The towers and walls are decorated with carved inscriptions dating from 14th century Mameluke renovations, but the inside is ruinous.

 

Head to the northeastern corner of the castle to see Quranic inscriptions, possibly dating from the time of Saladin, carved in Kufic script around the outside of the keep.

BEST VIEWED LARGE - BUYUK BOYDA IZLEMINIZ TAVSIYE OLUNUR

It is a perception we don't experience while we pray, for we bow our heads and look downwards. In Sulaimania, one feels crushed by the grandeur of the mosque should one raise one's head up to look at the dome. It feels as if one gazes the fathomless heavens. Indeed the dome is an excellent symbol for the firmament. The verse selected from Quran aptly reflects this grandeur and magnificence:

 

إن الله يمسك السماوات والأرض أن تزولا ولئن زالتا إن أمسكهما من أحد من بعده إنه كان حليما غفورا

which means: "Allah grasps the heavens and the earth that they deviate not, and if they were to deviate there is no one to grasp them after Him. Indeed, He is ever Clement, Forgiving."

 

You can view the verse when you view the image in large size.

 

Ihtisam:

Bu guzel camide basinizi kaldirip kubbeye baktiginiz zaman manzaranin azameti ve ihtisami altinda eziliyorsunuz; kendi kucuklugunuzu ve aczinizi hissediyorsunuz.

 

Asagida, benim ve Yavuz'un yorumlarinda ayet hakkinda, hat hakkinda aciklamalar bulabilirsiniz. Yavuz'a cok tesekkur ediyorum.

The tomb of the noble Isa Khan Niazi is located in the Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi, India. The mausoleum, octagonal in shape and built mainly of red sandstone, was built in 1547–1548 during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. The mosque of Isa Khan is located west of the mausoleum, which along with other buildings form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayun's tomb complex.

The mausoleum houses the tomb of Isa Khan Niazi, who was a noble at the courts of Sher Shah Suri and Islam Shah Suri. It is situated south of the Bu Halima's garden in the Humayun's Tomb complex. An inscription at the tomb mentions that it was built in c. 1547–1548. It also says the tomb is an "asylum of paradise" built during the reign of Sher Shah. The mosque, located west of the mausoleum, was built in c. 1547.

Comprehensive restoration work was done through the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in collaboration with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2011-2015.

The tomb was constructed in the Lodi style architectural. Its octagonal shape, the hallmark of the Lodhi era, stands on a low plinth. Verandahs surround the central chamber. Each side of the chamber consists of three arches with one chajja (roof) present over each. The mausoleum's architectural style is similar to those of Mubarak Shah, Muhammad Shah, Khan-i-Jahan Tilangani and Sikander Lodi.

The mausoleum is built mainly with grey quartzite with red sandstone used for ornamentation. Stucco plaster envelops the rough masonry. Different coloured tiles have been used on the walls for decoration. The tomb's gateway stands on a one-metre-high podium reached by stairs. The square head doorway of the gate chamber has been built in Hindu architectural style.

Inside the mausoleum, the tomb is enclosed by an inner octagonal wall. Other than the southern and western walls, the other walls consist of jalis (latticed screens), which are recessed. These recesses, in turn, contain four-centred arches. The western wall has the main mihrab (a semi-circular niche in the wall which indicates the direction of Mecca, the direction in which Muslims pray). The mihrab is four centred and bordered by Quranic verses. The southern wall includes the main entrance to the building. The medallion located at the centre of the dome is ornamented with Persian floral designs. It also has a Quranic verse.

The tomb chamber consists of six tombs—two large and four smaller. Sandstone slabs are used to pave the floor. The cenotaph of Isa Khan Niazi is made of red sandstone and marble.

Esma'ül Hüsna/Most beautiful names of God

Allah'ın en güzel isimleri...

Medersa Attarine is an old Quranic school that now can be visited by tourists. It is a really awesome building very decorated with mosaics.

Estudiante coránico (طالب كورانيك) en la mezquita de invierno Shakhi Zinda, en Samarcanda (Uzbekistán)

Buland Darwaza is a 15-storied high gateway that guards the Northeastern entrance of the city of Fatehpur Sikri. Historians have come to a consensus that this building was constructed in the year 1575. It was commissioned by Emperor Akbar to commemorate his victory over Khandesh and Ahmednagar in Gujarat and Deccan respectively.

 

The intimidating structure stands 43 meters or 140 feet on the pedestal and a cool 54 feet above the ground. The gateway is approached by a steep flight of 42 steps, which add height and majesty to the entire structure. Buland Darwaza that is counted as one of the tallest gateways in the world is almost entirely made out of the red-sandstone with a generous dose of marble decoration on it. The blend of Hindu and Persian architecture is very evident by the use of Quranic inscription on the front and pillar and Cenotaph on the heights of the gateway. The calligraphy work done on the inner façade of Buland Darwaza has very less parallels in India.

The tomb was constructed in the Lodi style architectural. Its octagonal shape, the hallmark of the Lodhi era, stands on a low plinth. Verandahs surround the central chamber. Each side of the chamber consists of three arches with one chajja (roof) present over each. The mausoleum's architectural style is similar to those of Mubarak Shah, Muhammad Shah, Khan-i-Jahan Tilangani and Sikander Lodi.

The mausoleum is built mainly with grey quartzite with red sandstone used for ornamentation. Stucco plaster envelops the rough masonry. Different coloured tiles have been used on the walls for decoration. The tomb's gateway stands on a one-metre-high podium reached by stairs. The square head doorway of the gate chamber has been built in Hindu architectural style.

Inside the mausoleum, the tomb is enclosed by an inner octagonal wall. Other than the southern and western walls, the other walls consist of jalis (latticed screens), which are recessed. These recesses, in turn, contain four-centred arches. The western wall has the main mihrab (a semi-circular niche in the wall which indicates the direction of Mecca, the direction in which Muslims pray). The mihrab is four centred and bordered by Quranic verses. The southern wall includes the main entrance to the building. The medallion located at the centre of the dome is ornamented with Persian floral designs. It also has a Quranic verse.

The tomb chamber consists of six tombs—two large and four smaller. Sandstone slabs are used to pave the floor. The cenotaph of Isa Khan Niazi is made of red sandstone and marble.

The tower includes elements of traditional Islamic architecture and southwestern Asian design. Elizabeth Lambourn's Islam Beyond Empires: Mosques and Islamic Landscapes in India and the Indian Ocean studies the introduction of Islam in South Asia and how the region influenced the Islamic religious architecture. These newly arrived Muslims from the Islamic West escaped the Mongol Empire and emigrated to India, where they constructed religious centers. The Qutb Minar serves as a central marker to these new Muslim communities as well as being a reminder of Islam's presence in the area. The architecture of the minaret varies greatly from that of the typical style and design of the mosques constructed in the Middle East. The style of these structures is influenced by the local architecture such as the Indic temples. This affected the different materials, techniques, and decoration that were used in the construction of the Qutb Minar.

 

Historically, tower minarets were uncommon in South Asian-Islamic design until the 17th century, due to the slow adoption of the typical Middle Eastern style in India. It is also detached from the main mosque, showcasing how the native culture affected the design of a Middle Eastern structure. The Qutb Minar is seen as the "earliest and best example of a fusion or synthesis of Hindu-Muslim traditions" according to Ved Parkash in his essay The Qutb Minar from Contemporary and Near Contemporary Sources. Like many mosques built in South Asia during this time period, the minaret was constructed by Hindu laborers and craftsmen but overseen by Muslim architects. This led to a construction that synthesized both Hindu and Islamic religious architecture. Since some of the craftsmen were Hindu and unfamiliar with the Quran, the inscriptions are a compilation of disarranged Quranic texts and other Arabic expressions.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

amman - jordan

 

yujapi ©all rights reserved

  

"Completed in 1989 as a memorial by the late King Hussein to his grandfather, this blue-domed landmark can house up to 7000 worshippers, with a further 3000 in the courtyard. There is also a small women’s section for 500 worshippers, and a much smaller royal enclosure. The cavernous, octagonal prayer hall is capped by a magnificent blue dome 35m in diameter, decorated with Quranic inscriptions. This is the only mosque in Amman that openly welcomes non-Muslim visitors."

   

Camera : Sony H50

 

Tomb of Jahangir, (Urdu: جهانگير کا مقبرہ) is the mausoleum built for the Mughal Emperor Jahangir who ruled from 1605 to 1627. The mausoleum is located near the town of Shahdara Bagh in Lahore, Pakistan. His son Shah Jahan built the mausoleum 10 years after his father's death. It is sited in an attractive walled garden. It has four 30 meter high minarets. The interior is embellished with frescoes and pietra dura inlay and coloured marble. The mausoleum features prominently on the Pakistan Rupees 1,000 denomination bank note.

 

The entrance to the mausoleum is through two massive gateways of stone and masonry opposite each other (to the north and south) which lead to a square enclosure known as the Akbari Serai. This enclosure leads to another one, on the western side, giving full view of the garden in front of the mausoleum, which is traversed by four-bricked canals proceeding from the centre, and in which many fountains were placed which are now in ruins. The corridor around the mausoleum is adorned with a most elegant mosaic, representing flowers and Quranic verses.

 

The interior of the mausoleum is an elevated sarcophagus of white marble, the sides of which are wrought with flowers of mosaic in the same elegant style as the tombs in the Taj Mahal at Agra, India. On two sides of the sarcophagus the ninety-nine attributes of God are inlaid in black. Beautiful 'jalis' admit light in various patterns.

  

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

Above Salalah there's a pretty spring with natural water, Ain Garziz. On the algae of one of the ponds many Dwarf Honeybees, Apis florea, were congregating presumably to collect water. Pretty sight.

Then we drove up the hill - about 800 m high - to what is called Job's Tomb (see inset).

The connection to the Old-Testament and Quranic prophet may not immediately be evident. But there's an Islamic tradition - especially prevalent in the Muslim areas of the once Russian Empire - that elaborates on the more iconic Biblical and Quranic accounts. There it is said that the painful worms that plagued Job from his insides - a trial of his faith from the Almighty - were changed by that same Cruel Tester into Silkworms and Bees as a sign of the latter's mercy. And the little circle of Bees here would seem to be akin to the friends of Job around him discussing his adversities...

In Abrahamic tradition, Eve (Hebrew: Chavah) is recognized as the first woman, created by God to be the companion of Adam and the mother of all humanity. Her narrative, primarily found in the Book of Genesis, serves as a foundational story for understanding human nature, morality, and gender roles across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

 

Origin and Names

 

Creation: According to the "Yahwist" narrative (Genesis 2), Eve was created from Adam's rib (or "side") while he slept, intended to be an ezer kenegdo—a "helper corresponding to him".

 

Etymology: Her name Chavah is derived from the Hebrew root for "living," signifying her role as the "mother of all living". Adam initially calls her "Woman" (ishsha) because she was taken out of "Man" (ish).

 

The Narrative of Eden

 

The Fall: Living in the Garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by a serpent to eat from the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. She ate the fruit and shared it with Adam, leading to their immediate realization of nakedness and subsequent expulsion from paradise.

 

Consequences: As punishment, God pronounced that Eve would experience pain in childbirth and be subject to her husband, while Adam would toil for food from a cursed earth.

 

Legacy: Eve is the mother of Cain, Abel, and Seth, as well as numerous other sons and daughters.

 

Religious Perspectives

 

Christianity: Often focuses on the concept of Original Sin originating from this event. Eve is sometimes contrasted with the Virgin Mary, known as the "New Eve," whose obedience to God is seen as undoing Eve’s disobedience.

 

Islam: The Quranic version depicts Adam and Eve as equally responsible for their transgression, and both are forgiven by Allah after they repent.

 

Judaism: Traditionally emphasizes the story as a "wisdom tale" explaining the harsh realities of life and the nature of moral choice rather than a doctrine of inherited sin.

 

Folklore and Modern Reclamations

 

Lilith: Jewish folklore (e.g., The Alphabet of Ben Sira) introduces Lilith as Adam’s supposed first wife who left Eden after refusing to be subservient, though this character does not appear in the biblical text.

 

Feminist Interpretation: Modern scholars have sought to reclaim Eve, viewing her not as a "seductress" but as an archetypal figure representing female agency, motherhood, and the transition of humanity into a state of moral consciousness.

  

1453, after the Siege of Costantinople, by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II (also called Humkar - "bloodthirsty"), immediately ordered that christian church Hagia Sophia be turned into the "Aya Sofya Mosque". Crosses, bells, altar, iconostasis, sacrificial vessels, icons were removed and byzantine mosaics plastered over.

 

But as the apse did not face to Mecca, islamics added a mihrab located in the apse where the altar used to stand, pointing towards Mecca, also applied all around eight wooden medallions with quran inscriptions, placed in the four corners beneath the dome with names of prophets sultans caliphs; quranic inscriptions also on the frieze of blue tiles, a sultan lodge, a muezzin lodge, four minarets were erected at the corners of the exterior perimeter; a gilded bronze crescent replaced the cross crowning the basilica... such changes offended Christians

 

BATTAGLIA DI COSTANTINOPOLI (6 aprile - 29 maggio 1453)

 

The History of the Hagia Sophia church

 

clip Procopius: The Hagia Sophia; Procopius of Caesarea

Tomb of Jahangir, (Urdu: جهانگير کا مقبرہ) is the mausoleum built for the Mughal Emperor Jahangir who ruled from 1605 to 1627. The mausoleum is located near the town of Shahdara Bagh in Lahore, Pakistan. His son Shah Jahan built the mausoleum 10 years after his father's death. It is sited in an attractive walled garden. It has four 30 meter high minarets. The interior is embellished with frescoes and pietra dura inlay and coloured marble. The mausoleum features prominently on the Pakistan Rupees 1,000 denomination bank note.

