Allah the Mighty and Glorious said this only because there...

Allah the Mighty and Glorious said this only because there are among the people some who believe in the divinity of Jesus and worship him, and these are a class amongst the Christians; and there are others who worship the angels, and they are the Sabaeans and some others. And Allah the Mighty and Glorious said: “The Messiah will never scorn to be a slave of Allah...” (Qur'an 4:172) . Meaning that the Messiah and those who are worshipped, except Myself, will never scorn to be slaves to Me.

Angels are spiritual beings (not possessing gross bodies) and are sinless ( ma'sum). They never disobey Allah in what He commands them, and act as they are commanded. They neither eat, nor drink; neither pain nor disease ever comes upon them; nor does old age or decrepitude. Their food and drink consists of the glorification (tasbih) and sanctification (taqdis) of Allah.

(The breath of) their life is the zephyr of the Throne of Allah ('arsh); and their beatitude is in (the acquisition) of different kinds of knowledge. Allah the Exalted created them by His Power, in the shape of lights and spirits[^5], as He willed and desired; and each class among them guards a species of created things.

And we asserted the superiority of some (Prophets, Imams) over others (angels) because the position accorded to them amongst the varieties of things created by Allah is greater and more excellent than the position given to angels. And Allah knows best.[^6] [^1]: The best general account is in MC, 197 sqq. Cf. also s. v. Mala 'ika, Macdonald in EI, iii. 189. [^2]: The majority hold that prophets are superior to angels, MC, 200 (citing al-Baghdadi). The Mu'tazilites are divided on this point, loc.

cit.; the lmamites hold that the Imams are also superior, ibid., 201. Some extreme Shiites, like the Bazighiya (a group of the Khattabiya), hold themselves more excellent than angels, loc. cit. See also EI, iii. 191. [^3]: N و قول الملائكة الله عز و جل لمّا قال لهم; D لأن الله عز و جل قال لهم. [^4]: Reading with N التَّمَنِّى D err. المتمنّى. [^5]: MC, 199 (citing Muslim). So generally in tradition, EI, iii.

190.According to the Isma'ilis, angels are of many kinds and ranks, but their essence (jawhar) is the same, Taju 'l- Aqa 'id, `aqida 23 (see FC). They may be likened, as Ivanow says, to laws of nature or natural forces, performing certain duties which are entrusted to them, like causing the spheres, stars, etc., to move in perfect order, FC, no.

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