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In Islamic tradition the two kiraman katibin (Arabic: كراماً كاتبين ‘honourable scribe’) are two angels called Raqib and Atid, believed by Muslims to record a person's actions.

The Quran refers to them in two places, in 50:16-18 and by name as ‘Noble Recorders' in 82:10-12.^[1]

Description

The pair of angels were tasked to record any deeds of person.^[2] The work of the kiraman katibin is to write down and record every action of a person each day. One angel figuratively sits on the right shoulder and records all good deeds, while the other sits on the left shoulder and records all bad deeds.^[3] Based on the rulings of Al-Uthaymin, another Saudi scholar Saleh Al-Fawzan regarded the belief about the Kiraman Katibin angels is a part of the second article of Six Pillars of Faith in Islam.^[4]

The observation of these recording angels in Quran was provided in chapter Qaf verses 16-18. Al-Qurtubi explained in his book Al-Jami Li Ahkamil Quran that Raqib and Atid was not a name of those angels, but rather a traits and characteristic, where Al-Qurtubi explained that Raqib has several meanings, such as "always monitors"^[a]; "one who watch"; and "one who witnesses"^[b]. Meanwhile, regarding the meaning of Atid, Al-Qurtubi explained it means "a watcher who has been prepared; Whether to keep or to witness.”.Ibn Kathir further observing the verses in linguistic perspective that the meaning of the "son of Adam" which monitored by those angels here meant to be every humans. Al-Uthaymin on the other hand, has his own concise explanation that Raqib means "Always watching mortals day and night"; while Atid means "ever present and never in a state of Absence". Those exegesis of the Qaf's verses, particularly in the 17th verse, also similar with explanation from several modern era Islamic scholars such as Umar al-Muqbil, professor from Qassim University; Salih bin Abdullah al-Humaid, Imam of Masjid al-Haram; Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar; and Wahbah al-Zuhayli.^[3] Thus, by considering the consensus of the verses explanations, 'Abd al-Karim ibn 'Abd' Allah al-Khudayr, member of Council of Senior Scholars (Saudi Arabia), has stated that the "Raqib and Atid" is not the alternative individual names of the two recording angel.^[5]^[6]

Aside from the verses from Qaf chapter, Al-Uthaymin also explained his footnote about Quran chapter Al-Isra' verse 85, that God has intended to warn humans with all the creations were belong to God Himself, including the creation of soul and creation of the recording angels.^[2]

An authentic Hadith from Al-Tabarani also recorded by al-Albani in his book, Sahih al-Jami, that the Kiraman Katibin angels will always suspend their records for the span of 6 hours whenever a person whose they watched commit any sin. If the person repented from his sin, then the angels will abort the record of the deed. However, if that person did not repent in the given time, the angels will record the deed.^[5]

An a Hadith transmitted from Ibn Abbas recorded by Al-Tabari was quoted by Al-Suyuti, that the Kiraman Katibin angels never absent accompanying a person except on 3 occasions: when the person take a defecation, Najis state, and during bath.^[7]^[c] However, this tradition was rejected by the consensus of classical Islamic scholars which compiled by al-Suyuti in his work, Al-Habaik fi Akhbar Al-Malaik, since the redaction contradicted Quran chapter Al-Jathiya verse 29 and other authentic Hadiths, that stated the Kiraman Katibin never absent in recording a person's deeds.^{[citation needed]} Al-Suyuti himself gave his personal commentary that he did not know any other tradition that supported this Hadith. Regarding this matter, Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia gave his fatwa ruling's statement that the Kiraman Katibin never leave a person's side anytime.^[8]

Kiraman Katibin also tasked to determine Whether a person is sent to Jannah (paradise) or Jahannam (hell) is not, however, dependent on whether good deeds outweigh bad deeds; but is ultimately up to God's mercy upon a believer.^[9] The book in which the angels are writing is the cumulative record of a given person's deeds. After that person's death, it is said that on the Day of Judgement each person will be confronted with this record, and the two angels will be present to tell God of what the person did.^{[citation needed]}

Relation to the other angels

These angels are not guardian angels, called in Islamic tradition the mu'aqqibat "followers" (Q.13.10-11). According to many Muslims, each human has two guardian angels, in front and behind him, while the two recorders are located right and left.^{[citation needed]}

Footnotes

Notes

^ Al Qurtubi quoted as-Suddi for this meaning
^ Al Qurtubi quoted Al-Dahhak ibn as-Sulami at-Tirmidhi for this meaning
^ This Hadith was quoted by Ibn Taymiyya in a compilation of Mujahid ibn Jabr personal saying, not a transmitted Hadith.