 

The entrance to the mausoleum is through two massive gateways of stone and masonry opposite each other (to the north and south) which lead to a square enclosure known as the Akbari Serai. This enclosure leads to another one, on the western side, giving full view of the garden in front of the mausoleum, which is traversed by four-bricked canals proceeding from the centre, and in which many fountains were placed which are now in ruins. The corridor around the mausoleum is adorned with a most elegant mosaic, representing flowers and Quranic verses.

 

The interior of the mausoleum is an elevated sarcophagus of white marble, the sides of which are wrought with flowers of mosaic in the same elegant style as the tombs in the Taj Mahal at Agra, India. On two sides of the sarcophagus the ninety-nine attributes of God are inlaid in black. Beautiful 'jalis' admit light in various patterns.

 

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

Excerpt from mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es:

 

We find the Mihrab in the area of the Maqsurah, located in the central area of the qibla wall. Positioned between the doors to the treasury chamber and the Sabat, it is a focal point for the contribution made by Al-Hakam II to the Aljama. However, it is not only a place indicating the direction of prayer. It is also where the constructive development of this expansion converges, the area where the visitor, amazed by its richness and artistry, directs their gaze.

 

The Mihrab is no longer just a simple niche but is created as a place to project, becoming a small octagonal room covered by a scallop shell dome. It rises up from a marble plinth which is surrounded by a quranic surah and an inscription alluding to the creators of the work. At the top, on the wall panels, trefoil blind arches are found along with an abundant decoration of stylised plant motifs.

 

Its entrance is structured through a canted horseshoe arch where we find the mosaic decoration which links to the Byzantium tradition, produced by the craftsmen sent by Emperor Nicephorus II. These mosaics extend along the voussoirs with a geometric and plant-based design, but also in the inscriptions which record verses from the Koran. Added to the richness provided by the mosaics are the boards of stylised plant motifs which display the thematic motif of the "tree of life".

ISFAHAN, Iran — Lights and shadows under the dome of the 17th century Sheikh Lotfollah mosque of Isfahan, Iran, with arched windows, Quranic calligraphy in Arabic and countless floral and geometric patterns of ceramic tiles decorating the beautiful architectural masterpiece of Persian architecture.

 

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©2018 Germán Vogel - All rights reserved - No usage allowed in any form without the written consent of the photographer.

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

The Quran 7:31 O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.

The first Mughal Emperor, Babur, was succeeded by his son, Humayun, who ruled in India for a decade but was expelled. Eventually he took refuge with the Safavid shah of Persia, who helped him regain Delhi in 1555, the year before his death. Humayun's Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction from 1562-1572 of her husband's tomb in Delhi. The architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath, was Persian and had previously designed buildings in Herat (now northwest Afghanistan), Bukhara (now Uzbekistan), and elsewhere in India. The location chosen for the building on the bank of the Yamuna river adjoins the shrine of an important Sufi Chistiyya order saint, Nizam al-Din Awliya. The Chistiyya was particularly venerated by the Mughals; Humayun's son, Akbar, would build his new palace at Fatehpur Sikri next to the shrine of another saint of the Chistiyya order.

 

The tomb established some of the important norms for later Mughal mausolea. It is set in a geometrically arranged garden criscrossed by numerous water channels and probably representing symbolically a paradise setting. Such typical Persian gardens had been introduced into India by Babur; later they would be found in the Red Fort in Delhi and at the Taj Mahal in Agra. The architectural form of the building is Persian and especially in its main chamber shows some familiarity with the tomb of the Mongol Ilkhanid ruler of Persia, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya. It is one of a long line of Mughal buildings influenced by Timurid architecture, notably the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand. Babur was proud of his Timurid heritage and deeply regretted his inability to hold Samarkand. His successors continued to dream of regaining Samarkand and would interrogate visitors about Timur's tomb. Humayun's tomb is the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome; it is noteworthy for its harmonious proportions. As with later Mughal tombs, that of Humayun is set upon a podium or platform (see another example in the Taj Mahal). The most obvious Indian features of the architecture are the small kiosks or chhatris on the roof. The building is also noteworthy for its inlaid tile work, carving embodying both Indian and Persian decorative elements, and its carved stone screens.

This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to become synonyms of Mughal architecture with the architectural style reaching its zenith 80 years later at the later Taj Mahal. Humayun’s Tomb stands within a complex of 21.60 ha. that includes other contemporary, 16th century Mughal garden-tombs such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan, Bu Halima, Afsarwala, Barber’s Tomb and the complex where the craftsmen employed for the Building of Humayun’s Tomb stayed, the Arab Serai.

 

Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s, with the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar. Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the garden-tomb, far grander than any tomb built before in the Islamic world. Humayun’s garden-tomb is an example of the charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels. The garden is entered from lofty gateways on the south and from the west with pavilions located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls.

 

The mausoleum itself stands on a high, wide terraced platform with two bay deep vaulted cells on all four sides. It has an irregular octagon plan with four long sides and chamfered edges. It is surmounted by a 42.5 m high double dome clad with marble flanked by pillared kiosks (chhatris) and the domes of the central chhatris are adorned with glazed ceramic tiles. The middle of each side is deeply recessed by large arched vaults with a series of smaller ones set into the facade.

 

The interior is a large octagonal chamber with vaulted roof compartments interconnected by galleries or corridors. This octagonal plan is repeated on the second storey. The structure is of dressed stone clad in red sandstone with white and black inlaid marble borders.

 

Humayun’s garden-tomb is also called the ‘dormitory of the Mughals’ as in the cells are buried over 150 Mughal family members.

 

The tomb stands in an extremely significant archaeological setting, centred at the Shrine of the 14th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Since it is considered auspicious to be buried near a saint’s grave, seven centuries of tomb building has led to the area becoming the densest ensemble of medieval Islamic buildings in India.

قال تعالى :

(فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ (75) وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ)

[الواقعة :٧٥ و ٧٦]

God (Allah) said : So I swear by the setting of the stars (75) And verily that is indeed a great oath, if you but know (76).

Holy Quran - [Sûrat Al-Wâqi‘ah (The Event) LVI, verse 75&76]

 

In Holy Quran God (Allah) swear by the locations of the stars. The human on this earth never see the stars, but felt sites passed by the stars and then departed, and above that these sites are all relative, and not absolute, because the light like any form of matter and energy can not be floating in the sky only in curved lines, the human eye can not see, except in straight lines and therefore the beholder to the star of the above-ground sees the integrity of the last point leaned wudoo it, sees the location and placebo for the star is the location that has emerged from its light, due to the curvature of the light at the page the sky, the stars appear to us in positions of virtual is their real, not only that, but the modern astronomical studies have proved that old Nujoma has faded or disappeared since long times, and the light that grew out of them in a number of locations through which still shines in the darkness of the sky every night of the earth to the present day, Hence, the Quranic this section locations of the stars, not the stars themselves as the stars that bone disclosed flag it as strange cosmic furnaces God creates us where all forms of matter and energy that underpin them perceived the universe, then The number of Ahsah astronomers of the stars in the perceived part of heaven to this day is over seventy billion trillion stars.

 

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Hundreds of thousands of the faithful all united in prayer

Naqshbandi Shrine with the trunk of an old mulberry tree which is said to have grown miraculously from the spot where the Sufi saint Khoja Bahauddin Naqshbandi is said to have struck his cane.

 

The Naqshbandi is a major Sunni spiritual order of Sufism. It got its name from Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari and traces its spiritual lineage to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through Abu Bakr, the first Caliph and Muhammad's companion. Some Naqshbandi masters trace their lineage through Ali, his son-in-law and successor, in keeping with most other Sufis.

 

In Sufism, as in any serious Islamic discipline such as jurisprudence (fiqh), Quranic recital (tajwid), and hadith, a disciple must have a master or sheikh from whom to take the knowledge, one who has himself taken it from a master, and so on, in a continuous chain of masters back to Muhammad

 

The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order "Naqshbandia" was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.

 

Naqshbandi was the spiritual teacher of Amir Temur and made hajj to Mekka 32 times. He appealed people to be modest and rejected the luxury. His philosophy was based on the principle: "Dil ba joru, dast ba kor" ("The heart - with the God, hands at work").

 

The main building of the complex is the khanqah. Before the frontal of the mosque there is the minaret and small madrassah. To the west from dahma, in separate courtyard there is the large necropolis, where Naqshbandi is buried. Graves of his mother and his teacher - Said Mir Kulol, are situated not far from his grave.

 

The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered as the Central Asian Mekka. Believers from different muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfilment of wishes and healing.

 

The complex also includes the museum, which keeps the true information about Sufi and Sufism: Sufi wearing, books and other expositions.

Unknown

Since in Islam the revelation came in the form of a sacred book, many Muslim sages have looked upon nature as a book of God, as did many of their Jewish and Christian counterparts.

 

The cosmos is in fact God's first and primordial revelation. There is an eternal and archetypal Quran, which is the archetype of both the book revealed to the Prophet of Islam as the Quran and the cosmos, which many Sufis in fact call the cosmic Quran. In the same way that each letter, word, and sentence of the Quran revealed in Arabic comes from God and conveys a message from Him, each phenomenon of nature is also a sign from Heaven.

 

In fact, in the Quran both the phenomena of nature and the verses of the Quran are called ayat, or symbols and signs, each conveying a meaning beyond itself. Every ayah, besides its outward meaning, has a symbolic and inward significance.

 

Every cosmic phenomenon is both a fact and a symbol of a noumenon. In a profound sense modern science, being concerned with phenomena only as facts and not as symbols of noumena, is like religious literalism in the interpretation of scripture. Sufism has always rejected both kinds of literalism and has provided over the centuries both esoteric interpretations of the Quran and the most profound "philosophy of nature" based on esoteric commentary upon the cosmic book.

 

This "philosophy of nature" is of the utmost significance in this day and age when, because of sheer outwardness and literalism in both science and much of religion, we human beings have become destroyers of nature rather than its protectors and channels of grace. The inner meaning of the cosmic book has become hidden from us.

 

Sufis contemplate nature, seeing in its forms, life, and rhythms spiritual realities that are of the greatest importance not only in themselves but also for us as wayfarers on the path to spiritual perfection.

 

For the sage every tree is a reflection of the tree of Paradise, every mountain a symbol of transcendence, the water of every flowing stream a symbol of Divine Mercy, the wind a mark of the Spirit. The eagle flying above symbolizes the human spirit perfected through spiritual practice flying to the Divine Throne, and the fish swimming in the deep is the symbol of the soul immersing itself in the ocean of Infinitude.

 

The universe is constituted of theophanies; the cosmos is a set of symbols to be contemplated and a means to reach the Symbolized, a book to be read and understood in both its outward and inward meanings.

 

Once one has read the cosmic book, one can set it aside and stand before the Author of the Book of Existence. One of the meanings of the Quranic reference to the scrolls being rolled up at the end of time is precisely the end to the reading of the book of nature for the Sufi who, having passed beyond the cosmos, experiences death to the world and resurrection in the Spirit, that is, his or her own eschaton.

 

---

 

The Garden of Truth by Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Arabic calligraphy of Quranic verses

In the muslim tradition it is believed that death is but a transition to an eternal life in either heaven or hell decided based on the conscious choices man has made in this life. Our lives on earth or as it’s called in Arabic Dunya are but a test. Dunya translated literally is “the lower one” serving as a metaphor for the difference in status and luxury between this life and the next. Here an Uzbek couple can be seen praying for their righteous forefathers buried in the mausoleums adorned by beautiful blue ceramic infinity patterns and Quranic verses. The colors and patterns are some of the most intricate of the muslim world fusing Persian architecture with Muslim scripture and pattern. One of the most magical places in the world and a definite must see

شارك الآن

Folklore Graphics

[ساعدنا في الترجمة!]

المحتويات أخف

المقدمة

الملائكة في العقيدة الإسلامية

صفاتهم

 

الصفات الخُلقية

الصفات الخَلقية

القدرات

أعداد الملائكة

أعمال الملائكة

عبادة الملائكة

وفاة الملائكة

من ذُكر منهم

انظر أيضًا

مصادر أساسية

مراجع

 

الآيات

وصلات خارجية

الملائكة في الإسلام

 

مقالة

نقاش

اقرأ

عدّل

تاريخ

 

أدوات

المظهر أخف

النص

 

صغير

 

قياسي

 

كبير

العرض

 

قياسي

 

عريض

اللون (تجريبية)

 

تلقائي

 

فاتح

 

داكن

هذه مقالةٌ جيّدةٌ، وتعد من أجود محتويات ويكيبيديا. انقر هنا للمزيد من المعلومات.

