUILLITY

The opposite of the state of torment is:

tranquillity,

contentment,

security,

happiness,

blessing.

Within our mapping:

RIDWAN = BLESSING THAT IS EXPERIENCED.

Allah says:

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

“Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise because of what you used to do.”

— An-Naḥl 16:32

When truth has been accepted and conflict has been resolved:

RIDWAN GOVERNS THE EXPERIENCE.

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12. JIBRIL BECOMES THE LEADER

Now look at the entire network.

If a human being has a question:

MUNKAR

Jibril brings:

TRUTH

Truth produces:

AN ANSWER

The answer removes:

NAKIR — PRESSURE

When the pressure disappears:

MALIK does not take control.

Then comes:

RIDWAN — TRANQUILLITY.

Therefore:

JIBRIL BECOMES THE LEADER BECAUSE TRUTH ORGANISES THE ENTIRE NETWORK.

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13. TEN FUNCTIONS WITHIN ONE MAP

1 — JIBRIL

Truth / facts

2 — MIKAIL

Sustenance through the senses and feelings

3 — ISRAFIL

Nafkh / breath of life

4 — MALAK AL-MAWT

Death / the terminal is terminated

5 — MUNKAR

Questioning

6 — NAKIR

Pressure when there is no answer

7 — RAQIB

Record of goodness

8 — ‘ATID

Record of unresolved wrongdoing

9 — MALIK

Torment that takes control

10 — RIDWAN

Blessing and tranquillity

These are not ten separate stories.

Within this model:

THEY ARE ALL ONE NETWORK.

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14. THE MUQARRABUN ANGELS — THOSE BROUGHT NEAR

The Quran mentions:

وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

“Nor the angels who are brought near.”

— An-Nisā’ 4:172

الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

literally means:

THOSE BROUGHT NEAR.

This becomes particularly interesting when read alongside the experience of the self.

The functions of the angels are not something that needs to be sought far away in the heavens.

Human beings themselves are constantly:

receiving facts,

experiencing sustenance,

breathing,

facing death,

questioning,

experiencing pressure,

remembering,

recording,

experiencing torment,

experiencing blessing.

THE FUNCTIONS ARE NEAR.

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15. FAITH IN THE ANGELS = WITNESSING THEIR FUNCTIONS

Allah says:

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ

“The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers; all believe in Allah and His angels…”

— Al-Baqarah 2:285

Therefore, faith in the angels should not stop at:

MEMORISING 10 NAMES.

Take it towards:

WITNESSING THEIR FUNCTIONS.

Truth is arriving.

Sustenance is being experienced.

Breath is continuing.

Records are being formed.

Questions are arising.

Blessing and torment can be experienced.

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SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 11

The ten angels can be arranged as one network:

JIBRIL

Truth

↓

MIKAIL

Sustenance is received

↓

ISRAFIL

Life continues

↓

MALAK AL-MAWT

The terminal ends

↓

MUNKAR

Question

↓

NAKIR

Pressure

↓

RAQIB + ‘ATID

The record is opened

↓

Then two states:

MALIK

TORMENT

or

RIDWAN

BLESSING

But the key returns to the first:

JIBRIL — TRUTH.

Because once truth has reached the qalb:

questions receive answers,

assumptions become certainty,

pressure loses its power,

and the self attains tranquillity.

Therefore, do not merely ask:

“Do I believe in the angels?”

Ask:

“HAVE I WITNESSED THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ANGELS WITHIN MYSELF?”