Kitab-al-Tawhid

The Pillars of Eemaan Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) said: قال : وأركانه ستة : أن تؤمن بالله ، وملائكته ، وكتبه ، ورسله ، واليوم الآخر ، وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره Its pillars are six: to have eemaan in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and to have eemaan in Pre-Decree, the good of it, and the bad of it.

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan’s Explanation : [Note: Shaykh Fawzan covers Difference between Pillars and Branches of Eemaan before explaining the Pillars] His saying: «Its pillars are six» meaning: it supports which it is established upon, and if they are absent, then it will be absent, or if one of them is absent, then it will be absent. They are six pillars, and they are: The first one: «To have eemaan in Allaah.» So, the first pillar is having eemaan in Allaah, and it includes the three categories of Tawheed: Eemaan that Allaah the Perfect and Most High is One, Unique, Alone, the Perfect Lord and Master whom everything depends totally upon, Who has no Partner in His Lordship, nor in His Right to worship, nor in His Names and Attributes.

The second one: «Eemaan in the Angels» ‘Malaa.ika‘ (angels) is the plural of malak (angel). Its origin in the language is mal.ak (ملأك), so it was then made easier to pronounce and was said as ‘malak.’ The angels are beings created by Allaah in the world of the ghayb (hidden and unseen). Allaah created them to worship Him, and to carry out His commands, He the Perfect and Most High, within His dominion. They are different types; every type has a duty which it is entrusted with and which it carries out. They do not disobey Allaah regarding that which He commands them, and they do whatever they are commanded. So, from them, there are those who are entrusted with the revelation, and he is Jibreel `alaihissalaam. He is the noblest one from the angels; he is ar-Roohul-Ameen (the Trustworthy Spirit) and he is described as Shadeedul-Quwaa (the Mighty in Strength). And from them, are those entrusted with bearing the Throne: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ «Those who bear the Throne and those who are around it.» [40:7]

The Most High said, وَالْمَلَكُ عَلَىٰ أَرْجَائِهَا ۚ وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمَانِيَةٌ «And the angels will be at its edges, and eight angels, will, on that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord.» [69:17] The Throne is the most tremendous of the created things, and no one knows its greatness except for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. It will be carried by the angels – and this is a proof of the tremendous size of the angels, their great strength and their nature. He, the Most High said: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ «All praise is for Allaah, the Creator and Originator of the heavens and the earth, the One who made His angel messengers with wings, – two, three, and four. He increases in creation whatever He wishes.» [35:1]

So, from them are those who have six hundred wings, such as Jibreel `alaihissalaatu wasalaam. No one knows their tremendous size except for Allaah, the Perfect and Most High: بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ – لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ «Rather, they are honoured servants. They do not proceed Him in speaking, and they act upon His commands.» [21:26-27] From them are those who are entrusted with the rain-drops and the plants, and he is Mikaeel. And from them are those who are entrusted with blowing the horn, and he is Israafeel. He will blow the horn and everything will perish. He, the Most High said: وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ اللَّهُ «And the horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is upon the earth, will swoon (drop down dead) except whomever Allaah wishes.» [39:68]