that “he saw Gabriel marshaling the angels.”

When the devils see Allah’s angels, with whom He supports His servants, they flee from them. Allah supports His believing servants with His angels. Allah Most High says:

“When your Lord revealed to the angels, ‘I am with you, so strengthen those who believe.’”

Allah Most High also says:

“O you who believe, remember Allah’s favor upon you when armies came against you, and We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see.”

Allah Most High also says:

“When he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; Allah is with us.’ Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with armies you did not see.”

Allah Most High also says:

“When you said to the believers, ‘Is it not enough for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?’”

“Yes indeed! If you remain steadfast and mindful of Allah, and they come upon you suddenly, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels bearing marks of distinction.”

These people, however, are visited by spirits that speak to them and appear before them. They are jinn and devils, yet these people imagine them to be angels—like the spirits that speak to those who worship the heavenly bodies and idols.

Among the first of these people to appear in Islam was al-Mukhtār ibn Abī ʿUbayd, whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, foretold in the authentic hadith recorded by Muslim in his Sahīh. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“There will be among Thaqīf a liar and a destroyer.”

The liar was al-Mukhtār ibn Abī ʿUbayd, and the destroyer was al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf.

Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn ʿAbbās were told, “Al-Mukhtār claims that something descends to him.” They both replied, “He has spoken the truth. Allah Most High says:

‘Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?’

‘They descend upon every sinful liar.’”

And the other said, when he was told that