Is it true that the angels do not have intellect?
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The questioner : Regarding the angels, we have repeatedly stated that they have movements, which refutes the claim of those who say that they do not mean—rather, they take on good and evil. There is a saying, may Allah preserve you, that they do not have intellect. May Allah protect you, because
The Shaykh : And this is also the case with the one who says that they do not have intellect, that they have no minds; he is the one who has no mind. How can they not have intellect when Allah the Exalted sends them? Does Allah the Exalted send one who has no intellect? How can they not have intellect when they record what the children of Adam do? How can they not have intellect when they bear witness to the imam's prayer? How can they not have intellect when they take the most precious thing, the souls of the children of Adam? This is a great error.
The questioner : They say, our Shaykh, meaning that they are merely executors of Allah's commands.
The Shaykh : Yes, and we are executors of Allah's command. We have intellects, or do we not have intellects? Allah the Exalted said, and otherwise[Al-An'am 6:93] [An-Nahl 16:32]
The Shaykh : And this is also the case with the one who says that they do not have intellect, that they have no minds; he is the one who has no mind. How can they not have intellect when Allah the Exalted sends them? Does Allah the Exalted send one who has no intellect? How can they not have intellect when they record what the children of Adam do? How can they not have intellect when they bear witness to the imam's prayer? How can they not have intellect when they take the most precious thing, the souls of the children of Adam? This is a great error.
The questioner : They say, our Shaykh, meaning that they are merely executors of Allah's commands.
The Shaykh : Yes, and we are executors of Allah's command. We have intellects, or do we not have intellects? Allah the Exalted said, and otherwise
while the angels extend their hands, [saying], "Discharge your souls!
وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُThe ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, "Peace be upon you.
الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 1330 - 4600 هل صحيح أن الملائكة لا تعقل؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.