Are the angels infallible?

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Question:
Some people ask whether the angels are infallible.

Answer:
The answer is that the angels are infallible. Allah (Exalted and Majestic) said regarding them:

Rather, they are [but] honored servants. ⁽²⁷⁾ They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command. ⁽²⁸⁾ He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive. ⁽²⁹⁾ And whoever of them should say, "Indeed, I am a god besides Him"- that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.

بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ ۝ لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ ۝ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى وَهُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ ۝ وَمَنْ يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّي إِلَهٌ مِنْ دُونِهِ فَذَلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ

[Surat al-Anbiya: 26-29]. This threat does not indicate a lack of infallibility, because threats are also issued to those who are infallible. As Allah said regarding His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers."

وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

[Surat al-Zumar: 65]. The Messenger is infallible from associating partners with Allah. He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:

And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.'"

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

[Surat Yunus: 106]. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) is infallible from committing shirk (associating partners with Allah). So the angels are the same; the fact that they are threatened does not contradict their being infallible. Among them is Jibril, the trustworthy messenger, (peace and blessings be upon him):

⁽¹⁹⁾ [That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger ⁽²⁰⁾ [Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position], ⁽²¹⁾ Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ۝ ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ ۝ مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

[Surat al-Takwir: 19-21]. It is Jibril (peace and blessings be upon him). They are all honored servants who do not precede Him in speech and who do what He commands, even those over the Fire:

over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.

عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

[Surat al-Tahrim: 6] (peace and blessings be upon him).

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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