KİTABIN MUKADDİMESİ · Dördüncü Madde
**Fourth Article**
Concerning the great rivers and great angels surrounding the Supreme Throne.
Know, O esteemed one! The scholars of interpretation (tafsir) and hadith are in unanimous agreement that: The Most High God has created eight great rivers around the Supreme Throne. Four of them are whiter and colder than snow, and four are sweeter and more pleasant than honey. These eight rivers constantly flow, circling the Supreme Throne.
The Most High has also created an angel named Harkail there, who is aware of the secrets of all existence.
Harkail desired to learn the size of the Throne. With permission from The Most High, he began to circle its circumference. For three thousand years, he flew with his eight thousand wings, and whenever he grew weary, The Most High would restore his strength and command him to fly again. Similarly, he flew around the Throne for another three thousand years, then became exhausted and powerless. The Exalted One restored his strength and commanded him to fly again; after flying for about three thousand more years, he found himself unable, and saw that he could only move from one foot to the other of the Throne for nine thousand years. While astonished by this, a call came from The Most High: “O Harkail! Even if you were to fly until the Day of Resurrection, you would not be able to completely circle My Throne.”
Beyond these eight rivers, around the Supreme Throne—to prevent the angels surrounding it from being consumed by the intensity of the light emanating from the Throne—a thousand veils of light and a thousand veils of darkness have been created. Behind these veils stand seventy thousand angels in ranks. These angels constantly glorify the Merciful One who encompasses the Throne, and they move to circle the Throne. They greet the bearers of the Throne twice daily. They are called “the malaikatu s affun wa haffun” [385] (the angels who rank and surround the Throne). They stand perpetually, glorifying God in this manner. Beyond them are yet another seventy thousand angels who stand and constantly glorify God: "Glory be to God, and praise be to God, and there is no god but God, and God is the Greatest. There is no power nor strength except in God, the Exalted, the Magnificent." [386]
Behind all these ranked angels lies a great serpent. It encircles the Supreme Throne [5/a], coiling its head upon its tail. Its head is made of pure white pearl, its body of yellow gold, and its eyes of red rubies. It has one hundred thousand wings, and on each wing feather there is an angel glorifying God.
The booming sound of this golden serpent’s glorification overwhelms all the angels with a tremor, for its voice surpasses that of all the angels' voices combined. When it opens its mouth, it is capable of swallowing all the heavens and the earth in one bite. And if that great serpent were not inspired to be more gentle while glorifying God, all creation would perish from the awe of its voice.
The Most High has created His blessed angels from different kinds of light. Indeed, the angels near the luminous Throne have more brilliant and distinct lights. For the angels on the sidra cannot endure the light of the angels who are in the Throne. The brilliance of the light of the angels on the sidra also cannot be endured by the angels in the heavens and on earth; they burn.
All the angels fulfill the commands of The Most High. They do not disobey Him as humans do. Their sustenance is to glorify God constantly, and they know neither eating nor drinking, nor do they engage in sexual relations. Many of them appear in human form, with wings like those of birds. Because their bodies are delicate, they can assume various forms. When fulfilling the task assigned to them by The Most High, they travel like dazzling lightning. Each one is engaged in a service; some circle and glorify around the Throne, others are on the Kursi, still others on the Sidra, some in Paradise, some in Hell, some in the heavens, some on earth, some standing, some sitting, some bowing, and some prostrating, constantly glorifying God.
Some angels are appointed to serve mankind, protecting them night and day and recording their deeds. These are called “the kiraman katibin” (the scribes) and "the hafaza" (the guardians). The angels also have prophets among themselves; one of whom is Israfil, peace be upon him, the owner of the form mentioned above.
Another is Gabriel, peace be upon him, who has six wings. Each wing has a hundred feathers at its tip (rishas). The length of these feathers is equal to the distance between east and west. And all his wings are made of light in various colors. Yet, his great stature is whiter than snow. His feet extend beneath the earth; he possesses such strength that with a single movement, he can reduce mountains to dust. Indeed, it is his duty to convey greetings and revelations from The Most High to the prophets. He is similar in form and size to Israfil, peace be upon him.
The third is Michael, peace be upon him, whose number of wings only The Most High knows. He is entrusted with regulating the duties of the angels in the sea called "Bahr-i Mescûr" [387]. For the heavens and earth are filled with angels, and each one is responsible for various tasks such as bringing rain.
(For example) An angel brings down each raindrop that falls upon the earth, and he will not be assigned to it again until the Day of Resurrection. Every drop of rain that falls in any place is within the knowledge and permission of Michael, peace be upon him, because this task has been entrusted to him. Michael, peace be upon him, is as great in stature as Gabriel, peace be upon him.
The fourth is Azrael, peace be upon him, who is responsible for taking souls. He is the one who takes all souls. All of earth is like a table before him. He has countless armies consisting of angels of mercy and wrath. Azrael, peace be upon him…
The Angel of the Trumpet, Gabriel, Michael, and Azrael – peace be upon them all – are leaders and prophets of all angels. All the angels in the heavens and on earth obey their commands and follow their guidance.