Unseen Education and Divine Agency
A Qur’anic Perspective on The Role of Angels in Spiritual Formation
Keywords:
Unseen education, angels, divine agency, spiritual formation, thematic exegesisAbstract
Purpose – In Islamic educational tradition, the spiritual dimension plays a central role in shaping the human being holistically; however, studies exploring the involvement of transcendent entities such as angels as pedagogical agents remain scarce. This study aims to describe and to analyze the role of angels as divine agents in the spiritual formation of human beings according to the Qur’anic perspective.
Design/Method – Employing a qualitative literature-based approach in the form of a conceptual paper, this research examines Qur’anic verses using thematic exegesis (tafsīr maudhūʿī), alongside a synthesis of relevant scholarly literature and classical-contemporary tafsir.
Findings – The findings reveal that angels perform four key functions in spiritual education: as transmitters of revelation, spiritual guardians, providers of faith-based inspiration, and enforcers of transcendental moral values. These functions construct a framework of divine agency that actively guides spiritual consciousness toward tazkiyat al-nafs. This study enriches Islamic educational discourse by offering a new perspective on Qur’anic spirituality, emphasizing the role of transcendent beings in nurturing the soul. The article contributes theoretically to the development of Islamic educational epistemology and opens a pathway for integrating unseen dimensions into contemporary spiritual education practice in a more systematic and reflective manner.
Keywords: Unseen education, angels, divine agency, spiritual formation, thematic exegesis.
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