Angels Spread their Wings fpr the Seekers of Knowledge!

Angels Spread their Wings fpr the Seekers of Knowledge

Ahmad R transmitted in his Musnad as did the people of the Sunan that Abu’d-Darda’ RA said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Allah will make the path to the Garden easy for anyone who travels a path in search of knowledge.Angels spread their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure for what he is doing. Everyone in the heavens and everyone in the earth asks forgiveness for a man of knowledge, even the fish in the water. The superiority of the man of knowledge to the man of worship is like the superiority of the moon to all the planets. The men of knowledge are the heirs of the Prophets. The Prophets bequeathe neither dinar nor dirham; they bequeathe knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken an ample portion.’

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What does the phrase ‘Angels spread their wings for the seeker of knowledge’ mean?

Ibn Rajb’s Opinion [from 'The World of Angels' by Sh. Abdul Hamid Kishk]

Ibn Rajab said, “People disagree about the interpretation of the angels spreading their wings. Some of them apply its literal meaning, and say that what is meant is unfurling the wings and extending them to the seekers of knowledge in order to carry them on their wings to the places in the earth in which they are seeking knowledge, to help them in their quest and to make it easy for them. Some of them explain the spreading of the wings showing humility on their part and humbleness before the seeker of knowledge.” Ibn Rajab continued, “The meaning of the expression is open to question because the angels really have wings whereas humans do not. Some of them explain it as meaning the angels spreading their wings over the gatherings of dhikr up to the heaven as has come clearly in the haditb of Abu Hurayra. Something similar is related in some versions of themarfu’ hadith of Safwan:’The angels spread their wings over the seeker of knowledge and then one on top of the other until they reach the lowest heaven out of their love for what he seeks.’ Perhaps this statement is the nearest to it, and Allah knows best.”

Ibn Qudamah’s Opinion (as narrated by IbnabiUkhti on the authority of Sh. Waleed Baysouni)

“Whenever the Angels see the student of knowledge walking, they do not fly over the student while he/she passes (out of respect)! The meaning of ‘they spread their wings’ means either they literally put their wings out on which the student walks or it has a connotation of protection and humility for them.”

What a great inspiration for us to attend Islamic Gatherings!