Abstract

The Ismāilī/Bātinī movement was criticized by early Ahl al-Sunnah kalam schools on different matters, one of which is the angel belief that is also related to other principles of faith. However, the issue of angels was not a direct subject of criticism; instead, it was mostly discussed in connection with related matters such as prophethood and the afterlife. On that note, the Ismāilī/Bātinī teaching, due to their views on prophethood and the afterlife, was accused of denying angels by some Ash‘arī mutakallims. While Hanafī-Māturīdī kalam scholars found faults with the same points, they did not make such an accusation. Moreover, pointing out as the source of the opinions above to philosophers increased the merit of these criticisms. In the present study, after alluding to the claims and the accusations of the parties concerned, the matter of angels will be discussed in relation to prophethood and the afterlife from the viewpoint of the Ismāilī/Bātinī teaching. While doing so, their own works will be consulted. Subsequently, the criticisms of Ahl al-Sunnah will be compared with the views of the Ismāilī/Bātinī doctrine concerning the issue of angels. Also, the significance and value of different viewpoints put forward by the related schools of thought will be presented in terms of the consequences of those views.