جزء من سلسلة مقالات حول

أركان الإيمان

Quran calligraphy

الإيمان باللهالإيمان بالملائكةالإيمان بالكتب السماويةالإيمان بالرسلالإيمان باليوم الآخرالإيمان بالقدر خيره وشره

التصنيفبوابة الإسلام

عنت

المَلَائِكَةُ في الإسلام هم خلقٌ خلقهم الله من نور، وهم مربوبون مسخّرون، عباد مُكرمون، لا يعصون الله ما أمرهم ويفعلون ما يُؤمرون، لا يوصفون بالذكورة ولا الأنوثة، لا يأكلون، لا يشربون، لا يتناكحون، لا يملّون، لا يتعبون، ولا يعلم عددهم إلا الله. والإيمان بهم ركن من أركان الإيمان، فمن أنكرهم ولم يؤمن بهم فقد كفر بما نزل في القرآن: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا ١٣٦﴾. ولهم أعمال ومهمات معينة كلّفهم الله بها لينفذونها، مثل تبليغ الوحي والنفخ في الصُّورِ، ونزع أرواح العباد.

 

الملائكة في العقيدة الإسلامية

 

تخطيط جبريل عليه السلام.

يؤمن كل المسلمين بأنّ الملائكة إنّما هم عباد الله المكرمون، وهم الرسل بين الله وبين رسله وأنبيائه، وأنها مخلوقات قائمة بنفسها، ويؤمنون بأن الإيمان إيماناً جازماً بلا شك ولا ريب بهم واجب، لما ورد عن ابن عمر عن النبي حينما سُئِلَ عن الإيمان: «أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله»، فمن لم يؤمن بوجودهم فقد أسقط ركناً من أركان الإيمان الستة وكفر لقوله تعالى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا ١٣٦﴾ [النساء:136]. وذكر البيهقي في كتاب له أن الإيمان بالملائكة يتضمن التصديق بوجودهم، وإنزالهم منازلهم، وإثبات أنهم عباد الله وخلقه كالإنس والجن مأمورون مكلفون لا يقدرون إلا ما أقدرهم الله عليه، والموت عليهم جائز، ولكن الله جعل لهم أمداً بعيداً فلا يتوفاهم حتى يبلغوه، ولا يوصفون بشيء يؤدي وصفهم به إلى إشراكهم بالله. ولا يُدْعَوْنَ آلهة كما دعتهم الأوائل. والاعتراف بأن منهم رسلاً يرسلهم الله إلى من يشاء من البشر، وقد يجوز أن يرسل بعضهم إلى بعض، ويتبع ذلك الاعتراف بأن منهم حملة العرش، ومنهم الصافون، ومنهم خزنة الجنة ومنهم خزنة النار، ومنهم كتبة الأعمال ومنهم الذين يسوقون السحاب فقد ورد القرآن بذلك كله أو بأكثره. والإيمان بالملائكة يتضمن أربعة أمور:

 

الأول: الإيمان بوجودهم.

الثاني: الإيمان بمن عُلم اسمه منهم باسمه (كجبريل) ومن لم يُعلم أسماءهم يُؤمن بهم إجمالاً.

الثالث: الإيمان بما عُلم من صفاتهم.

الرابع: الإيمان بما عُلم من أعمالهم التي يقومون بها بأمر الله تعالى؛ كتسبيحه، والتعبد له ليلاً ونهارًا بدون ملل، ولا فُتُور.

وهناك عدة واجبات يجب على المسلم أن يفعلها تجاه الملائكة،، أولها عدم إيذاء الملائكة، سواء بالسب أو بعيبهم، والبعد عن الذنوب والمعاصي، لأنها تؤذي الملائكة، فلذلك هي لا تدخل بيت فيه كلب أو صورة، وعدم البصاق عن اليمين في الصلاة، فعن أبي هريرة أن النبي قال: «إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاةِ، فَلا يَبْصُقْ أَمَامَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ يُنَاجِي اللَّهَ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّاهُ، وَلا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، فَإِنَّ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ مَلَكًا، وَلَكِنْ لِيَبْصُقْ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ أَوْ تَحْتَ رِجْلِهِ، فَيَدْفِنُهُ». وموالاة الملائكة كلهم، أي لا يفرق بين ملك وآخر، فلا يوالي هذا ويعادي ذاك لسبب ما، كما فعلت اليهود التي والت ميكائيل وعادت جبريل.

 

يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة لهم صفات وقدرات وهبها الله لهم، فجعل لهم أجنحة، قادرين على التشكل، سريعين، منظمين، ولهم صفات خُلقية عديدة كاستحيائهم، ووصفهم القرآن بأنهم كرام بررة. وبحسب اعتقاد المسلمين فإن لهم مكانة رفيعة وعظيمة وعالية عند الله. فقد قال الله في جبريل: ﴿إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ١٩ ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ ٢٠ مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ ٢١﴾. والملائكة بحسب اعتقاد المسلمين يعبدون الله بعبادات مختلفة، كالتسبيح والاصطفاف، والحج، وخشية الله.

 

والملائكة لهم أعمال خاصة تجاه المؤمنين، مثل تأمين دعائهم ومحبتهم لهم، ولهم أعمال خاصة للكفرة، مثل لعنهم وإنزال العذاب بهم. وقد اختلف العلماء في مسألة المفاضلة بين الملائكة والبشر، فقد اتفق بعض العلماء أن صالحي البشر أفضل من الملائكة وقدموا العديد من الحجج والأدلة، واتفق آخرون أن الملائكة أفضل وأيضاً قدموا أدلتهم وأحاجيجهم.

 

ويؤمن المسلمون بأن أعداد الملائكة لا يحصيها إلا الله، فهم كثيرون جداً، حيث أن كل يوم يدخل منهم سبعون ألفاً للبيت المعمور ولا يعودون إليه، ومع كل إنسان ملكان يكتبان أعماله، وكل نطفة لها ملك موكل بها، وهذا يدل على كثرتهم. ويؤمن المسلمون أيضاً بأن الملائكة عظيمي الخلقة، مثال ذلك، روى أبو داود وأحمد من حديث جابر بن عبد الله عن النبي أنه قال: «أذن لي أن أحدث عن ملك من ملائكة الله من حملة العرش أن ما بين شحمة أذنه إلى عاتقه مسيرة سبعمائة عام».

 

صفاتهم

الصفات الخُلقية

وصف الله في القرآن بأن الملائكة كرام بررة، حيث قال: ﴿بِأَيْدِي سَفَرَةٍ ١٥ كِرَامٍ بَرَرَةٍ ١٦﴾ أي أن القرآن بأيدي سفرة وهم الملائكة حيث أن الملائكة سفراء الله إلى رسله بحسب اعتقاد المسلمين. ووصفهم بأنهم كرام بررة أي أن خلقهم حسن شريف وأخلاقهم وأفعالهم بارة طاهرة كاملة.

 

ومن صفات الملائكة الحياء، مثل ما قال الرسول عن عثمان بن عفان: «ألا استحيي من رجل تستحيي منه الملائكة».

 

الصفات الخَلقية

 

غلاف كتاب "الحبائك في أخبار الملائك" لجلال الدين السيوطي، يتحدث فيه عن أخبار الملائكة وصفاتهم من القرآن والسنة والآثار الإسلامية.

يؤمن المسلمون بأن مادة خلق الملائكة هي النور، فعن عائشة أن الرسول قال: «خُلقت الملائكة من نور ..». ولم يبين أي نور الذي خُلقوا منه. ولم تُحدد المدة الزمنية التي خُلقوا فيها، فليست هناك نصوص شرعية دلت على ذلك، ولكن خلقهم كان سابقاً على البشر، ودليل العلماء في ذلك: ﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ٣٠﴾، فقد أخبر الله ملائكته بأنه سيخلق خليفة يسكن الأرض، والخليفة هو آدم فذلك يدل على أنهم مخلوقون قبل النبي آدم أبو البشر.

 

لا يستطيع البشر رؤية الملائكة بهيئتهم الخلقية، فلا قدرة لهم على ذلك، ولم يرَ الملائكة في صورتهم الحقيقية أحد إلا الرسول محمد، فقد رأى جبريل في هيئته الخلقية مرتين: المرة الأولى كانت عندما أوحي إليه لأول مرة في غار حراء، والمرة الثانية هي في رحلة الإسراء والمعراج، وما يدل على ذلك قول الله: ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى ١٣﴾. ولكن يمكن للبشر رؤية الملائكة إن تشكلوا في صورة بشر كما جاء في بعض النصوص.

 

يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة عظيمي الخلقة، لا يتصور عظم خلقتهم أحد، ولكن النصوص قد لمحت بشيء من أبعاد بعض الملائكة. ومثل ذلك قول الرسول: «أُذن لي أن أحدث عن ملك من ملائكة الله، من حملة العرش، إن ما بين شحمة أذنه إلى عاتقه مسيرة سبعمائة عام». أما عن عظم خلقة جبريل، فقد سألت عائشة النبي عن الآية الثالثة والعشرين من سورة التكوير والآية الثالثة عشر والرابعة عشر والخامسة عشر من سورة النجم، فقال: «إنما هو جبريل لم أره على صورته التي خُلق عليها غير هاتين المرتين. رأيته منهبطاً من السماء ساداً عظم خلقه ما بين السماء إلى الأرض». ومن عظم خلقتهم تعدد أجنحتهم. فالملائكة لديها أجنحة، منهم من لديه جناح ومنهم من لديه اثنان أو ثلاثة، أو أربعة، أو حتى أكثر من ذلك: ﴿الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١﴾. وملك الوحي جبريل نفسه له ستمائة جناح، فعن عبد الله بن مسعود أنه قال: «رأى محمد ﷺ جبريل له ستمائة جناح». والملائكة متفاوتون في الخلق والمقدار، فهم مختلفين في عدد الأجنحة، ومقاماتهم متفاوتة ومعلومة عند الله: ﴿وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا لَهُ مَقَامٌ مَعْلُومٌ ١٦٤﴾. وقال في جبريل ﴿إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ١٩ ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ ٢٠﴾ [التكوير:19–20]. أي له مكانة ومنزلة رفيعة عند الله. وأفضل الملائكة هم الذين شهدوا غزوة بدر حيث جاء جبريل إلى النبي فقال: «ما تعدون أهل بدر فيكم؟» قال: «من أفضل المسلمين» قال: «وكذلك من شهد بدراً من الملائكة».

 

ويؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة خلقهم الله في صورة جميلة وكريمة. فقد قال الله في جبريل: ﴿عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى ٥ ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَى ٦﴾. قال ابن عباس: ذو مرة أي ذو منظر حسن، وقال قتادة: ذو خلق طويل حسن. وقيل ذو مرة أي ذو قوة. ولا منافاة بين الأقوال فهو قوي وحسن المنظر. وقد تقرر عند الناس وصف الملائكة بالجمال، كما تقرر عندهم وصف الشياطين بالقبح، ولذلك فهم يشَبِّهون الجميل من البشر بالملك، مثل ما قال الله على لسان النسوة في النبي يوسف: ﴿فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَأً وَآتَتْ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًا وَقَالَتِ اخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُ أَكْبَرْنَهُ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَاشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ ٣١﴾.

 

وليست هناك نصوص تدل على أن هناك شبه بين الملائكة والبشر في الصورة، إلا ما ذكره الرسول: « .. ورأيت جبريل عليه السلام، فإذا أقرب من رأيت به شبهاً دحية بن خليفة»، وتشبيهه بالصحابي دحية إما أن يكون دحية يشبه جبريل في صورته الحقيقية، أو عندما تَشَبَّه به في صورة بشر. والرأي الآخر هو الأرجح لما ذُكر أن جبريل كان يتمثل في هيئة دحية كثيراً.

 

وللملائكة ثلاثة صفات أساسية يتميزون بها عن البشر: لا يوصفون بالذكورة أو الأنوثة، ولا يأكلون ولا يشربون ولا يتناكحون، ولا يملون ولا يتعبون. فهم منزوعي الشهوة، لذلك لا تشتهي أنفسهم الطعام والشراب أو النكاح. وقد وصف المشركون الملائكة بأنهم إناثاً بنات الله، فاستنكرت العديد من الآيات هذا الوصف وجعل الله لقولهم شهادة ليحاسبهم عليه، قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَاثًا أَشَهِدُوا خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ وَيُسْأَلُونَ ١٩﴾. وأما عند عدم شربهم وأكلهم فهم لا يحتاجون الطعام ولا يشتهونه، ومِمَّا ورد أنهم عندما جاؤوا النبي إبراهيم في صورة بشر وقدم إليهم الطعام لم تمتد إليهم، جاء في القرآن: ﴿هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ ٢٤ إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ سَلَامٌ قَوْمٌ مُنْكَرُونَ ٢٥ فَرَاغَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَجَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ سَمِينٍ ٢٦ فَقَرَّبَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ ٢٧ فَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَامٍ عَلِيمٍ ٢٨﴾. قال الفخر الرازي: «العلماء اتفقوا على أن الملائكة لا يأكلون ولا يشربون ولا يتناكحون». والصفة الثالثة لا يملون ولا يتعبون، حيث أنهم يقومون بعبادة الله وطاعته وتنفيذ أوامره من دون ملل أو كلل، ولا يدركهم ما يدرك البشر من تعب، قال تعالى: ﴿يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ٢٠﴾. وفي آية أخرى: ﴿فَإِنِ اسْتَكْبَرُوا فَالَّذِينَ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْأَمُونَ ٣٨﴾. ولا يفترون أي لا ينامون ولا يسأمون أي لا يملون.

