وَإِنَّ عَلَيكُم لَحافِظينَ

Indeed, there are over you watchers.

EXPOSITION

The word ḥāfiẓīn (watchers) literally means preservers. Here, it refers to the angels assigned uniquely to every human being and who witness and preserve the actions and words of the person to whom they are assigned, until his or her physical death. The number of these watchers is generally believed to be two, and according to some traditions four – a pair who watch over the day and another for the night. This ‘changing of the guards’ takes place at dawn and at dusk. This may explain why watchers is given here in the Arabic plural.^{‎[1]In the Arabic language, nouns can be singular, dual, or plural in the case of three or more.}

We know that these watchers sit on either side of their assigned human: when the twin recorders record (his deeds), seated on the right hand and on the left: he says no word but there is a ready observer beside him (50:17-18), and from traditions we also know that the angel to the right records good deeds and the one to the left records misdeeds, and this is perhaps why the felicitous are given their book of deeds on Judgement Day in their right hand (17:71, 69:19), whereas the wretched are given theirs in their left (69:25). (For the significance of right and left, see 57:12.)

According to Ālūsī, these two angels who record one’s deeds sit on either shoulder of the person, and the angel on the right holds greater authority than the one on the left, such that the angel on the left does not record a sin without first seeking permission from the one on the right.^{‎[2]Alusi, 15/270.} In a lengthy tradition that Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar reports from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a), the two angels are much closer – they are in fact on the right and left cheek of a person, or even in the inside hollow of the cheeks.^{‎[3]Ilal, 2/359, h. 1.} And it is for this reason, perhaps, that the Shias simply look to the right and left when greeting their angels after prayers, whilst the Sunnis turn their heads towards their right and left shoulders.^{‎[4]Ilal, 2/359, h. 1.}

Ālūsī has also mentioned that the permanently insane do not have angels who watch and record their deeds,^{‎[5]Alusi, 15/270.} and many Sunni exegetes have reported a tradition from the Prophet that these two noble writers part from the faithful temporarily, out of respect for them, when the latter relieve themselves or when they engage in sexual activity with their spouses.^{‎[6]Alusi, 15/270; Qurtubi, 20/248; Ibn Kathir, 8/341.}

Even the faithless (kuffār) have angels who watch over them. Verses such as, The guilty will be recognised by their mark (55:41) do not prove that the faithless do not require a record to be kept for their deeds; this is because their wretchedness may be easily recognised on the Day of Judgement by the angels and the faithful, and also because God’s justice necessitates that they see proof of their misdeeds. Furthermore, verses such as, you deny the retribution. Indeed, there are over you watchers … (verses 9-10) prove that they too have watchers over them. Thirdly, God confirms in 18:49, 69:25-6, 84:10 and similar verses that the guilty and wretched will also be given a book of deeds in their left hand or from behind their backs. This proves those destined for hellfire have a book, and therefore angels who record their deeds.

There can be several reasons why God places watchers over man even though He is omniscient of all of man’s deeds and suffices as judge over man. Firstly, it is to make the angels witnesses over people. Secondly, it acts as a deterrent from sin for the pious who are conscious of the presence of these watchers. Thirdly, it is to magnify the significance of the Day of Judgement in man’s eyes. This happens when man realises the presence of watchers who are constantly recording every minute detail of his life for a day of recompense and retribution and that every person will be shown his or her book of deeds on that day and told: This is Our book, which speaks truly against you. Indeed We used to record what you used to do (45:29).

One might object: if the angels are to serve as proof and witnesses against man on the Day of Judgement, then for one who believes God is just and deals fairly with all, this proof and witnessing is unnecessary; whereas for one who denies God’s justice, the angels are biased and therefore it will still fail to serve any purpose. In reply, Rāzī has said that God in His justice will deal with humans on the Day of Judgement based on how they themselves were accustomed to passing judgement and executing justice on earth. And since the most just method of accounting amongst humans is to produce recorded evidence and witnesses, they will be dealt with in the same manner in their own accounting on the Day of Judgement. A comprehensive record will be presented to them and angels will be made present to bear witness for or against them.^{‎[7]Razi, 31/78.} So while man may belie the witness of the angels, he will not be able to deny the recorded evidence these angels produce.

