things will die.[123] This is the
commencement of the last day. The world will remain in this state of
death forty years. Then God Most High will revive Israfil who will blow
a second blast, at the sound of which all the dead will rise to
life."[124]

This confession of faith makes no mention of Mika,il (Michael), the fourth
of the archangels. His special duty is to see that all created beings have
what is needful for them. He has charge of the rain-fall, plants, grain and
all that is required for the sustenance of men, beasts, fishes, &c.
Gabriel's special charge is the communication of God's will to prophets.
The words "one terrible in power" (Sura liii. 5) {140} are generally
applied to him. He is honoured with the privilege of nearness to God.
Tradition says that on the night of the Mi'raj, the Prophet saw that
Gabriel had six hundred wings, and that his body was so large that from one
shoulder to the other the distance was so great that a swift flying bird
would require five hundred years to pass over it.

Nine-tenths of all created beings are said to be angels who are formed of
light. Their rank is stationary, and each is content with the position he
occupies. Their one desire is to love and to know God. Whatever he commands
they do. "All beings in the heaven and on the earth are His: and they who
are in His presence disdain not His service, neither are they wearied: they
praise Him day and night." (Sura xxi. 19, 20.) They are free from all
sin.[125] It is true that they did not wish for the creation of Adam, and
this may seem like a want of confidence in God. It is said, however, that
their object was not to oppose God, but to relieve their minds of the
doubts they had in the matter. Thus "when the Lord said to the angels,
'Verily, I am about to place one in my stead on earth,' they said: 'Wilt
Thou place there one who will do ill therein, and shed blood when we
celebrate thy praise and extol thy holiness.' God said: 'Verily I know what
ye know not.'" It is true that Iblis was disobedient, but then he belonged
not to the angelic order but to that of the jinn. "When we said to the
angels, 'prostrate yourselves before Adam,' they all prostrated themselves
save Iblis, who was of the jinn, and revolted from his Lord's behest."
(Sura xviii. 48.) (See also Sura ii. 33.)

Angels appear in human form on special occasions, but usually they are
invisible. It is a common belief that animals can see angels a