 

يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة تسكن السماء، وتتخذها منزلاً، وأنهم أحياناً ينزلون للأرض لتنفيذ مهمات وُكِّلت إليهم، مثل مقاتلتهم في غزوة بدر، وأحياناً ينزلون في مناسبات خاصة، مثل ليلة القدر. قال الله: ﴿لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ٣ تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ٤﴾.

 

القدرات

 

تخطيط الملائكة عليهم السلام

التشكل: يؤمن المسلمون بأن الله أعطى الملائكة القدرة على التشكل في هيئة غير هيئتهم وصورتهم. فقد جاء جبريل لمريم بنت عمران في صورة بشر، والنبي إبراهيم جاءته الملائكة في صورة بشر، والنبي لوط جاؤوا إليه في صورة شباب حسن الوجوه. وقد أتى جبريل النبي محمد في صور متعددة، كصورة دحية الكلبي أو صورة أعرابي، وشاهده الصحابة كذلك عندما أتى النبي على هيئة أعرابي سائلاً عن الإيمان والإحسان والساعة وأمارتها ليُعَلِّمَ المسلمين دينَهم. وأرسل الله ملكاً في صورة آدمي للملائكة المختصمين في أمر الرجل الذي قتل تسعاً وتسعين نفساً فحكم بينهم. وقد رأت عائشة النبي وهو واضع يده على معرفة فرس دحية بن خليفة ويكلمه، فلما سألته عن ذلك قال: «ذلك جبريل، وهو يقرئك السلام».

السرعة: يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة عظيمي السرعة، وسرعتهم فوق كل سرعة، ولا تقاس بمقاييس البشر، فهم يؤمنون أنه إذا أحد سأل النبي عن شيء يأتيه جبريل من السماء في لحظات بسرعة قصوى ويجيبه، فيجيب السائل.

العلم: يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة لديهم العلم الوفير علمهم الله إياه، ولكن ليس لديهم القدرة على التعرف على الأشياء، كما يقدر الإنسان، فلا يميزون أو يعرفون شيئاً إلا إذا علمهم الله ذلك. قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَؤُلَاءِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ٣١ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ ٣٢﴾. ولكن الذي علمهم الله إياه أكثر مما يعرفه الإنسان. والملائكة مخلوقات تهتم بالعلم وتتحاور وتناقش بعضها بعضا عن بعض الأشياء، قال الرسول محمد: «أتَاني الليلةَ ربِّي تبارك وتعالى في أحسنِ صورةٍ فَقَالَ يا مُحمَّدُ هل تدري فيمَ يختصمُ الملأ الأعْلَى؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: لا، قَالَ فوضَعَ يدَهُ بيَن كَتِفَيَّ حتَّى وجدْتُ بَردَهَا بيَن ثديَيَّ أَوْ قَالَ في نَحْري فعلمتُ ما في السَّمَاوات وما في الأَرْضِ. قَالَ يا مُحمَّد هلْ تدري فيمَ يختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قُلت نعم في الكفَّارات، والدَّرجاتُ ..».

التنظيم: الملائكة منظمون في كل شؤونهم، وفي عبادتهم. وحث الرسول المسلمين على الاقتداء بهم في التنظيم حين قال: «ألا تصفون كما تصف الملائكة عند ربها؟» قيل يا رسول الله وكيف تصف الملائكة عند ربها؟ قال: «يتمون الصفوف ويتراصون في الصف». وتأتي الملائكة يوم القيامة في صفوف منتظمة: ﴿وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا ٢٢﴾، وفي آية أخرى ﴿يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا ٣٨﴾. وهم دقيقون حتى في تنفيذ الأوامر، قال النبي: «آتي باب الجنة فأستفتح فيقول: من أنت، فأقول محمد، فيقول بك أُمرت لا أفتح لأحد قبلك»، ومثال آخر على دقتهم وتنظيمهم، هو في رحلة الإسراء والمعراج، فكلما وصل جبريل باب كل سماء استأذن فلا يُفتح له باب السماء إلا بعد الاستفسار.

العصمة: يؤمن المسلمون بعصمة الملائكة، جميعهم دون استثناء، لأن ليس لهم القدرة على معصية الله، فهم مجبولون على الطاعة، ومِمَّا دل على ذلك قول الله: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ٦﴾ و﴿لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ ٢٧﴾.

أعداد الملائكة

يؤمن المسلمون بأن الملائكة خلق كثير لا يعلم عددهم إلا الله، وهم كثيرون جداً، وهناك أمثلة دلت على كثرتهم، ففي كل يوم يحج سبعون ألفاً للبيت المعمور ولا يعودون إليه، وهناك 4,900,000,000 ملك فقط لجر النار يوم القيامة لقول الرسول محمد: «يؤتى بجهنم يوم القيامة يومئذ لها سبعون ألف زمام مع كل زمام سبعون ألف ملك يجرونها». ولكل نطفة فهناك ملك موكل بها، ولكل إنسان ملكين يكتبان أعماله، وملائكة تحفظه، وهذا مِمَّ يدل على كثرتهم.

 

أعمال الملائكة

 

تخطيط لاسم الملاك ميكائيل مُلحقًا بالآية 98 من سورة البقرة.

تنقسم أعمال الملائكة لأربعة أقسام، أعمالهم مع الناس عامة، وأعمالهم مع المؤمنين والصالحين خاصة، وأعمالهم مع الكفرة والفساق والعصاة خاصة، وأعمالهم مع بقية المخلوقات من غير البشر.

 

والملائكة لهم عدة أعمال تجاه الناس عامة. فهم لهم دور في تكوين الإنسان، فعن أبي ذر الغفاري أن الرسول محمد قال: «إذا مر بالنطفة ثنتان وأربعون ليلة بعث الله إليها ملكاً، فصورها، وخلق سمعها وبصرها، وجلدها ولحمها وعظامها، ثم قال: أي رب: أذكر أم أنثى؟ فيقضي ربك ما يشاء ويكتب الملك». وهناك ملائكة موكلة بحراسة ابن آدم. قال الله: ﴿لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَالٍ ١١﴾. وقد بين المفسرون أن المعقبات هي الملائكة. وقد وُكِّل الملائكة أيضاً بأن يكونوا سفراء ورسل الله لرسله وأنبيائه، واختص بهذه المهمة جبريل. ولكن ليس كل من أتاه ملك فهو نبي، فقد أُرسل جبريل لمريم، ولأم إسماعيل عندما نفد منها الطعام والماء. ومن مهام الملائكة تحريك بواعث الخير في نفوس العباد، فكل إنسان حسب اعتقاد المسلمين وُكِّل به قرين من الملائكة وقرين من الجن، الأول يأمره بالخير ويرغبه فيه، والآخر يأمره بالشر ويرغبه فيه. قال الرسول محمد: «ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد وكل به قرينه من الجن وقرينه من الملائكة».

 

ومن مهام الملائكة تسجيل صالح أعمال بني آدم وسيئها. فكل إنسان وُكل به ملكين، حاضرين لا يفارقانه يحصيان عليه أعماله وأقواله. قال تعالى: ﴿إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ ١٧ مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ ١٨﴾. ومن مهام الملائكة ابتلاء بني آدم، فعن أبي هريرة أن الرسول قال: «إن ثلاثة في بني إسرائيل أبرص وأقرع وأعمى، بدا لله عز وجل أن يبتليهم فبعث إليهم ملكا، فأتى الأبرص فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك؟ قال: لون حسن وجلد حسن قد قذرني الناس، قال: فمسحه فذهب عنه فأعطي لونا حسنا وجلدا حسنا، فقال: أي المال أحب إليك؟ قال: الإبل أو قال البقر هو شك في ذلك إن الأبرص والأقرع قال أحدهما الإبل وقال الآخر البقر فأعطي ناقة عشراء، فقال: يبارك لك فيها. وأتى الأقرع فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك؟ قال: شعر حسن ويذهب عني هذا قد قذرني الناس، قال: فمسحه فذهب وأعطي شعرا حسنا، قال: فأي المال أحب إليك؟ قال البقر قال: فأعطاه بقرة حاملا، وقال: يبارك لك فيها. وأتى الأعمى فقال: أي شيء أحب إليك، قال: يرد الله إلي بصري فأبصر به الناس، قال فمسحه فرد الله إليه بصره، قال: فأي المال أحب إليك؟ قال: الغنم فأعطاه شاة والدا، فأنتج هذان وَوَلَّدَ هذا، فكان لهذا واد من إبل، ولهذا واد من بقر، ولهذا واد من غنم، ثم إنه أتى الأبرص في صورته وهيئته، فقال: رجل مسكين تقطعت بي الحبال في سفري فلا بلاغ اليوم إلا بالله ثم بك، أسألك بالذي أعطاك اللون الحسن والجلد الحسن والمال، بعيراً أتبلغ عليه في سفري، فقال: له إن الحقوق كثيرة، فقال له: كأني أعرفك ألم تكن أبرص يقذرك الناس فقيرا فأعطاك الله، فقال: لقد ورثت لكابر عن كابر، فقال: إن كنت كاذباً فصيرك الله إلى ما كنت. وأتى الأقرع في صورته وهيئته، فقال: له مثل ما قال لهذا، فرد عليه مثل ما رد عليه هذا، فقال: إن كنت كاذباً فصيرك الله إلى ما كنت. وأتى الأعمى في صورته، فقال: رجل مسكين وابن سبيل وتقطعت بي الحبال في سفري فلا بلاغ اليوم إلا بالله ثم بك، أسألك بالذي رد عليك بصرك، شاة أتبلغ بها في سفري، فقال: قد كنت أعمى فرد الله بصري، وفقيراً فقد أغناني، فخذ ما شئت فوالله لا أجهدك اليوم بشيء أخذته لله، فقال: أمسك مالك فإنما ابتليتم فقد رضي الله عنك وسخط على صاحبيك». ومن مهام الملائكة هي نزع أرواح العباد عندما تنتهي آجالهم، فقد اختص الله بعض ملائكته بنزع أرواح العباد، قال تعالى: ﴿قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ ١١﴾، وهم أكثر من ملك، وتنزع أرواح الكفرة والمجرمين نزعاً شديداً، بينما تنزع أرواح المؤمنين نزعاً رفيقاً وتبشرهم عند النزع.

 

هناك عدة أدوار واجبة على الملائكة تجاه المؤمنين، ومكلفون بها، أولها محبتهم للمؤمنين الذين يحبهم الله، فعن أبي هريرة أن الرسول محمد قال: «إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ الْعَبْدَ نَادَى جِبْرِيلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلَانًا فَأَحْبِبْهُ فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَيُنَادِي جِبْرِيلُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلَانًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِي الْأَرْضِ». ومن مهامهم تجاه المؤمنين تسديد المؤمنين، والصلاة على المؤمنين، وهناك عدة أعمال تصلي الملائكة على صاحبها، مثل معلم الناس الخير، والذين ينتظرون صلاة الجماعة، والذين يصلون في الصف الأول، والذين يسدون الفرج بين الصفوف، والذين يتسحرون، والذين يصلون على النبي، والذين يعودون المرضى. ومن مهامهم تأمين دعاء المؤمنين، فعن أم سلمة أن الرسول محمد قال: «لا تدعوا على أنفسكم إلا بخير فإن الملائكة يؤَمِّنُونَ على ما تقولون». ومن مهامهم استغفارهم للمؤمنين، وشهودهم مجالس العلم وحلق الذكر وحفهم أهلها بأجنحتهم، وتسجيلهم الذين يحضرون الجمعة، فعن أبي هريرة أن الرسول محمد قال: «إذا كان يوم الجمعة وقفت الملائكة على باب المسجد يكتبون الأول فالأول فإذا خرج الإمام طووا صحفهم ويستمعون الذكر». ومن مهامهم تعاقبهم في المؤمنين وتنزلهم عندما يقرؤون القرآن، وتبليغ الرسول عن أمته السلام، وتبشيرهم المؤمنين، ومقاتلتهم مع المؤمنين وتثبيتهم في حروبهم، عن ابن عباس عن الرسول محمد أنه قال: «هذا جبريل آخذ برأس فرسه عليه أداة حرب». ومن مهامهم حمايتهم للرسول محمد، ونصرتهم لصالحي العباد وتفريج كربهم. وشهودهم لجنازة الصالحين، وإظلالهم للشهيد بأجنحتهم. ومن مهامهم حمايتهم للمدينة ومكة من الدجال، حيث قال الرسول: «على أنقاب المدينة ملائكة، لا يدخلها الطاعون ولا الدجال».

 

أما عن دور الملائكة تجاه الكفار والفساق، فإن هناك بضعة مهام تؤديها الملائكة تجاه الكفار، أبرزها إنزال العذاب بهم، كإهلاك قوم لوط، ولعن الكفرة، قال الله: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ١٦١﴾، وقد تلعن الملائكة بعض من فعلوا ذنوباً معينة حتى لو كانوا مسلمين، مثل المرأة التي لا تستجيب لزوجها، والذي يشير لأخيه بحديدة، ومن سب أصحاب الرسول وفق تفاسير عُلماء أهل السُنَّة، ومن يحولون دون تنفيذ شرع الله والذي يؤوي محدثاً.

 

هناك ملائكة، وعددهم ثمانية، موكلون بحمل العرش، والله مستو عليه، قال تعالى: ﴿وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَى أَرْجَائِهَا وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ ١٧﴾. وللجبال ملك موكل بها، وللقطر والنبات ملك موكل بهما، ويُظن أنه ميكائيل. وللسحاب ملك موكل بها وهو الرعد، حيث قال الرسول محمد: «الرعد ملك من الملائكة موكل بالسحاب معه مخاريق من نار، يسوق بها السحاب حيث شاء الله».

