THE ANGELS

8- THE ANGELS

WE BELIEVE in the ANGELS of God who are assigned to perform different duties. Some of them were to take God's Divine Guidance through inspiration to the prophets and apostles.

A group of the angels register the acts of men and women. Some of them take out the souls at the time of death. A group helps the believers who are steadfast to their principles. Some help the believers in the sacred battles. Another group's duty is to punish those who transgress the bounds of decency. They do, all that they do with the permission of God; and in His charge, and these fulfillments are not contradictory with the belief of Monotheism, and the unity of acts. This also proves that the intercession of the prophets and saints on behalf of the guilty people, is in accordance with Monotheism, for it is done by the leave of the LORD GOD.

"No intercessor can plead with the LORD, except after His Permission. (Has been obtained)

THE HOLY QURAN - S10: 3

We shall give more details about this in our discussion on the prophethood.

9- WORSHIP NO ONE BUT ALLAH

WE BELIEVE, that no one is to be worshipped but the LORD GOD. If any one worships any other than Him, he is surely a polytheist. The missions of all the prophets were turning around the center of the unity of worship. This is frequently mentioned in the Holy QURAN and all the scriptures. It's remarkable that We Muslims have to repeat in our daily prayers as a slogan that:-

"You alone We worship, and only Your aid We seek."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S1: 5

It is evident that the belief in the Prophet's -T¨S intercession which is found in the Holy QURóAN, is not a sort of worshipping of the prophets or saints. Also, to ask a prophet or saint for a help in solving our problems, is neither worshipping them, nor is it contrary to the unity of acts, the detail of which is given in the chapter on the prophethood.

10- NO ONE CAN EVER KNOW THE DEPTHS OF HIS SUBSTANCE

WE BELIEVE that although the manifestations of His Essence is found everywhere and in everything; His substance is not known to any one! That is; no one can ever know the innermost depths of His substance. This is because whatever HIS SUBSTANCE might be, is an infinite being in all aspects and without limits of any kind; just as we are limited in contrast to HIM. On this basis, no one can ever know what HIS substance really is!

"Behold! it is HE that encompasses all things."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S41: 54

"AND Allah surrounds them from behind."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S85: 20

How long would you boast of the wisdom of yours, this road can not be travelled by thought? You could reach the innermost depth of HIS substance, if a straw could reach the bottom of an ocean.

A tradition is narrated from the Messenger of God:- "MY LORD! WE didn't worship as you deserved; and we couldn't know you as we should have." Of course this tradition (HADIS), doesn't mean that IF We cannot know HIM thoroughly; We cannot know HIM partially too: or in the limitless knowledge of HIM We should suffice by learning some words, the meaning of which we cannot go through. This is because the Holy QURØN and all the Gospels and scriptures are sent to man to help him to know God better and more. There are other instances of this matter too:_ As an example We do not know what our soul really is and yet we are sure that it exists and we can observe its effects and signs.

A tradition (HADIS) is narrated from Imam BAGHER as fallows:-

"Any thing that you may think of is not the Lord who is the creator, but it is rather a creature created by your thoughts, and conjectures- some creatures just like yourselves, and God is greater than all." *Imam Ali has also said," God has not given to the wisdom, the knowledge of HIS Essence or Attributes, and yet HE has not left the wisdom unaware of HIM.( BAHAROLANVAR _ vol.66 _ Page 293;GHORAROLHAKAM)

11- NEITHER SUSPENSIOIN, NOR COMPARISON

WE BELIEVE, that, as it is not right to suspend our attempts to achieve knowledge of HIM and HIS Attributes, it's also wrong to wander in the fields of COMPARISON, and seeing HIM some how like one of HIS creatures, that both the ways lead to EXTREMES.