Why Are We Humans & Not Angels?

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Humankind - A special act of creation

​The concept that angels are better than humans, would be incorrect according to Islam. Even though the description of the angels and their appearance sounds supernatural and impresses upon human minds such as them having ‘wings’ and made of 'nur (light)’ and traveling faster than the speed of light between the heavens as explained in the section of angels and jinns. The fact that Allah ﷻ made them prostrate humankind is because we are His special creation, created in the best form. If angels were better than humans then Allah ﷻ would have commanded Adam (alaihi salaam) to prostrate before angels and not the other way around: “[For] Your Sustainer said to the angels: ‘Behold, I am about to create a human being out of clay;and when I have formed him fully and breathed into him of My spirit, fall you down before him in prostration!’ Thereupon the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together.”[1] What makes us a special creation is due to His ruh (spirit), infused within us as a result of which we carry the gift of intellect to make the correct choices using our reason and free will. The potential to imitate Allah's divine names is expressed in our behavior when we correctly exercise our reason and freewill; make the right choices with the assistance of divine guidance sent by Allah ﷻ, and keep patient in difficulties while being grateful and content at whatever we have. This struggle is what makes humans honored, it helps us to spiritually and intellectually progress, and is the most important aspect of our creation, something angels do not possess. Once we imitate the lives of the prophets (to the best of our ability) then Allah’s divine attributes (names) are displayed in our behavior such as being forgiving, merciful, kind, and generous. We also display the acts of our creator such as inventing, drawing, building and formation just as He is The Creator (Al Khaliq), The Initiator (Al Bari), The Supreme Fashioner (Al Musawwir). He is the Most Knowledgeable (Al Aleem) and we also display the attribute of learning and gaining knowledge. He is Holy and Beautiful (Al Quddoos) and we too share these characteristics by physically and internally purifying ourselves, our hearts from all that opposes truth and wisdom. One of His attributes is Peace (As Salaam) therefore; we are advised to spread peace (salaam) on earth among His creation and also gain peace by accepting His will i.e. Islam, which means Self-Submission. 
 
For more details on this topic please also refer to two more posts: 99 Divine Names of Allah ﷻ & Allah ﷻ Created Adam (a.s) In His Own Image.

References:
[1] Al Quran 38:71-72 – Asad Translation - Allah ﷻ orders the angels to pay respect to His new creation i.e. Adam.

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