 

عبادة الملائكة

يؤمن المسلمون إيماناً تاماً، بأن الملائكة مخلوقون، ومفطورون، ومجبولون، ومطبوعون على طاعة الله وعبادته، أي يعجزون عجزاً تاماً على معصية الله، ولكنه لا يكلفهم مجاهدة كما عند الإنسان، لأنه لا شهوة لهم، وتركهم للمعصية وطاعتهم لله جبلة.

 

وهناك عدة عبادات يفعلها الملائكة، غير طاعتهم لله في تنفيذ المهمات الموكلة إليهم، أولها التسبيح، فالملائكة يسبحون الله ويذكرونه، فيسبحه حملة عرشه ﴿الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ٧﴾، ويسبحه عموم ملائكته ﴿تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِهِنَّ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ٥﴾. وهم دائمو التسبيح لا ينقطع ليلاً أو نهاراً حيث قال الله: ﴿يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ٢٠﴾ [الأنبياء:20]. ويفخرون بكثرة تسبيحهم حيث قال الله على لسانهم: ﴿وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ ١٦٦﴾. والعبادة الثانية التي يقوم بها الملائكة هي عبادة الاصطفاف، فاصطفاف الملائكة عند الله عبادة، ويفخرون بإنهم هم الصافون حيث قال الله على لسانهم: ﴿وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ ١٦٥﴾ وهم يركعون ويسجدون ويقومون إلى جانب اصطفافهم، فعن حكيم بن حزام أن الرسول محمد قال: «أتسمعون ما أسمع؟» قالوا: "ما نسمع من شيء". قال: «إني لأسمع أطيط السماء وما تلام أن تئط، مافيها موضع شبر إلا عليه ملك ساجد أو قائم». ومن عبادة الملائكة الحج، فللملائكة كعبة في السماء تسمى البيت المعمور، أقسم الله بها في كتابه حين قال: ﴿وَالْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ ٤﴾، يدخله كل يوم 70 ألف ملك فيتعبدون فيه ويطوفون حوله ولا يعودون إليه مرة أخرى، قال الرسول: « .. ثم رُفع بي إلى البيت المعمور، وإذا هو يدخله كل يوم سبعين ألفاً لا يعودون إليه آخر ما عليهم». ويقع البيت المعمور في السماء السابعة بحيال البيت، أي فوق كعبة الأرض. ومن عبادة الملائكة أيضاً خوفهم من الله وخشيتهم، فهم يخشون الله بدليل قوله: ﴿يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ ٢٨﴾ وأيضاً قول الرسول: «مررت ليلة أُسري بي بالملأ الأعلى وجبريل كالحلس البالي من خشية الله».

 

وفاة الملائكة

اختلف أهل العلم في وفاة الملائكة على قولين:

 

أنهم يموتون، وهذا قول الجمهور، واستدلوا بعدد من الأحاديث التي لا تقوى، إلا أن أقوى أدلتهم هو عموم الآية في قول الله تعالى: ﴿وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ٨٨﴾

أنهم لا يموتون، وقد اختار هذا القول ابن حزم وبعض المفسرين، واستدلوا لقولهم بالاستثناء في قوله تعالى: ﴿وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ ٦٨﴾ِ.

من ذُكر منهم

 

نقش يبين اسم أحد الملائكة (إسرافيل) وفق التسمية الإسلامية.

جبريل: الملك جبريل ذكر أكثر من مرة في القرآن باسمه صراحة أو باسم الروح، وهو الملك المتكفل بالوحي، وله مكانة رفيعة عند الله حسب اعتقاد المسلمين، فقد أرسله الله لأنبيائه ورسله ليبلغهم الوحي، ولا تقتصر مهمته على تبليغ الوحي، فقد كان ينزل في ليالي رمضان ليدارس النبي محمد القرآن. وقد أمّه صلاةً ليعلمه كيف يؤدي الصلاة، ورقاه، وحارب معه في غزوة بدر وغزوة الخندق.

ميكائيل: ذُكر في القرآن باسمه ميكال صراحة، وبحسب ابن كثير فإنه هو الملك الموكل بالمطر والنبات.

إسرافيل: وهو الملك الذي ينفخ في الصور عند قرب القيامة بحسب ما ذكر في الحديث، وكان هؤلاء الثلاثة (جبريل وميكائيل وإسرافيل) يستفتح بهم النبي محمد صلاته في الليل ويذكرهم في دعائه.

مالك: خازن النار وجاء اسمه صريحاً في القرآن ﴿وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ مَاكِثُونَ ٧٧﴾.

رضوان: خازن الجنة وجاء اسمه صريحاً في بعض الأحاديث.

منكر ونكير: هما ملكان موكلان بسؤال الإنسان عند موته في قبره عن دينه وإلهه ونبيه، وقد ذكر اسمهيما صريحاً في بعض الأحاديث.

هاروت وماروت: ملكان ذُكر اسمهما في القرآن، وأنهما نزلا بأرض بابل. ﴿وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُمْ بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ١٠٢﴾.

ملك الموت: هو الملك الموكل بنزع أرواح العباد، لم يذكر اسمه صراحة بالقرآن والسنة، وجاء فيهما ذكر اسم «ملك الموت». ﴿قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ ١١﴾.

حملة العرش: هم ملائكة موكلون بحمل العرش وعددهم ثمانية، وجاء ذكرهم في القرآن. ﴿وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَى أَرْجَائِهَا وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ ١٧﴾.

ملك الجبال: هو ملك موكل بالجبال، وذُكرت له قصة مع النبي محمد في بعض الأحاديث.

الزبانية: هم خزنة جهنم، وهم من الملائكة. جاء ذكرهم في القرآن : ﴿سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ ١٨﴾. وعددهم تسعة عشر ﴿عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ ٣٠﴾.

انظر أيضًا

أركان الإيمان

مصادر أساسية

القرآن الكريم

صحيح مسلم

صحيح البخاري

الحبائك في أخبار الملائك

عالم الملائكة الأبرار

مراجع

كتاب شعب الإيمان للبيهقي 1\405-406.

كتاب الحبائك في أخبار الملائك،جلال الدين السيوطي، ص 10.

المقروءة لمحمد العثيمين[وصلة مكسورة]، الإيمان بالملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 2016-03-05 على موقع واي باك مشين.

أسس العقيدة الإسلامية،موقع وذكر. نسخة محفوظة 13 سبتمبر 2016 على موقع واي باك مشين.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار لعمر الأشقر، ص 82، 83، 84، 85، 86.

صحيح البخاري: 1\512 ورقمه:416.

إسلام ويب: تفسير القرطبي لآية (قل من كان عدواً لجبريل..) "نسخة مؤرشفة". مؤرشف من الأصل في 2016-04-29. اطلع عليه بتاريخ 2014-06-23.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 99، 100، 101، 102.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 24.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 25.

رواه مسلم: 4\1866 ورقمه:2401.

مقاتل من الصحراء،وصف الملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 03 مايو 2017 على موقع واي باك مشين.

l موقع الشيخ بن جبرين، مادة خلق الملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 16 أغسطس 2016 على موقع واي باك مشين.

الألوكة الشرعية، الإيمان بالملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 03 فبراير 2017 على موقع واي باك مشين.

صحيح مسلم: 4\2294 ورقمه:2996.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 11

صحيح سنن أبي داود: 3\895 ورقمه 9353.

صحيح مسلم: 1\159 ورقمه:177.

صحيح البخاري: 8\610 ورقمه:4856، 4857.

رواه البخاري: 7\312 ورقمه:3992.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار ص:15.

صحيح مسلم: 1\153 ورقمه 167.

كتاب الحبائك في أخبار الملائك، ص 264.

عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 19.

أخرجه أحمد في مسنده.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 28,29.

صحيح سنن الترمذي، 3\9 ورقمه: 2580 و2581.

صحيح مسلم: 1\322 ورقمه: 430.

صحيح مسلم: 1\188 ورقمه: 197.

نداء الإيمان، عصمة الملائكة.في تفسير القرآن الكريم/فصل: في القول في عصمة الملائكة:/i543&d820848&c&p1 نسخة محفوظة 10 2يناير8 على موقع واي باك مشين.

البحر المحيط، عصمة الملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 20 يناير 2018 على موقع واي باك مشين.

نداء الإيمان، الإيمان بالملائكة.الفقه الإسلامي في ضوء القرآن والسنة/عدد الملائكة:/i725&d1034186&c&p1 نسخة محفوظة 10 2يناير8 على موقع واي باك مشين.

صحيح مسلم: 4\2842 ورقمه: 2842.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 19,20.

صحيح مسلم: 4\2037 ورقمه: 2645.

التفسير الكبير، سورة الرعد. نسخة محفوظة 26 سبتمبر 2017 على موقع واي باك مشين.

صحيح البخاري، 6\500 ورقمه: 3464.

رواه مسلم: 4\2275 ورقمه:2964.

كتاب عالم الملائكة الأبرار، ص 63 إلى 81.

صحيح البخاري: 6\303 ورقمه: 3209.

صيد الفوائد، من تصلي عليهم الملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 24 يناير 2018 على موقع واي باك مشين.

صحيح مسلم: 2\634 ورقمه: 920.

صيد الفوائد، الاستغفار للمؤمنين. نسخة محفوظة 24 سبتمبر 2015 على موقع واي باك مشين.

مشكاة المصابيح: 1\436 ورقمه: 1384.

صحيح البخاري: 7\312 ورقمه: 3995.

صحيح البخاري: 13\101 ورقمه: 7123.

موقع الشيخ محمد بن عثيمين، باب حق الزوج على المرأة. [وصلة مكسورة] نسخة محفوظة 16 يونيو 2015 على موقع واي باك مشين.

إسلام ويب، باب النهي عن الإشارة بالسلاح إلى مسلم. نسخة محفوظة 15 أبريل 2017 على موقع واي باك مشين.

صحيح سنن الترمذي: 3\64 ورقمه: 2492.

سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة: حديث رقم 852

صحيح مسلم: 1\146 ورقمه: 162

صحيح البخاري: 6\103 ورقمه: 3207

صحيح الجامع: 5\206

إسلام ويب، موت الملائكة. نسخة محفوظة 19 يوليو 2019 على موقع واي باك مشين.

السلسلة الصحيحة، رقم: (1079): قال رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " كيف أَنْعَم وقد التقَمَ صاحِبُ القرن القَرْنَ وحَنى جبهتَه وأصغى سمعَه؛ يَنتظِر أن يُؤمر أن يَنفخ، فيَنفخ " قال المسلمون: فكيف نقول يا رسولَ الله؟ قال: " قولوا: حَسبنا الله ونِعم الوكيل، توكَّلنا على الله ربِّنا." وربَّما قال سفيان: " على الله توكَّلنا. " وقد روى هذا الحديثَ جمْعٌ من الصحابة الكرام عليهم أفضل الرضوان، منهم: أبو سعيد الخدري، وابن عباس، وزيد بن أرقم، وأنس بن مالك، وجابر بن عبد الله، والبراء بن عازب.

القرآن الكريم، سورة الزخرف، الآية 77.

القرآن الكريم، سورة البقرة، الآية 102.

القرآن الكريم، سورة السجدة، الآية 11.

القرآن الكريم، سورة الحاقة، الآية 17.

القرآن الكريم، سورة العلق، الآية 18.

القرآن الكريم، سورة المدثر، الآية 30.

الآيات

سورة النساء، الآية 136.

سورة التكوير، الآيات 19، 20، 21.

سورة عبس، الآيتين 15، 16.

سورة البقرة، الآية 30.

سورة النجم، الآية 13.

سورة فاطر، الآية الأولى.

سورة الصافات، الآية 164.

سورة النجم، الآيتان 19، 20.

سورة النجم، الآيتان 5 و 6.

سورة يوسف، الآية 31.

سورة الزخرف، الآية 19.

سورة الذاريات، الآيات 24، 25، 26، 27، 28.

سورة الأنبياء، الآية 20.

سورة فصلت، الآية 38.

سورة القدر، الآيتان 3 و 4.

سورة البقرة، الآيتين 32، 32.

سورة الفجر، الآية 22.

سورة النبأ، الآية 38.

سورة التحريم، الآية 6.

سورة الأنبياء، الآية 27.

سورة الرعد، الآية 11.

سورة ق، الآيتان 17، 18.

سورة السجدة، الآية 11.

سورة البقرة، الآية 161.

سورة الحاقة، الآية 17.

سورة غافر، الآية 7

سورة الشورى، الآية 5

سورة الصافات، الآية 166

سورة الصافات، الآية 165

سورة الطور، الآية 4

سورة الأنبياء، الآية 28

سورة القصص، الآية 88

سورة الزمر، الآية 86

وصلات خارجية

الدرر السنية، الموسوعة العقدية، الكتاب الثالث: الإيمان بالملائكة.

موقع الشيخ ابن جبرين.

الملائكة.

 

في كومنز مواد ذات صلة بـ الملائكة في الإسلام.

