During the modernization process, Muslims sought to develop a rational understanding of nature by attributing their backwardness to an inherited misconception of the universe. Initially, they identified angels with the forces of nature and the good feelings in our hearts. Meanwhile, they reinterpreted jinn and devils as harmful thoughts within us or in our surroundings – even as microbes – thus stripping them of their individuality. Believing that our focus on the unseen world distanced us from nature and reality, they aimed to make the invisible visible, the unknown known, thereby elevating human responsibility and reason. To them, preoccupation with the unseen encouraged an escape from responsibility. By narrowing the influence of invisible beings in nature and life, they assumed they could expand the domain of the mind.
In mythological conceptions of the universe, a hierarchy of power governs the conflicts among beings, with order being established only through great struggle. Good and evil forces are in constant battle, and each entity possesses power in its own right. Even if these forces eventually converge, a structured hierarchy remains intact. The universe is divided between good forces – angels – and evil forces – jinn or devils. Humanity, caught in this war of powers, is helpless and oppressed. The only recourse is reason. Although this mythical language has evolved, it still persists in modern literature and cinema. No matter how much life changes, our perception of existence remains defensive: we continue to view the universe as a battleground between good and evil, unwilling to reach the root of the conflict.
Religion disrupted this cosmic vision by placing God at the center of existence, even identifying Him as existence itself and eliminating all secondary beings. Speaking of independent entities that possess power, engage in conflict, or act beyond control was deemed audacious against divine will. Everything is in its rightful place, and all is under the absolute control of divine will. If He wills something, it happens; if He does not, it does not. The universe belongs to God, and everything is under His command.
Such a perspective unites all opposites in a magnificent harmony, bringing them to a single point: submission and obedience to God without resistance. That humanity may fail to grasp this grand harmony does not justify alternative interpretations of reality. Within this understanding of the universe, beings exist only by divine will.
Consequently, belief in angels signifies the dissolution of any independent power structure in the universe for the sake of God. A believer, by affirming faith in angels, declares: "I reject the notion that anyone other than God has power. There is no god but God." In other words, no one but Him has authority or command. God is One, and there is no other force or power besides Him. Yet, paradoxically, the word angel derives from a root meaning power or strength. Religion conveys this message: What you perceive as power is actually God's power, and the angel represents this truth. Something is powerful only insofar as it is connected to and dependent on divine will.
Faith in angels negates the idea that the universe operates with independent forces, instead directly linking the world and nature to God's absolute will. If God is closer to us than our jugular vein, then nothing can veil Him – except our own illusions. Every movement, every action and every being in the universe is a reflection of divine will and reveals God to us. Rain does not fall due to mere causality but rather through the agency of angels. Does such a perspective lead us into mythology? No! What prevents us from falling into illusions is our knowledge of God. With such a belief in angels, the possibility of engaging in scientific inquiry remains intact. The key issue here is whether we examine nature while taking God into account or ignoring Him.
This perspective grants us two things at once: First, it provides a strong motivation for exploring nature. Understanding nature is understanding God. This way of thinking teaches us the discipline required to study nature – a kind of etiquette of nature. Second, it allows us to establish a closer and deeper relationship with nature. Nature becomes our home and, in the process of research, even transforms into a sacred space where we remember God. Faith in angels tells us: Nature is not a mechanical factory!
