Man Ranks Higher Than Angels — Essence of Islam Vol. 2

14 Sep, 2026 Essence of Islam 0

Essence of Islam Book Cover by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

Introduction

In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon Man Ranks Higher Than Angels, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.

Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 4: Angels
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It should be remembered that in Islamic law special angels do not rank higher than special persons. Indeed, the latter rank higher than the former. Their being mediators in the physical or the spiritual system does not indicate their superiority. According to the Holy Qur’an, they are assigned this function as servants; as Allah the Glorious has said:

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ دَآئِبَيۡنِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ

“And He has also subjected to you the sun and the moon, both performing their work constantly. And He has subjected to you the night as well as the day.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14:34)

The God Who has placed the Sun and the Moon at your service. A postman conveys the letters of a Ruler to a Governor,

45

…. At another place it is said:

إِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن طِينٖ فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ فَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

“When thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am about to create man from clay, ‘And so when I have fashioned him in perfection, and have breathed into him of My Spirit, fall ye down in submission to him.’ So the angels submitted, all of them together. But Iblis did not. He behaved proudly, and was of those who disbelieved.” (Surah Sad, 38:72-75)

Call to mind when thy Lord (of Whom you are the ultimate manifestation) said to the angels: I am about to bring into being a man from clay, so when I have perfected him and have breathed into him My spirit, do ye all fall down in prostration before him, that is, occupy yourselves in serving him with great humility and be so subservient as if you were lying in prostration before him. So the angels all fell down in prostration before the perfect man, except Satan, who deprived himself of this good fortune. 45 ‘And He has pressed into your service the sun and the moon moving constantly.’—Ibrahim, 14:34 [Publisher]
[Taudih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 3 pp. 74-77]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 161]

Every Angel Performs a Specific Duty Angels do not all have the same status and rank and do not all perform the same kind of function. Every angel is assigned a different task. Whatever changes take place in the world, and whatever emerges as action out of latent power, and whatever success is achieved by souls and bodies in their goals are all affected by heavenly influences. Sometimes the same angel influences different
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 163]

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Introduction