عنت

الإسلام

عنت

المعصومون عند الشيعة الاثنا عشرية

عنت

إلهيات

ضبط استنادي عدلها في ويكي بيانات

بوابة الإسلام بوابة الحديث النبوي بوابة القرآن

هذه مقالةٌ جيّدةٌ، بدءًا من نسخة 24 أغسطس 2014 (قارن بالنسخة الحالية · صفحة النقاش· صفحة التصويت)

تصنيفات: الملائكة في الإسلامأركان الإيمانالطهارة في الإسلاممعتقدات إسلامية

آخر تعديل لهذه الصفحة كان يوم 3 ديسمبر 2025، الساعة 22:29.

النصوص متاحة تحت رخصة المشاع الإبداعي الملزمة بنسبة العمل لمؤلفه وبترخيص الأعمال المشتقة بالمثل 4.0؛ قد تُطبّق شروط إضافية. استخدامُك هذا الموقع هو موافقةٌ على شروط الاستخدام وسياسة الخصوصية. ويكيبيديا ® هي علامة تجارية مسجلة لمؤسسة ويكيميديا، وهي منظمة غير ربحية.

سياسة الخصوصيةحول ويكيبيدياإخلاء مسؤوليةالقواعد السلوكيةالمطورونإحصائياتبيان تعريف الارتباطاتنسخة للأجهزة المحمولة

  

In Islam, angels (Arabic: ملاك٬ ملك‎, romanized: malāk; plural: ملائِكة‎, malāʾik/malāʾikah or Persian: فرشته, romanized: ferešte) are believed to be heavenly beings, created from a luminous origin by Allah.[1][2][3][4] The Quran is the principal source for the Islamic concept of angels,[5] but more extensive features of angels appear in hadith literature, Mi'raj literature, Islamic exegesis, theology, philosophy, and mysticism.[3][4][6]

 

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Belief in angels is one of the core tenets within Islam, as it is one of the six articles of faith.[7][8] Angels are more prominent in Islam compared to Jewish and Christian traditions.[9] The angels differ from other invisible creatures in their attitude as creatures of virtue, in contrast to evil devils (Arabic: شَيَاطِين, romanized: šayāṭīn or Persian: دیو, romanized: dīv) and ambiguous jinn (Arabic: جِنّ or Persian: پَری, romanized: parī).[10][3][11][12] Despite being considered to be virtuous beings, angels are not necessarily bringers of good news, as per Islamic tradition, angels can perform grim and violent tasks.[13]

 

Angels are conceptualized as heavenly beings. As such, they are said to lack passion and bodily desires. If angels can nevertheless fail, is debated in Islam. Mu'tazilites and many Salafis usually hold the opinion that angels are always obedient and never fail to perform their tasks. In contrast, schools of theology (Kalām) often accept the fallibility of angels. Ashʿarites agree that angels have no free agency, but argue that they may still fail and then fall. Māturīdites say that the heavenly creatures are tested, and angels may fail such a test, whereupon they are dismissed from their duties.

 

In Islamic philosophy and Sufism, angels are related to the nature of reason ('aql). According to Sufi cosmology, they connect the higher realms of the intellect with the lower world of matter. Thus, the human mind is conceptualized to form a connection with the heavenly spheres (malakūt) through such heavenly entities associated with light (nūr). In contrast, the devils attempt to disturb the connection by diverging the mind to the lower spheres, thus associated with fire (nār).

 

Etymology

 

Angel Blowing a Woodwind, ink and opaque watercolor painting from Safavid Iran, c. 1500, Honolulu Academy of Arts.

The Quranic word for angel (Arabic: ملك, romanized: malak) derives either from Malaka, meaning "he controlled", due to their power to govern different affairs assigned to them,[14] or from the triliteral root '-l-k, l-'-k or m-l-k with the broad meaning of a "messenger", just as its counterpart in Hebrew (malʾákh). Unlike the Hebrew word, however, the term is used exclusively for heavenly spirits of the divine world, as opposed to human messengers. The Quran refers to both angelic and human messengers as rasul instead.[15]

 

In pre-Islamic Arabian culture, the term was also used by the Thamud for beings who deserve supplication.[16]

 

Quran and exegesis

 

Muhammad meets the angel with seventy heads. Miraj Name, Herat, Afghanistan, 1436-1437. The figure may may have been identified as one of the Buddhist beings of the Brahmaloka, the non-sensual realm, and be a representation of the Boddhisatva Avalokiteśvara.[17] From this figure they received their representation.

 

Muhammad requests Maalik to show him Hell during his heavenly journey. Miniature from The David Collection. The showing of the face of the Muhammad and other prophets is forbidden in Islam

The Quran describes angels in the context of earlier Middle Eastern cultural traditions, both monotheistic and polytheistic belief-systems.[18] Belief in angels is prescribed for the believer.[19][20] Surah 35 is, in some manuscripts, named after them (al-malā’ikah).[21] With a few exceptions, angels in the Quran are largely impersonal.[22] They appear in stories about the mythic past, eschatological imagery (heaven/hell), and in discussions about prophecy and worship.[23]

 

While in the Bible the term 'angel' refers to 'messengers' (mundane or divine) the Quran uses the term 'rasul' instead.[24][25] Angels are solely heavenly spirits. As in Biblical tradition, angels deliver the message to Zechariah (3:39) and Mary (3:45).[26] In the Quran, angels are not limited to be messengers but are also part of the heavenly council. They serve as scribes (50:17-18), serve as God's warriors (9:26), and carry God's throne.[27] God commands the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, similar to the Syrian Cave of Treasures.[28]

 

The Quran portrays the Jahiliyyah as worshipping angels as minor deities (Surah 53:19-22; 6:100; 16:57; 37:149), believed to function as intercessors (Surah 10:18). In the pre-Islamic Arabian religion, deities, jinn, angels, and demons are not clearly distinguished and shade into another.[29][30] Several angels in the Quran function as personified meteorological phenomena, and may root in polytheistic animistic beliefs.[31]

 

The Quranic creation account suggests the superiority of humans over angels: When God creates Adam, he taught him the names of all things, knowledge the angels lack. Muslim exegetes read this as a demonstration of the a unique capacity (exercise of 'aql) whereas the angels are lacking.[32][33] As such, angels are no longer objects of deserving worship and also become distinguished from God.[34] According to Quranic exegesis, some angels refused to accept the superiority of mankind and became devils (šayāṭīn).[35] This debate is closely related to a discussion regarding other verses about angels.

 

Prostration of angels and obedience

 

Angels discuss the creation of Adam. Painting from a manuscript of the Manṭiq al-ṭayr (The Conference of the Birds) of Farīd al-Dīn ʿAṭṭār. Iran, Shiraz, 899/1494.

A key event regarding angels in the Quran is the command addressed to the angels to bow before the newly created Adam. According to the Quran, the angels object to the creation of mankind at first, arguing that they commit the sins the jinn committed previously.[36][37] After the objection of the angels, Adam demonstrates his ability to "name all things" and whereupon all angels bow down, except Iblis.[36]

 

That Iblis is a fallen angel was widely accepted among Classical scholars of Islam.[a] Objection towards the concept of fallen angels, however, is attested as early as to the influential Hasan of Basra (d. 728), who is often considered one of the first who asserted the doctrine of angelic infallibility and he rejected that Iblis was an angel. While the arguments existed early on, opposition to fallen angels was not universal in early Islam, as Tabari (839–923 CE), for example, does not mention angelic infallibility, when discussing the nature of Iblis.[39] The traditions of ibn Abbas (angels can sin), and Hasan of Basra (angels cannot sin), reflect two different interpretations of the Islamic conceptualization of angels.[39]

 

Bulak al-Djurdjani opposes the ‘iṣmah (infallibility) of angels on the ground that the protest of the angels proves inevitably potential flaws in their character, such as slander, pride, malice, and finding fault with God.[40] In a comment by Gibril Haddad on Qadi Baydawi's defense on angelic fallibility, in his Tafsir al-Baydawi, it is said that the angels' "obedience is their nature while their disobedience is a burden, while human beings' obedience is a burden and their hankering after lust is their nature."[41]: 546 

 

Infallible

Opposition to the concept of the fallen angel is mostly found among the Qadariyah and most Mu'tazilites.[42] Many Salafis also agree with this view.[43] Those who oppose angelic fallibility refer to Surah at-Tahrim (66:6)[44] in favor of their position:

 

O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by formidable and severe angels, who never disobey whatever Allah orders—always doing as commanded.

 

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi is an exception to most Sunni mutakallimūn, and agrees that angels are free from any form of sin and includes angelic infallibility to the six articles of faith.[45] Al-Razi argues that "except Iblis" (2:34, 18:50) is read as an "interrupted exception" (istithna munqathi), excluding Iblis from the group of angels and states that he hailed from jinn species instead.[46] Ibn Taimiyya rejects any ambiguity on the nature of Iblis and portrays him as a satanic jinni in contrast to the obedient angels.[47][48] Following the opinions of ibn Taimiyya and his disciple ibn Kathir, many scholars of Salafism and Wahhabism agree on this.[49] Furthermore, many of them regard this as a major difference between Christianity and Islam.[48]

 

A possible reconciliation of Iblis' fall and the doctrine of angelic impeccability is to say that God wanted Iblis to disobey[50][51] or that Iblis' disobedience derives from a noble yet misguided motivation.[52] Mahmud al-Alusi resolves potential conflicts by iterating that ʿAzāzīl was first an infallible angel, but then God removed his angelic nature and replaced it with satanic attributes, whereupon he becomes Iblis and sinned.[53]

 

Fallible

 

The angels Harut and Marut punished by hanging over the well, condemned to teach sorcery. (c. 1703)

According to those who accept the concept of fallen angels, the phrase "except Iblis" in 2:34 and 18:50 is understood as an uninterrupted exception (istithna' muttasil).[54] Therefore, Iblis is an exception from within number of angel and thus an angel himself.

 

According to a number of traditional exegetes, God's command to bow before Adam is meant to test the angels.[55] Al-Maturidi (853–944 CE) explains the test of the angels as follows

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to become synonyms of Mughal architecture with the architectural style reaching its zenith 80 years later at the later Taj Mahal. Humayun’s Tomb stands within a complex of 27.04 ha. that includes other contemporary, 16th century Mughal garden-tombs such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan, Bu Halima, Afsarwala, Barber’s Tomb and the complex where the craftsmen employed for the Building of Humayun’s Tomb stayed, the Arab Serai.

 

Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s, with the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar. Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the garden-tomb, far grander than any tomb built before in the Islamic world. Humayun’s garden-tomb is an example of the charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels. The garden is entered from lofty gateways on the south and from the west with pavilions located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls.

  

Hegra (Ancient Greek: Ἕγρα),[1][2] known to Muslims as Al-Hijr (Arabic: ٱلْحِجْر),[3] also known as Mada’in Salih[4] (Arabic: مَدَائِن صَالِح, romanized: madāʼin Ṣāliḥ, lit. 'Cities of Salih'), is an archaeological site located in the area of Al-'Ula[5] within Medina Province in the Hejaz region, Saudi Arabia. A majority of the remains date from the Nabataean Kingdom (1st century AD). The site constitutes the kingdom's southernmost and second largest city after Petra (now in Jordan), its capital city.[6] Traces of Lihyanite and Roman occupation before and after the Nabatean rule, respectively, can also be found.

 

The Quran[7][8][3][9][10][11][12] places the settlement of the area by the Thamudi people during the days of Salih, between those of Nuh (Noah) and Hud on one hand, and those of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Musa (Moses) on the other. However, a definitive historical chronology can not be obtained through the order of verses due to the fact that the Quranic chapters (see surah) deal with different subjects in non-chronologic order.[13] According to the Islamic text, the Thamudis were punished by God for their idolatry, struck by an earthquake and lightning blasts. Thus, the site has earned a reputation as a cursed place—an image which the national government is attempting to overcome as it seeks to develop Mada'in Salih for its potential for tourism.[14]

  

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Work on the construction of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque complex on a site by a main road between Muscat and Seeb began early in 1995. It was completed six years later and inaugurated by His Majesty the Sultan in May 2001. The developed part of the site, including the fully consolidated areas and landscaping, covers 416,000 square metres. The Mosque complex (covering 40,000 square metres) is constructed on a raised podium keeping the tradition of Omani mosques that were built elevated from street level. It can accommodate up to 20,000 worshipers and consists of a main prayer hall, ladies prayer hall, covered passageways, a meeting hall, and library which will eventually contain up to 20,000 books.

 

The whole interior of the Grand Mosque is panelled with off-white and dark grey marble panelling clothed in cut tile work. Ceramic floral patterns adorn arch framed mural panels set in the marble forming blind niches in a variety of classical Persian, predominantly Safavid, designs. The ceilings are inspired by those of Omani forts. The mihrab in the main prayer hall is framed by a border of Quranic verses and a gilded ceramic surround. The dome comprises a series of ornate, engraved stained glass triangles within a framework of marble columns, and a Swarovski crystal chandelier with gold-plated metalwork hangs down for a length of 14 meters. A major feature of the main prayer hall is the hand-made Persian carpet consisting of . 1,700 million knots, weighing 21 tonnes and made in a single piece measuring 70 x 60 metres. From design stage it took 4 years to complete and 600 female weavers from province of Khurasan in Iran were involved.

 

Camera Model: PENTAX K20D; Focal length: 65.00 mm; Aperture: 4.5; Exposure time: 1/60 s; ISO: 200

 

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Inside Humayun's Tomb

 

This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.

