nd devils.
This accounts for the saying, "If you hear a cock crow, pray for mercy, for
it has seen an angel; but if you hear an ass bray, take refuge with God,
for it has seen a devil."

{141}

The angels intercede for man: "The angels celebrate the praise of their
Lord and ask forgiveness for the dwellers on earth." (Sura xlii. 3.) They
also act as guardian angels: "Each hath a succession of angels before him
and behind him who watch over him by God's behest." (Sura xiii. 12.) "Is it
not enough for you that your Lord aideth you with three thousand angels
sent down from on high?" (Sura iii. 120.) "Supreme over His servants He
sendeth forth guardians who watch over you, until when death overtaketh any
one of you our messengers take his soul and fail not." (Sura vi. 61.)

In the Traditions it is said that God has appointed for every man two
angels to watch over him by day, and two by night. The one stands on the
right hand side of the man, the other on his left. Some, however, say that
they reside in the teeth, and that the tongue of the man is the pen and the
saliva of the mouth the ink.[126] They protect the actions of men and
record them all whether good or bad. They are called the Mua'qqibat,
_i.e._, those who succeed one another. They also bear the name of
Kiram-ul-Katibin, "the exalted writers." They are referred to in the Quran.
"Think they that we hear not their secrets and their private talk? Yes, and
our angels who are at their sides write them down." (Sura xliii. 80).

There are eight angels who support the throne of God. "And the angels shall
be on its sides, and over them on that day eight shall bear up the throne
of thy Lord." (Sura lxix. 17). Nineteen have charge of hell. "Over it are
nineteen. None but angels have we made guardians of the fire." (Sura lxxiv.
30).

There is a special arrangement made by Providence to mitigate the evils of
Satanic interference. "Iblis," says Jabir Maghrabi, "though able to assume
all other forms is not permitted to appear in the semblance of the Deity,
or {142} any of His angels, or prophets. There would otherwise be much
danger to human salvation, as he might, under the appearance of one of the
prophets, or of some superior being, make use of this power to seduce men
to sin. To prevent this, whenever he attempts to assume such forms, fire
comes down from heaven and repulses him."

The story of Harut and Marut is of some interest from its connection with
the question o