In Islamic belief, the last 10 days of Ramadan hold Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, when the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad. Muslims seek it out with special prayers. The Qur’an itself references the night when the angels descend

A thread on the angels of Laylatul Qadr.

Described as better than 1000 months, Laylatul Qadr is mentioned in Surah Qadr.

It is also known as the Night of Destiny for some believe it is the night when everyone’s lot for the coming year is revealed to the angels

Writers like Zamakhshari and Suyuti describe each destiny revealed to the angels.

Decrees written in Lawh al-Mahfuz, the eternal tablet, are shown to the angelic scribes charged with the destiny of humankind as well as angels charged with the affairs of life and death.

Ibn Kathir says the lifespan and allotted provisions for the coming year are revealed on this night.

A copy of everyone’s deeds is revealed to Ismail the angel of the first heaven, sitting on a throne of light.

The lot regarding provisions is revealed to Mikai’l and his Karubiyyum who deal with matters of sustenance and water--

angels of Mercy, they are described with thousands of faces praising God at all times

Another decree dealing with all matters of natural phenomenon is revealed to Jibrai’l angel of revelation

and

Finally, the decree of who is to die is shown to the angel of death, Azrai’l, the angel of countless eyes.

It is said, Mikai’l carries this decree to Azrai’l.

In some accounts the Lawh al-Mahfuz is said to rest between the eyes of the angel Israfil, the Trumpeter of the End of Days who never ceases in worshiping God with a thousand tongues.

The verse also makes reference to the Spirit (Ruh) descending alongside the angels. Commentators have identified the ruh al quddus or Holy Spirit as Jibrai’l the angel of annunciation and revelation who came to Muhammad with the Qur’an and Mary with news of Jesus

But in other accounts like the cosmography of Qazwini, Ruh is a separate angel.

A being who resides in the seventh heaven and who holds up the entirety of the world. Ruh is the angel of pure spirit, descending once a year alongside the others to observe the faithful

Ruh is described as the highest angel who orders the cosmos and knows stillness and motion according to God's orders.

In either case on Laylatul Qadr the angels, regardless of their tasks normally, descend to earth surrounding and flooding the believers and humanity with light.

One description says they number more than all the grains of sand

Angels known as Dardail journey through all the world to locate where people have congregated to remember God and pray alongside them.

They are heralded by a feeling of relief and peace.

The exact date of Laylatul Qadr is unknown other than it falls on the odd days of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Consequently, many Muslims will spend the last ten days fasting followed by staying up all night in prayer, reading Qur’an, congregating together, and performing spiritual retreats in the hopes of catching the Night of Power.

In other instances, there are special calculations associated with figures like Ibn Arabi and Jafar al Sadiq used to locate Laylatul Qadr.

As Ramadan comes to a close, Muslim currently seek out Laylatul Qadr with prayers as the heavens are emptied and the angels walk the earth.

I’ll continue to cover the role angels and Islamic cosmology in future threads.