 

Taken on 28.11.2020

 

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Brief Synthesis

 

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to become synonyms of Mughal architecture with the architectural style reaching its zenith 80 years later at the later Taj Mahal. Humayun’s Tomb stands within a complex of 27.04 ha. that includes other contemporary, 16th century Mughal garden-tombs such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan, Bu Halima, Afsarwala, Barber’s Tomb and the complex where the craftsmen employed for the Building of Humayun’s Tomb stayed, the Arab Serai.

 

Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s, with the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar. Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the garden-tomb, far grander than any tomb built before in the Islamic world. Humayun’s garden-tomb is an example of the charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels. The garden is entered from lofty gateways on the south and from the west with pavilions located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls.

 

The mausoleum itself stands on a high, wide terraced platform with two bay deep vaulted cells on all four sides. It has an irregular octagon plan with four long sides and chamfered edges. It is surmounted by a 42.5 m high double dome clad with marble flanked by pillared kiosks (chhatris) and the domes of the central chhatris are adorned with glazed ceramic tiles. The middle of each side is deeply recessed by large arched vaults with a series of smaller ones set into the facade.

 

The interior is a large octagonal chamber with vaulted roof compartments interconnected by galleries or corridors. This octagonal plan is repeated on the second storey. The structure is of dressed stone clad in red sandstone with white and black inlaid marble borders.

 

Humayun’s garden-tomb is also called the ‘dormitory of the Mughals’ as in the cells are buried over 150 Mughal family members.

 

The tomb stands in an extremely significant archaeological setting, centred at the Shrine of the 14th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Since it is considered auspicious to be buried near a saint’s grave, seven centuries of tomb building has led to the area becoming the densest ensemble of medieval Islamic buildings in India.

 

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Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture.

 

Timeline of Hagia Sophia:

 

360 A.D- Inauguration of Hagia Sophia, under the rule of Constantius II.

404 A.D- The original roof was destroyed in a fire.

415 A.D- Hagia Sophia was restored and rededicated by Theodious II.

532 A.D- Hagia Sophia was burned down once again. The structure was completely destroyed alongside various other churches. After a mere 93 days, construction of the Hagia Sophia began.

537 A.D- The reconstruction was completed with the lavish decorations and ornaments

553 A.D- An earthquake shook Hagia Sophia, weakening the crown of Eastern arch.

558 A.D- Another earthquake hit, causing a break between the two halves. A few months after, the main dome collapsed alongside the eastern semidome. This caused the destruction of the ambo, ciborium, and the Holy Table.

562-reconstruction was completed.

726 A.D- Hagia Sophia was stripped of religious illustrations and sculptural work.

842 A.D- St Sophia was finally re-installed. Commencing the redecoration of Hagia Sophia.

859 A.D- A great fire damaged Hagia Sophia

869 A.D- An Earthquake caused a half dome to collapse.

989 A.D- Another massive earthquake caused the collapse of the western dome.

994 A.D- Hagia Sophia was reopened after reconstruction took place.

1204 A.D- Hagia Sophia became a Roman Catholic Cathedral.

1261 A.D- Hagia Sophia was converted to a Orthodox Church again.

1344 A.D- An earthquake caused severe damage throughout the striation

1346 A.D- Various parts of the building collapsed and the church was closed.

1354 A.D- Hagia Sophia reopened after construction.

1453 A.D- Following the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed the Conqueror orders the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

1573 A.D- The exterior was significantly strengthened and altered to follow the customary mosque appearance

1717 A.D- Renovations on the interior began.

1734 A.D- Hagia Sophia had additions to restorations, such as the building of a library and a Quranic School.

1847 A.D- The structure underwent another restoration

1849 A.D- the mosque was reopened.

1935 A.D- the Building was transformed into a museum.

 

Source:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia#Timeline_of_Hagia_Sophia

  

Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s, with the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar. Persian and Indian craftsmen worked together to build the garden-tomb, far grander than any tomb built before in the Islamic world. Humayun’s garden-tomb is an example of the charbagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels. The garden is entered from lofty gateways on the south and from the west with pavilions located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls.

This photo was taken inside the Bolo Haouz Mosque — a historic Friday mosque just across from the Ark of Bukhara, near Registan Square. Built in 1712, it was the official place of worship for the emirs during the final years of the Emirate of Bukhara.

 

"Bolo Haouz" means "Children's Pool", referring to the reflecting pool before the mosque. While the exterior is known for its elegant wooden columns, the interior is just as striking. Detailed geometric patterns, soft pastel colors, and Quranic calligraphy surround the mihrab (prayer niche).

 

I arrived at a quiet time — only one man was praying, alone in a peaceful place, surrounded by centuries of art and faith..

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

 

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita de Córdoba) and the Mezquita, whose ecclesiastical name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

 

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784, Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.

 

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Panels of scented woods were fastened with nails of pure gold, and the red marble columns were said to be the work of God. The primitive part of the building, erected under the direction of Abd al-Rahman I., was that which borders the Court of Oranges. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba held a place of importance amongst the Islamic community of al-Andalus for three centuries. In Córdoba, the capital, the Mosque was seen as the heart and central focus of the city. Muhammad Iqbal described its hypostyle as having "countless pillars like rows of palm trees in the oases of Syria". To the people of al-Andalus "the beauty of the mosque was so dazzling that it defied any description."

 

The main hall of the mosque was used for a variety of purposes. It served as a central Prayer hall for personal devotion, the five daily Muslim prayers and the special Friday prayers. It also would have served as a hall for teaching and for Sharia law cases during the rule of Abd al-Rahman and his successors.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba exhibited features and an architectural appearance similar to the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, which may have been used as a model.

 

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches were inspired by those in the Dome of the Rock and also resemble those of the Aachen Cathedral, which were built almost at the same time. Horseshoe arches were known in the Iberian Peninsula since late Antiquity, as can be seen on the 3rd-century "Estela de los Flavios", now in the archaeological museum of León. A centrally located honeycombed dome has blue tiles decorated with stars.

 

The edifice also has a richly gilded prayer niche or mihrab. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants. Other prominent features were an open court (sahn) surrounded by arcades, screens of wood, minarets, colourful mosaics, and windows of coloured glass. The walls of the mosque had Quranic inscriptions written on them. As many adherents of Islam reject sculptural or pictorial representations of people or of God within religious contexts, all decoration of the cathedral is accomplished through tile work, calligraphy and architectural forms. Arrazi, an Arab writer, speaks of the valuable wine-coloured marble, obtained from the mountains of the district, which was much used in embellishing the naves of the mosque.

Various trees of life are recounted in folklore, culture and fiction, often relating to immortality or fertility. They had their origin in religious symbolism.

Ancient Iran

In pre-Islamic Persian mythology, the Gaokerena world tree is a large, sacred Haoma tree which bears all seeds. Ahriman (Ahreman, Angremainyu) created a frog to invade the tree and destroy it, aiming to prevent all trees from growing on the earth. As a reaction, God (Ahura Mazda) created two kar fish staring at the frog to guard the tree. The two fishes are always staring at the frog and stay ready to react to it. Because Ahriman is responsible for all evil including death, while Ahura Mazda is responsible for all good (including life) the concept of world tree in Persian Mythology is very closely related to the concept of Tree of Life.The sacred plant haoma and the drink made from it. The preparation of the drink from the plant by pounding and the drinking of it are central features of Zoroastrian ritual. Haoma is also personified as a divinity. It bestows essential vital qualities—health, fertility, husbands for maidens, even immortality. The source of the earthly haoma plant is a shining white tree that grows on a paradisiacal mountain. Sprigs of this white haoma were brought to earth by divine birds.Haoma is the Avestan form of the Sanskrit soma. The near identity of the two in ritual significance is considered by scholars to point to a salient feature of an Indo-Iranian religion antedating Zoroastrianism.

Another related issue in ancient mythology of Iran is the myth of Mashyа and Mashyane, two trees who were the ancestors of all living beings. This myth can be considered as a prototype for the creation myth where living beings are created by Gods (who have a human form).

Ancient Egypt

Worshipping Osiris, Isis, and Horus

To the Ancient Egyptians, the Tree of Life represented the hierarchical chain of events that brought every thing into existence. The spheres of the Tree of Life demonstrate the order, process, and method of creation.In Egyptian mythology, in the Ennead system of Heliopolis, the first couple, apart from Shu and Tefnut (moisture and dryness) are Geb and Nuit (earth and sky), are Isis and Osiris. They were said to have emerged from the acacia tree of Iusaaset, which the Egyptians considered the tree of life, referring to it as the "tree in which life and death are enclosed." Some acacia trees contain DMT, a psychedelic drug associated with spiritual experiences. The drug is not orally bio-available, however and there is no evidence the Egyptians had techniques for extracting or otherwise harnessing the drug. A much later myth relates how Set and 72 conspirators killed Osiris, putting him in a coffin, and throwing it into the Nile, the coffin becoming embedded in the base of a tamarisk tree.The Egyptians' Holy Sycamore also stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the two worlds.

Assyria

Assyrian tree of life, from Nimrud panels.The Assyrian Tree of Life was represented by a series of nodes and criss-crossing lines. It was apparently an important religious symbol, often attended to in Assyrian palace reliefs by human or eagle-headed winged genies, or the King, and blessed or fertilized with bucket and cone. Assyriologists have not reached consensus as to the meaning of this symbol. The name "Tree of Life" has been attributed to it by modern scholarship; it is not used in the Assyrian sources. In fact, no textual evidence pertaining to the symbol is known to exist.

Baha'i Faith

The concept of the tree of life appears in the writings of the Baha'i Faith, where it can refer to the Manifestation of God, a great teacher who appears to humanity from age to age. An example of this can be found in the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh:["Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awestruck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you."Also, in the Tablet of Ahmad [1], of Bahá'u'lláh:"Verily He is the Tree of Life, that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great".Bahá'u'lláh refers to his male descendents as branches (Aghsán) and calls women leaves.

A distinction has been made between the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The latter represents the physical world with its opposites, such as good and evil and light and dark. In a different context from the one above, the tree of life represents the spiritual realm, where this duality does not exist.

Buddhism

The Bo tree, also called Bodhi tree, according to Buddhist tradition, is the pipal (Ficus religiosa) under which the Buddha sat when he attained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at Bodh Gaya (near Gaya, west-central Bihar state, India). A living pipal at Anuradhapura, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), is said to have grown from a cutting from the Bo tree sent to that city by King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.According to Tibetan tradition when Buddha went to the holy Lake Manasorovar along with 500 monks, he took with him the energy of Prayaga Raj. Upon his arrival, he installed the energy of Prayaga Raj near Lake Manasorovar, at a place now known as Prayang. Then he planted the seed of this eternal banyan tree next to Mt. Kailash on a mountain known as the "Palace of Medicine Buddha".

China

In Chinese mythology, a carving of a Tree of Life depicts a phoenix and a dragon; the dragon often represents immortality. A Taoist story tells of a tree that produces a peach every three thousand years. The one who eats the fruit receives immortality.An archaeological discovery in the 1990s was of a sacrificial pit at Sanxingdui in Sichuan, China. Dating from about 1200 BCE, it contained three bronze trees, one of them 4 meters high. At the base was a dragon, and fruit hanging from the lower branches. At the top is a strange bird-like (phoenix) creature with claws. Also found in Sichuan, from the late Han dynasty (c 25 – 220 CE), is another tree of life. The ceramic base is guarded by a horned beast with wings. The leaves of the tree are coins and people. At the apex is a bird with coins and the Sun.

Christianity

In Catholic Christianity, the Tree of Life represents the immaculate state of humanity free from corruption and Original Sin before the Fall. Pope Benedict XVI has said that "the Cross is the true tree of life." Saint Bonaventure taught that the medicinal fruit of the Tree of Life is Christ himself. Saint Albert the Great taught that the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, is the Fruit of the Tree of Life.[18] Augustine of Hippo said that the tree of life is Christ: "All these things stood for something other than what they were, but all the same they were themselves bodily realities. And when the narrator mentioned them he was not employing figurative language, but giving an explicit account of things which had a forward reference that was figurative. So then the tree of life also was Christ... and indeed God did not wish the man to live in Paradise without the mysteries of spiritual things being presented to him in bodily form. So then in the other trees he was provided with nourishment, in this one with a sacrament... He is rightly called whatever came before him in order to signify him."[19]

 

The tree first appeared in Genesis 2:9 and 3:22-24 as the source of eternal life in the Garden of Eden, from which access is revoked when man is driven from the garden. It then reappears in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, and most predominantly in the last chapter of that book (Chapter 22) as a part of the new garden of paradise. Access is then no longer forbidden, for those who "wash their robes" (or as the textual variant in the King James Version has it, "they that do his commandments") "have right to the tree of life" (v.14). A similar statement appears in Rev 2:7, where the tree of life is promised as a reward to those who overcome. Revelation 22 begins with a reference to the "pure river of water of life" which proceeds "out of the throne of God". The river seems to feed two trees of life, one "on either side of the river" which "bear twelve manner of fruits" "and the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations" (v.1-2).[20] Or this may indicate that the tree of life is a vine that grows on both sides of the river, as John 15:1 would hint at.

In Eastern Christianity the tree of life is the love of God.The tree of life appears in the Book of Mormon in a revelation to Lehi (see 1 Nephi 8:10). It is symbolic of the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:21-23). Its fruit is described as "most precious and most desirable above all other fruits," which "is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see 1 Nephi 15:36). In another scriptural book, salvation is called "the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:13). In the same book eternal life is also called the "greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). Because of these references, the tree of life and its fruit is sometimes understood to be symbolic of salvation and post-mortal existence in the presence of God and his love.

