Some scholars are circulating a video claiming that angels attend and participate in gatherings where religious discourses are delivered. Is this true?
Can we see angels?
There are Hadiths stating that angels attend various gatherings. We believe this—as a matter of the Unseen—because the Prophet (PBUH) stated it; however, even if we are present in such a gathering, we are unable to see the angels. Sahih Al-Bukhari (1/103)
477 – حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ, قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ, عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ, عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ, عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ, عَنِ الَعْمَشِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالََ:
” صَلاَةُ الجَمِيعِ تَزِيدُ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ, وَصَلَتِهِ فِي سُوقِهِ, خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً, فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ, وَأَتَى المَسْجِدَ, لاَ يُرِيدُ إِلَّا الصَّلَةَ, لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطوَةً إِلَّا رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً, وَحَطَّ عَنهُ خَطِيئَةً, حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ المَسْجِدَ, وَإِذَا دَخَلَ المَسْجِدَ, كَانَ فِي صَلَةٍ مَا كَانَتْ تَحْبِسُهُ, وَتُصَلِّي – يَعْنِي عَلَيْهِ المَلاَئِكَةُ – مَا دَامَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي فِيهِ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ, اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ, مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ فِيهِ
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
Praying in congregation (congregational prayer) is more valuable than praying in one's home or in one's shopping street. It is twenty-five times greater. For if one of you performs Wudu (ablution) thoroughly and comes to the mosque with the intention of praying, Allah elevates his status by one degree for every step he takes until he enters the mosque, and removes one sin from him. While he remains in the mosque awaiting prayer, he is considered to be in a state of prayer. Furthermore, the angels continue to pray for him as long as he remains in the spot where he prayed—provided he does not cause any disturbance within the mosque (such as by passing wind). The angels pray, "O Lord! Have mercy upon him!"
Source: Bukhari-477
When we wait for prayer in the mosque, the angels are present in that gathering, even though they are invisible to our eyes. Sahih al-Bukhari (1/115)
555 – Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Yusuf, who said: Narrated to us Malik, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A’raj, from Abu Hurairah: That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Angels come to you in succession, by night and by day, and they gather at the Fajr prayer and the ‘Asr prayer. Then, those who stayed among you ascend (to the Lord), and He asks them—though He knows best about them—'In what state did you leave My servants?' They reply, 'We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying.'"
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Angels come to you in succession—some by night and others by day. They gather at the Fajr prayer and the ‘Asr prayer. Then, those who spent the night among you ascend (to the Lord). Allah—Who knows everything about the people—asks them, "In what state did you leave My servants?" They reply, "We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying."
Source: Bukhari-555