All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The angels’ supplication for the believers is one of the great virtues and favors that Allah has bestowed upon His servants. The angels are honored servants who are obedient to Allah Almighty, and scholars have mentioned that their supplications are hoped to be answered. Therefore, the revealed texts mention certain deeds through which a servant receives the supplication and seeking of forgiveness of the angels, demonstrating the great virtue of these deeds. Nevertheless, the angels do not possess forgiveness or mercy independently; rather, they supplicate to Allah, and He alone is the One who answers, forgives, and shows mercy.
Allah described the angels as honored servants. He says:
“Rather, they are honored servants. They do not precede Him in speech, and they act only by His command.”
[Al-Anbiya: 26–27]
And He, Glorified be He, says:
“They do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do whatever they are commanded.”
[At-Tahrim: 6]
The angels are obedient to Allah and free from disobedience to Him. Therefore, scholars have mentioned that their supplication is among the supplications that are hoped to be accepted.
Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“It is well known that the supplication of the angels is answered.”
Al-Sindi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“The supplication of the angels is hoped to be answered.”
Therefore, when the Prophet ﷺ informs us that the angels supplicate for a person, this indicates the great virtue of the deed through which that person became deserving of such a supplication.
One of the clearest examples is what has been authentically reported regarding a person who remains in his place of prayer after performing the prayer.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The angels continue to pray for one of you as long as he remains in the place where he prayed, provided that he does not invalidate his ablution. They say: ‘O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him.’”
[Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Thus, a person remains seated in the place where he prayed while the angels supplicate for his forgiveness and mercy.
Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, pointed out the greatness of this virtue and explained that whoever wishes to receive more of the angels’ prayers for forgiveness and their supplications should take advantage of remaining in his place of prayer after the prayer.
Among the greatest examples of this is the supplication of the bearers of the Throne and those around it for the believers.
Allah Almighty says:
“Those who bear the Throne and those around it glorify their Lord with praise, believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe, saying: ‘Our Lord, You encompass all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and protect them from the punishment of the Hellfire.’”
[Ghafir: 7]
This demonstrates the status of the believer with Allah, as He has appointed among His angelic servants those who seek forgiveness for the believers and supplicate for their salvation from punishment.
One of the virtues of supplicating for other Muslims is that the angel also supplicates for the person making the supplication.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence is answered. At his head is an appointed angel. Whenever he supplicates for good for his brother, the appointed angel says: ‘Ameen, and may you have the same.’”
[Reported by Muslim]
Thus, whoever supplicates for good for his brother combines two things: his own supplication for his brother and the angel’s supplication that he himself receive the same good for which he supplicated.
The revealed texts indicate the virtue of the angels’ supplication and that it is worthy of being answered, and a number of scholars have explicitly stated that it is answered or is hoped to be answered.
A Muslim does not need to make an absolute comparison between every supplication made by an angel and every supplication made by a human being. The answering of supplications has causes and wisdoms known to Allah.
It is sufficient for us to know that being specifically included in the angels’ supplications is a great virtue and glad tidings of goodness. For this reason, the Sunnah encourages the deeds through which a servant can attain such supplications.
No.
This is an important point regarding correct belief.
The angels do not forgive sins independently, nor do they grant mercy or Paradise. Rather, they supplicate to Allah to forgive His servants and have mercy upon them.
In the hadith, the angels say:
“O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him.”
And in the Qur’an, they say:
“Our Lord… forgive those who repent.”
The angels themselves turn to Allah and ask Him for forgiveness and mercy. This confirms that all matters belong to Allah, Glorified be He, and that He alone possesses forgiveness and the power to bring benefit or harm.
A Muslim should be eager to perform the deeds about which Islamic teachings inform us that the angels supplicate for those who perform them—not for the purpose of seeing or communicating with the angels, but in hope of Allah’s bounty.
Among these deeds are remaining in the place of prayer in the manner described in the Sunnah, supplicating for Muslims in their absence, seeking knowledge, repenting, having faith, and remaining steadfast.
Ibn Jama‘ah, may Allah have mercy on him, said regarding the virtue of the angels’ supplication:
“People eagerly seek the supplication of a righteous man, or someone thought to be righteous—so what then of the supplication of the angels?”
The angels’ supplication for the believers is a great virtue, and it is among the supplications hoped to be answered because the angels are honored servants who are obedient to Allah Almighty. For this reason, the revealed texts encourage deeds through which people receive the angels’ supplications and prayers for forgiveness.
However, the angels do not independently possess forgiveness or mercy. Rather, they ask Allah on behalf of the servant, for Allah alone is the One who forgives, shows mercy, and answers supplications.
Therefore, a believer should be eager to perform the deeds that are authentically established as causes for receiving the angels’ supplications, hoping thereby for Allah’s mercy and bounty.
And Allah knows best.