Europe

11th century Tree of Life sculpture at an ancient Swedish church

In Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermetique (Paris, 1737), Antoine-Joseph Pernety, a famous alchemist, identified the Tree of Life with the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone.

In Eden in the East (1998), Stephen Oppenheimer suggests that a tree-worshipping culture arose in Indonesia and was diffused by the so-called "Younger Dryas" event of c. 8000 BCE, when the sea level rose. This culture reached China (Szechuan), then India and the Middle East. Finally the Finno-Ugaritic strand of this diffusion spread through Russia to Finland where the Norse myth of Yggdrasil took root.

Georgia

The Borjgali (Georgian: ბორჯღალი) is an ancient Georgian Tree of Life symbol.

Germanic paganism and Norse mythology[

In Germanic paganism, trees played (and, in the form of reconstructive Heathenry and Germanic Neopaganism, continue to play) a prominent role, appearing in various aspects of surviving texts and possibly in the name of gods.

The tree of life appears in Norse religion as Yggdrasil, the world tree, a massive tree (sometimes considered a yew or ash tree) with extensive lore surrounding it. Perhaps related to Yggdrasil, accounts have survived of Germanic Tribes' honouring sacred trees within their societies. Examples include Thor's Oak, sacred groves, the Sacred tree at Uppsala, and the wooden Irminsul pillar. In Norse Mythology, the apples from Iðunn's ash box provide immortality for the gods.

Hinduism

The Eternal Banyan Tree (Akshaya Vata) is located on the bank of the Yamuna inside the courtyard of Allahabad Fort near the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganga Rivers in Allahabad. The eternal and divine nature of this tree has been documented at length in the scriptures.[citation needed]

During the cyclic destruction of creation when the whole earth was enveloped by waters, akshaya vata remained unaffected. It is on the leaves of this tree that Lord Krishna rested in the form of a baby when land was no longer visible. And it is here that the immortal sage, Markandeya, received the cosmic vision of the Lord. It is under this tree that Buddha meditates eternally. Legend also has it that the Bodi tree at Gaya is a manifestation of this tree.

Islam

Carpet Tree of Life

Main article: Quranic tree of life

See also: Sidrat al-Muntaha

The "Tree of Immortality" (Arabic: شجرة الخلود) is the tree of life motif as it appears in the Quran. It is also alluded to in hadiths and tafsir. Unlike the biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, also called the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah.] The hadiths also speak about other trees in heaven.

According to the Ahmadiyya movement, Quranic reference to the tree is symbolic; eating of the forbidden tree signifies that Adam disobeyed God.[

Jewish sources

Main articles: Etz Chaim and Biblical tree of life

Etz Chaim, Hebrew for "tree of life," is a common term used in Judaism. The expression, found in the Book of Proverbs, is figuratively applied to the Torah itself. Etz Chaim is also a common name for yeshivas and synagogues as well as for works of Rabbinic literature. It is also used to describe each of the wooden poles to which the parchment of a Sefer Torah is attached.The tree of life is mentioned in the Book of Genesis; it is distinct from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. Remaining in the garden, however, was the tree of life. To prevent their access to this tree in the future, Cherubim with a flaming sword were placed at the east of the garden. (Genesis 3:22-24)

In the Book of Proverbs, the tree of life is associated with wisdom: "[Wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy [is every one] that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3:13-18) In 15:4 the tree of life is associated with calmness: "A soothing tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a wound to the spirit."

The Book of Enoch, generally considered non-canonical, states that in the time of the great judgment God will give all those whose names are in the Book of Life fruit to eat from the Tree of Life.

Kathara grid

The esoteric bio-spiritual healing system of kathara which is presented on Earth by the official Speaker of the Guardian Alliance – E’Asha Ashayana,explains in detail the function of the code of the kathara grid] as the natural tree of life. Kathara reveals the anatomy of Creation, core structure, the blueprints & interconnectedness of all matter forms and in the center is the replication of the kathara grid everywhere.The kathara grid consists of 12 kathara centers and the relationships between them represent the true meaning of the phrase "As above, so below" and the correspondence between microcosmos and macrocosmos.

Kabbalah. Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life 10 Sephirot, through which the Ein Sof unknowable Divine manifests Creation. The configuration relates to manJewish mysticism depicts the Tree of Life in the form of ten interconnected nodes, as the central symbol of the Kabbalah. It comprises the ten Sephirot powers in the Divine realm. The panentheistic and anthropomorphic emphasis of this emanationist theology interpreted the Torah, Jewish observance, and the purpose of Creation as the symbolic esoteric drama of unification in the Sephirot, restoring harmony to Creation. From the time of the Renaissance onwards, Jewish Kabbalah became incorporated as an important tradition in non-Jewish Western culture, first through its adoption by Christian Cabala, and continuing in Western esotericism occult Hermetic Qabalah. These adapted the Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life syncretically by associating it with other religious traditions, esoteric theologies, and magical practices.

Mesoamerican

The concept of world trees is a prevalent motif in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cosmologies and iconography. World trees embodied the four cardinal directions, which represented also the fourfold nature of a central world tree, a symbolic axis mundi connecting the planes of the Underworld and the sky with that of the terrestrial world.Depictions of world trees, both in their directional and central aspects, are found in the art and mythological traditions of cultures such as the Maya, Aztec, Izapan, Mixtec, Olmec, and others, dating to at least the Mid/Late Formative periods of Mesoamerican chronology. Among the Maya, the central world tree was conceived as or represented by a ceiba tree, and is known variously as a wacah chan or yax imix che, depending on the Mayan language.[32] The trunk of the tree could also be represented by an upright caiman, whose skin evokes the tree's spiny trunk.Directional world trees are also associated with the four Yearbearers in Mesoamerican calendars, and the directional colors and deities. Mesoamerican codices which have this association outlined include the Dresden, Borgia and Fejérváry-Mayer codices.[31] It is supposed that Mesoamerican sites and ceremonial centers frequently had actual trees planted at each of the four cardinal directions, representing the quadripartite concept.World trees are frequently depicted with birds in their branches, and their roots extending into earth or water (sometimes atop a "water-monster," symbolic of the underworld). The central world tree has also been interpreted as a representation of the band of the Milky Way.

Middle East

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a similar quest for immortality. In Mesopotamian mythology, Etana searches for a 'plant of birth' to provide him with a son. This has a solid provenance of antiquity, being found in cylinder seals from Akkad (2390–2249 BCE).The Book of One Thousand and One Nights has a story, 'The Tale of Buluqiya', in which the hero searches for immortality and finds a paradise with jewel-encrusted trees. Nearby is a Fountain of Youth guarded by Al-Khidr. Unable to defeat the guard, Buluqiya has to return empty-handed.

North American

In a myth passed down among the Iroquois, The World on the Turtle's Back, explains the origin of the land in which a tree of life is described. According to the myth, it is found in the heavens, where the first humans lived, until a pregnant woman fell and landed in an endless sea. Saved by a giant turtle from drowning, she formed the world on its back by planting bark taken from the tree.The tree of life motif is present in the traditional Ojibway cosmology and traditions. It is sometimes described as Grandmother Cedar, or Nookomis Giizhig in Anishinaabemowin.In the book Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota (Sioux) wičháša wakȟáŋ (medicine man and holy man), describes his vision in which after dancing around a dying tree that has never bloomed he is transported to the other world (spirit world) where he meets wise elders, 12 men and 12 women. The elders tell Black Elk that they will bring him to meet "Our Father, the two-legged chief" and bring him to the center of a hoop where he sees the tree in full leaf and bloom and the "chief" standing against the tree. Coming out of his trance he hopes to see that the earthly tree has bloomed, but it is dead

Serer religion

In Serer religion, the tree of life as a religious concept forms the basis of Serer cosmogony. Trees were the first things created on Earth by the supreme being Roog (or Koox among the Cangin). In the competing versions of the Serer creation myth, the Somb (Prosopis africana) and the Saas tree (acacia albida) are both viewed as trees of life. However, the prevailing view is that, the Somb was the first tree on Earth and the progenitor of plant life. The Somb was also used in the Serer tumuli and burial chambers, many of which had survived for more than a thousand years.Thus, Somb is not only the Tree of Life in Serer society, but the symbol of immortality

Urartian Tree of Life

In ancient Urartu, the Tree of Life was a religious symbol and was drawn on walls of fortresses and carved on the armor of warriors. The branches of the tree were equally divided on the right and left sides of the stem, with each branch having one leaf, and one leaf on the apex of the tree. Servants stood on each side of the tree with one of their hands up as if they are taking care of the tree.

Turkic .The Tree of Life, as seen as in flag of Chuvashia, a Turkic state in the Russian FederationThe Tree of Life design on 0,05 Turkish lira (5 kuruş).

The World Tree or Tree of Life is a central symbol in Turkic mythology.[citation needed] It is a common motif in carpets.

It is also used as the main design of a common Turkish lira sub-unit 5 kuruş since 2009.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

 

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita de Córdoba) and the Mezquita, whose ecclesiastical name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

 

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784, Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.

 

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Panels of scented woods were fastened with nails of pure gold, and the red marble columns were said to be the work of God. The primitive part of the building, erected under the direction of Abd al-Rahman I., was that which borders the Court of Oranges. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba held a place of importance amongst the Islamic community of al-Andalus for three centuries. In Córdoba, the capital, the Mosque was seen as the heart and central focus of the city. Muhammad Iqbal described its hypostyle as having "countless pillars like rows of palm trees in the oases of Syria". To the people of al-Andalus "the beauty of the mosque was so dazzling that it defied any description."

 

The main hall of the mosque was used for a variety of purposes. It served as a central Prayer hall for personal devotion, the five daily Muslim prayers and the special Friday prayers. It also would have served as a hall for teaching and for Sharia law cases during the rule of Abd al-Rahman and his successors.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba exhibited features and an architectural appearance similar to the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, which may have been used as a model.

 

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches were inspired by those in the Dome of the Rock and also resemble those of the Aachen Cathedral, which were built almost at the same time. Horseshoe arches were known in the Iberian Peninsula since late Antiquity, as can be seen on the 3rd-century "Estela de los Flavios", now in the archaeological museum of León. A centrally located honeycombed dome has blue tiles decorated with stars.

 

The edifice also has a richly gilded prayer niche or mihrab. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants. Other prominent features were an open court (sahn) surrounded by arcades, screens of wood, minarets, colourful mosaics, and windows of coloured glass. The walls of the mosque had Quranic inscriptions written on them. As many adherents of Islam reject sculptural or pictorial representations of people or of God within religious contexts, all decoration of the cathedral is accomplished through tile work, calligraphy and architectural forms. Arrazi, an Arab writer, speaks of the valuable wine-coloured marble, obtained from the mountains of the district, which was much used in embellishing the naves of the mosque.

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

 

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Spanish: Mezquita de Córdoba) and the Mezquita, whose ecclesiastical name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

 

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784, Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.

 

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Panels of scented woods were fastened with nails of pure gold, and the red marble columns were said to be the work of God. The primitive part of the building, erected under the direction of Abd al-Rahman I., was that which borders the Court of Oranges. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba held a place of importance amongst the Islamic community of al-Andalus for three centuries. In Córdoba, the capital, the Mosque was seen as the heart and central focus of the city. Muhammad Iqbal described its hypostyle as having "countless pillars like rows of palm trees in the oases of Syria". To the people of al-Andalus "the beauty of the mosque was so dazzling that it defied any description."

 

The main hall of the mosque was used for a variety of purposes. It served as a central Prayer hall for personal devotion, the five daily Muslim prayers and the special Friday prayers. It also would have served as a hall for teaching and for Sharia law cases during the rule of Abd al-Rahman and his successors.

 

The Great Mosque of Córdoba exhibited features and an architectural appearance similar to the Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, which may have been used as a model.

 

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches were inspired by those in the Dome of the Rock and also resemble those of the Aachen Cathedral, which were built almost at the same time. Horseshoe arches were known in the Iberian Peninsula since late Antiquity, as can be seen on the 3rd-century "Estela de los Flavios", now in the archaeological museum of León. A centrally located honeycombed dome has blue tiles decorated with stars.

 

The edifice also has a richly gilded prayer niche or mihrab. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants. Other prominent features were an open court (sahn) surrounded by arcades, screens of wood, minarets, colourful mosaics, and windows of coloured glass. The walls of the mosque had Quranic inscriptions written on them. As many adherents of Islam reject sculptural or pictorial representations of people or of God within religious contexts, all decoration of the cathedral is accomplished through tile work, calligraphy and architectural forms. Arrazi, an Arab writer, speaks of the valuable wine-coloured marble, obtained from the mountains of the district, which was much used in embellishing the naves of the mosque.

Qutb Minar, one of the most visited tourist spots in New Delhi, India. Located in Delhi, India, it is a towering 73-meter (240-foot) minaret built in 1193 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, marking the beginning of Muslim rule in India. Made of red sandstone and marble, it features intricate carvings with Quranic inscriptions and geometric patterns, reflecting Indo-Islamic architecture. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Qutub Minar is part of the Qutub Complex, which includes ancient structures like the Iron Pillar of Delhi, known for its rust-resistant composition.