Michael is an archangel mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. He is one of the most prominent angels in Islamic tradition. Some key questions about Michael in Quran include:
Who is Michael according to Quran? Michael is an archangel of high rank and the angel of mercy, blessings, and abundance.
What status does Michael have? Michael has a very high status among angels in Islamic belief, known as one of the archangels and the angel of mercy.
What responsibilities does Michael have? Michael is tasked with distributing provisions, rain, and mercy throughout creation at God’s command.
What other names does Michael go by? Michael is also known as Mikael, Mikail, or Mikhail in Arabic.
Was Michael a prophet? No, Michael is an angel, not a human prophet according to Islamic belief.
Michael in the Quran
The Quran directly mentions the angel Michael twice by name. These two mentions provide some insight into who Michael is and what his roles are:
The first mention is in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:98. This verse discusses how some people have become disbelievers, rejecting the guidance sent through the prophets. It states: “Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael – then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.”
This verse places Michael alongside Gabriel, two of the highest-ranking angels. It indicates Michael’s status and his association with conveying God’s messages. Since Michael is mentioned separately from the prophets and in connection with Gabriel, it confirms that Michael is an angel, not a human messenger.
The second mention occurs in Surah Al-Tahrim 66:4, which states: “If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.”
Here, Michael is understood to be among “the righteous of the believers and the angels” who provide assistance to Prophet Muhammad against those conspiring against him.
Though mentioned only twice by name, Michael appears in other Quran verses described with titles and attributes rather than his name, as discussed below.
Michael’s Status and Responsibilities
Though Michael is not mentioned frequently in the Quran, he holds an elevated position within Islamic angelology due to his nobility, trustworthiness, and mercy. He is described as having special responsibilities from God to administer provisions, blessings, and mercy throughout creation.
In the hadith literature, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” This demonstrates that angels like Michael are beings of light created directly by God from nur (divine light).
The Quran mentions angels carrying out various functions – bearing God’s messages, guarding Paradise, recording deeds, praising God, and more. Distinguished angels like Michael and Gabriel carry out the most critical divine functions due to their high rank and abilities.
Michael distributes sustenance, rain, and mercy, acting as a channel of God’s outpouring to creation. The Prophet said: “The angels who are near to Allah have no pride in their hearts for any of His bounties, nor do they reject any of His commands. Rather, they say: ‘We are the honored slaves of Allah; we do not precede Him in speech and we act according to His command.'” This reinforces that Michael is utterly obedient in conveying provisions through God’s command.
Various stories describe Michael bringing blessings or rain by God’s command, establishing his reputation as the angel of mercy, abundance, and rain. With such critical roles, Michael is regarded as one of the greatest angels in service to the Almighty.
Michael in Comparison to Gabriel
Michael and Gabriel are paired together in the Quran and in other Islamic texts. They share similarities as high-ranking angels performing significant missions for God. However, some distinctions can also be made:
- Gabriel is the primary angel of revelation, responsible for transmitting God’s messages and revelations to prophets. Michael does not have this role.
- Michael distributes sustenance, rain, and mercy to creation by God’s command. Gabriel does not have this particular role.
- Both are described as trustworthy servants absolutely obedient to God, but Gabriel is seen as having the higher rank.
- Both are angels of mercy, but Michael is specifically designated as such, while Gabriel is more associated with revelation.
- Michael is sometimes listed as the first or second of the four archangels, with Gabriel frequently listed first.
So in essence, Gabriel is first and foremost the angel of revelation, while Michael is recognized as the angel of provision, rain, and mercy – two critical roles suiting these mighty angels.
Michael’s Alternative Names and Titles
In Arabic, Michael is most properly known as Mikael or Mikhail. However, he has many other names and titles reflecting his attributes and duties. Common alternate names for Michael include:
- Mikail
- Meekal
- Meeqael
- Miqeel
- Metatron
Michael is also referred by titles such as:
- The Holy Spirit
- Angel of Provision
- Angel of Rain
- Angel of Abundance
- Angel of Blessings
- The Faithful Spirit
These varied names and titles connect back to Michael’s main attributes and responsibilities from God, providing rain, sustenance, mercy, and blessings throughout creation as a faithful servant of the Most High.
Association With Other Archangels
In Islamic tradition, Michael is often mentioned as one of the archangels. Archangels are the highest angelic rank, bestowed great powers and responsibilities by God. The number and names of archangels vary somewhat in different traditions, but Michael is consistently among them.
The four best known archangels are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Azrael. Some details about this illustrious group:
- Gabriel – Angel of revelation and the messenger to prophets
- Michael – Angel of provision, rain, and mercy
- Raphael – Angel of healing
- Azrael – Angel of death responsible for transporting souls
Michael appears quite frequently paired with Gabriel due to their high profiles and inclusion together in the Quran. The pair are contrasted in their roles but closely aligned in nobility, authority, and obedience to God.
Some traditions place Michael as the highest angel, even above Gabriel. While disputed, this again shows the incredibly high rank accorded to him among the angels. Even if ranked below Gabriel, Michael is undoubtedly considered one of the foremost archangels in conveying the divine will.
Association With Israfel
In some sources, Michael is paired with the angel Israfel instead of Raphael as one of the four archangels. Israfel is sometimes known as the angel of resurrection due to his assigned role of blowing the trumpet to announce Judgment Day.
Grouping Michael with Israfel rather than Raphael highlights Michael’s roles related to rain and the ending/renewal of creation before Judgment Day. However, the pairing of Michael with Raphael as archangels is more common.
Michael’s Lack of Complete Omniscience
As an angel, Michael is a creation of God endowed with great abilities, but his knowledge and powers are limited compared to the Creator. The Quran confirms that while angels possess immense knowledge, especially of religious matters, only God has absolute infinite knowledge.
In Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30-33, when God informs the angels that He will place a representative on earth, the angels question whether humans will cause corruption and bloodshed. This shows the angels’ knowledge is limited since they could not foresee how God’s plan would unfold.
Similarly, Michael does not have complete foreknowledge of the future or equal standing with God. His role is obedience in carrying out his assigned duties rather than being an all-knowing counselor to God. Michael distributes mercy, rain, and provisions precisely as commanded by the Divine without change.
So Michael has partial knowledge of creation and the divine will to fulfill his duties, but only the Creator has absolute limitless knowledge and wisdom.
Michael’s Knowledge of the Unseen
Another indication that Michael’s knowledge is limited involves the concept of the “unseen” (al-ghayb) in Islam. The unseen refers to all that is beyond the perceptions of human senses and knowledge.
God alone has full knowledge of the unseen. In Surah Al-Tawbah 9:94, the Quran states that God knows “the unseen of the heavens and earth.” Even the angels have limited knowledge of the unseen unless God chooses to reveal portions of it to them.
As an angel, Michael does not inherently possess knowledge of the unseen. His knowledge extends only to the responsibilities divinely assigned to him and revelations imparted to him by God of coming events related to his duties.
So in short, Michael has been endowed with immense knowledge, but even his elevated knowledge has limits. Only God is All-Knowing with infinite unlimited knowledge in Islamic belief.
Stories of Michael in Islamic Tradition
Many stories have arisen in Islamic tradition elaborating on Michael’s roles and experiences. Though not based in scripture, these stories highlight his standing and give deeper insight into his attributes. Some notable narratives involving Michael include:
Accompanying Gabriel to Destroy Sodom
According to the story, Michael accompanied Gabriel on the mission to destroy the city of Sodom for its grave sins against God. Michael and Gabriel inspected the city in human form but were accosted by its inhabitants. In response, Gabriel blinded them while Michael razed the city. This story shows Michael enacting God’s judgment against wrongdoing.
Leading Battle Against Satan
A story relates how Satan refused to bow to Adam despite God’s command. Satan rallied other jinn to his side and battled against the angels who upheld God’s order. Michael fought and defeated Satan, overpowering him and casting him out from the angelic ranks.
Providing Food for Mary
Mary became pregnant with Jesus miraculously through God’s will alone. As people questioned her, God sent Michael to provide food and water for Mary at God’s command. Michael visited her with provisions from Paradise, showing his role providing sustenance.
Friendship with Azrael
According to some accounts, Michael felt lonely carrying out his isolated duty of distributing provisions. He befriended the angel of death Azrael, and the two supported each other in their solitary missions decreed by God. Their bond highlights Michael’s mercy and friendship.
These stories give deeper meaning to Michael’s attributes while emphasizing his total devotion to God’s will. Though extra-scriptural, they further illuminate Michael’s significance in Islamic angelology.
Michael’s Lack of Offspring
Angels in Islamic belief do not procreate or have children. They were created directly by God as immortal beings of light, so the concept of having descendants does not apply to them.
The Quran directly refutes the notion that God had offspring sharing divine qualities or status:
“He neither begets nor is born.” (Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:3)
“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion?” (Surah Al-An’am 6:101)
Based on these clear teachings, Muslims completely reject the notion that angels like Michael could have literal offspring. There are also no Islamic traditions or stories attributing wife or children to Michael.
Accounts in other faiths mentioning Michael’s family members, like wife or children named “Melchizedek,” have no basis in Islamic scripture or tradition. Islam clearly distinguishes Michael as an angelic being created directly by God, not a biological being with a family line.
Not the Father of Jesus
Since Michael and other angels cannot procreate, the idea that Michael is Jesus’s literal father is incompatible with Islamic belief. The Quran provides a detailed account of the virginal conception of Jesus by God’s will alone, not through a father:
“She said, ‘How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?’ He said, ‘Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, “It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us.”‘” (Surah Maryam 19:20-21)
These verses make it unmistakably clear that Jesus was conceived through God’s power, not a human or angel father. Michael’s role was to provide provisions to Mary by God’s command, not to father Jesus. The Quran insists Jesus’s miraculous conception was a sign of God’s power over all creation.
Therefore, attributing Michael or any other figure as the father of Jesus contradicts the Quran’s account of Jesus’s prophetic birth. Islam considers Jesus God’s messenger, not the son or incarnation of God or any angel.
Michael in Comparison to Biblical Accounts
There are some parallels between Islamic perspectives on Michael and depictions of Michael in the Bible and wider Judeo-Christian tradition. However, there are also key differences:
Similarities
- High status as archangel
- Association with mercy and benevolence
- Tasked with specific holy responsibilities by God
- Leader of God’s angelic forces
- Protector and champion of righteous people and divine order
Differences
- No equivalent in Bible to Michael’s Quranic duty providing rain and sustenance
- Michael has limited knowledge unlike potential for omniscience in Bible
- No Islamic concept of Michael as intercessor or advocate for souls
- Islamic rejection of Michael having children or family
- Jesus conceived by God in Quran, not by Michael
So in summary, the Islamic Michael shares general attributes with the biblical Michael but has unique Quranic characteristics and a more defined angelic nature centering on total devotion to whatever tasks God commands.
Conclusion
Michael is an archangel playing a prominent role in Islamic tradition. Though few direct Quranic references exist, Michael’s stature emerges through his pairing with Gabriel, exalted titles, and stories emphasizing his merits and abilities. As the angel of mercy, provision, rain, and justice, Michael upholds divine order through unwavering service and loyalty to the Creator. His intimate yet bounded relationship to God exemplifies the perfect submission and obedience defining the Islamic conception of angels.