An angel is a celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth. Angelic beings are usually benevolent in nature, considered to manifest the qualities of goodness, purity, and selflessness. Angels are referenced in many different religions from all over the world, although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition. In Christianity, Judaism and Islam, they often act as messengers from God or as emanations of a supreme divine being or source, sent to do the tasks of that being, and to assist mankind in some way. Other roles in religious traditions include acting as warrior or guard; the concept of a “guardian angel” is popular in modern Western culture.
Traditions vary as to whether angels have free will or are merely extensions of the supreme being’s will. While the appearance of angels also varies, many views of angels give them a human shape. Early Christians adopted Jewish ideas of angels. In the early stage, the Christian concept of an angel shifted between the angel as a messenger of God and a manifestation of God himself. Later came identification of individual angelic messengers: (Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel). Then, in the space of little more than two centuries (from the third to the fifth) the image of angels took on definite characteristics both in theology and in art.
Islam is clear on the nature of angels in that they are messengers of God (Allah in Arabic). They have no free will, and can only do that which God orders them to do. Angels mentioned in the Quran include Gabriel (Jibril), Michael (Mikail), Israfil, Haroot, Maroot, and the Angel of Death, Azrael.
Angels can take on different forms. Prophet Muhammad, the last Prophet of Islam, speaking of the magnitude of Angel Gabriel has said that his wings spanned from the Eastern to the Western horizon. At the same time, it is well known in Islamic tradition that angels used to take on human form.
A 2002 study based on interviews with 350 people, mainly in the UK, who said they have had an experience of an angel, describes several types of such experiences: visions, sometimes with multiple witnesses present; auditions, e.g. to convey a warning; a sense of being touched, pushed, or lifted, typically to avert a dangerous situation; and pleasant fragrance, generally in the context of somebody’s death. In the visual experiences, the angels described appear in various forms, either the “classical” one (human countenance with wings), in the form of extraordinarily beautiful or radiant human beings, or as beings of light.
The Spirit and Purpose of the Angelic Beings
Angels, Guardian Angels, Spirit Guides, and Divine Messengers. Many major religions around the world make reference to these Divine beings of light and love. Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition, the warm, loving and protective nature of these celestial beings evoke feelings of peace and comfort to those who believe. They often act as messengers from God/Source sent to be of assistance to humankind, but it is also believed that angels can act according to their own free will in order to assist someone in need on the earth plane.
Angels can come to assist you with or without being called upon. If you wish to call upon an angel for assistance or guidance, perhaps all you need to do is believe in them, and they will be there. Many believers and even non-believers have had encounters with these spiritual beings. Some believers say that we all have at least one guardian angel assigned to us. There may be several angels around us, watching us, guiding us, protecting and loving us, and embracing us within their infinite and angelic light.
Angels may reside in a dimension that is parallel to our own, or in a plane of existance that lies beyond the earthly realm. Many people who have had near death experiences where their soul has momentarily ascended have reported moment encounters with these radiant angelic beings urging them to return to the physical body. The Angelic energy of an angel can surround us in spiritual form during times of trouble or dispair, bathing us in their warming and celestial light and love.
It’s true that sometimes all we need to do is believe that they are there, call upon them, and allow ourselves to feel and become aware of their divine presence. You must learn to trust them, and to know that they are always there for you when you need them. If you are going through a troublesome time or experiencing a painful situation, you can simply ask for their help and they will listen with patience and understanding. Angels not only bring to us the healing energies of light and loving-kindness, but they guide us through our weakest and darkest moments, transforming our fear into courage, giving us hope and inner peace.