Besides those who watch over man and record his deeds, there are other angels unique to each person who protect him from harm, fatal accidents, and in the case of the pious even the onslaught of devils, until the time when his death approaches (6:61), at which point they bless him, promising to intercede for him if he was virtuous, or they curse and warn him that they will bear witness against him on the Day of Retribution if he was a transgressor. Ālūsī quotes a report that ʿUthmān asked the Prophet: ‘How many angels are there with a human being?’ And he mentioned to him ten angels and then doubled their number to twenty: ten for the day and ten for the night.^{‎[8]Alusi, 15/270; Nur, 5/523, from Ibn Ṭāwūs, Saʿd al-Suʿūd.} Ālūsī also quotes a report that every person, from the time he is conceived in the womb to the time of his death, will have been appointed as many as four hundred angels.^{‎[9]Alusi, 15/270.}

And finally, Makārim Shīrāzī has counted seven watchers or witnesses over man, with evidence for each from the Quran or an authentic tradition: God Himself (10:61), the Apostle of God (4:41),^{‎[10]See also 2:143 and 22:78, which by extension would make an elite group from the faithful witnesses as well.} the tongue and limbs of a person (24:24), the skin, hearing and sight of a person (41:20), the angels (as an interpretation of 50:21), the earth (as the land that a person occupied and lived on – 99:4), and the time period (zamān) during which a person lived and committed acts of good or evil. For this last witness, Makārim Shīrāzī provides proof via a tradition from Imam Ali (a) in which he said: ‘Not a day passes by the son of Adam without that day saying to him: “Son of Adam, I am a new day and I am a witness over you.”’^{‎[11]Nemuneh, 26/225.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Ibn Ṭāwūs, after mentioning the angels of night and day, reports that according to a narration the angels of day come to one who is faithful at the time of dawn (fajr) prayers. When they descend, the two angels appointed for the night ascend. When the sun sets, the two angels appointed to write in the night descend and the two angels who write by day ascend with his scroll to Allah. And this to-and-fro of theirs does not cease until the time of his death, at which time they say to the man who is righteous: ‘May Allah reward you for being such a good companion. For how many a righteous act you showed us and how many beautiful words you made us hear, and how many excellent gatherings you made us attend. We, this day, stand on what you love and are intercessors to your Lord.’ And if he was sinful they say to him: ‘May Allah repay you for being such an evil companion. For you used to annoy us. For how many evil acts you made us see and how many evil words you made us hear and evil gatherings you made us attend. And we, this day, are on what you detest and are witnesses before your Lord.’^{‎[12]Ibn Ṭāwūs, Saʿd al-Suʿūd, pp. 225-226.}

Note: Ibn Ṭāwūs does not mention from whom this narration is reported.

2. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) was asked why angels were appointed to record the good and evil deeds of people when God knows all that is hidden and apparent. The angels, he replied, were God’s witnesses over His creatures and also so that they would act as a deterrent from sin, encouraging people to obey God and to keep them away from disobeying Him. ‘For how many a person there is that thinks of sinning then remembers their [the angels’] place and is awed, he fearfully holds back, saying: “My Lord sees me and has watchers over me who will witness that.”’ Then the Imam continued: ‘And God, the exalted, out of His compassion and grace, has also appointed the angels to protect His servants from the onslaught of the devils until the time of his death.’^{‎[13]Ihtijaj, p. 348.}

[1] In the Arabic language, nouns can be singular, dual, or plural in the case of three or more.
[2] Alusi, 15/270.
[3] Ilal, 2/359, h. 1.
[4] Ilal, 2/359, h. 1.
[5] Alusi, 15/270.
[6] Alusi, 15/270; Qurtubi, 20/248; Ibn Kathir, 8/341.
[7] Razi, 31/78.
[8] Alusi, 15/270; Nur, 5/523, from Ibn Ṭāwūs, Saʿd al-Suʿūd.
[9] Alusi, 15/270.
[10] See also 2:143 and 22:78, which by extension would make an elite group from the faithful witnesses as well.
[11] Nemuneh, 26/225.
[12] Ibn Ṭāwūs, Saʿd al-Suʿūd, pp. 225-226.
[13] Ihtijaj, p. 348.