every kind of darkness into light: “He it is Who sends His blessings on you and (so do) His angels, that He may bring you forth out of darkness into the light” (33:43). And as regards the Holy Prophet, the angels bless him: “Surely Allāh and His angels bless the prophet. O you who believe, call for blessings on him” (33:56). Thus the angels’ connection with man grows stronger as he advances in righteousness. As regards men generally, the angels pray for their forgiveness so that punishment in respect of their evil deeds may be averted; as regards the faithful, they lead them forth from darkness into light, and thus enable them to make progress spiritually; and as regards the Holy Prophet, they bless him and are thus helpful in advancing his cause in the world.
It will be seen that in his spiritual function the angel is meant to render help in the spiritual advancement of man. The angel brings Divine revelation, and it is only with the help of such revelation that man is able to realize what the spiritual life is, and to make advancement spiritually by a development of his inner faculties. The angel strengthens the Holy Prophet, through whom the law of spiritual progress is revealed, and also the believers who are instrumental in carrying the ennobling message to humanity, and thus renders help in establishing the law of spiritual advancement; and the same end is achieved by the punishment of those who try to exterminate that law and its upholders. The angels’ intercession and prayer even for the unbeliever are undoubtedly meant to set him on the road to spiritual progress, while his bringing of the believers from darkness into light, and his blessings on the Holy Prophet, are the advancement of the cause of spiritual progress. Thus, if analyzed, each one of the functions of the angel is aimed at helping the spiritual advancement of man and bringing about his spiritual perfection. This is further borne out by the fact that there are angels even in Paradise and Hell14 which are really two different places or conditions, wherein man is enabled to carry on his spiritual progress after death, the former opening the way to immeasurable heights of spiritual progress,15 and the latter cleansing man of the spiritual diseases16 which he has himself contracted by leading an evil life in
15 A single day of that progress is said to extend over fifty thousand years: “To Him ascend the angels and the spirit (of man) in a day, the measure of which is fifty thousand years” (70:4).
16 See the discussion on Hell.