Is describing the angels as the best of creation a preference for their superiority over the messengers?
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Question:
I say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Your Eminence mentioned that the angels are the best of creation and the most devoted in worship. Does this constitute a preference on your part for the issue of the angels being superior to the messengers? I hope for clarification.
Answer:
That is, if they possess a trait in which they excel others, they would be absolutely the best, or they would be the best of others only in that specific trait. The scholars say that a specific virtue does not negate a general virtue. They are better than others in the matter of worship, and they are the most devoted people in worship. But does it necessarily follow from this that they are better than humans in other respects? Humans may be stronger than them in other respects. Yes.
I say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Your Eminence mentioned that the angels are the best of creation and the most devoted in worship. Does this constitute a preference on your part for the issue of the angels being superior to the messengers? I hope for clarification.
Answer:
That is, if they possess a trait in which they excel others, they would be absolutely the best, or they would be the best of others only in that specific trait. The scholars say that a specific virtue does not negate a general virtue. They are better than others in the matter of worship, and they are the most devoted people in worship. But does it necessarily follow from this that they are better than humans in other respects? Humans may be stronger than them in other respects. Yes.
Source
شرح قرة عيون الموحدين في تحقيق دعوة الأنبياء والمرسلين، باب الشفاعة — islamhouse.com (1:01:32)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.