…Alexander, you pose an interesting topic, with a lot of density to discuss. So, let us start with the pictorial representations of angels, which in the west tend to be people with wings. The wings of course represent the ability to fly.
As you know we have discussed out-of-body experiences here at length. I argue that the wings on people in pictorial representations of angels is a direct reference to the OOBE.
In reality when a contemplative develops the ability to fly out-of-body is when they move past the 4 jhana and into the 4 ayatanas, which are all out-of-body experiences of higher domains, where we encounter divine beings. So, I would argue that there are 4 heavens, not 7 or 9, but in my experience of the non-physical these domains are infinite, but there are definite classes in those infinite layers.
And, one might see anthropomorphs with wings in the lower dimensions; however, the higher one goes the less the domain parallels the physical until all one encounters as beings is points of light and love, which becomes a network of points of light until one becomes that network of light and love in the highest level.
Just an interesting factoid regarding Islam and Mohamed, its founder. It just so happens that there is a term in Islam that translates as the "8 gates of Islam." The term 'gate' is a translation of the Arabic term 'jhina' which is where we get the term 'genie'.
And, as you may know the genie in the Aladdin’s lamp story is a spirit being who come out of a magic lamp and grants wishes to Aladdin. So, the genie is a non-physical magical being with powers. However, if you dig into Islam you will find that there is quite some fear in the general Islamic community regarding genies, because they believe that genies can also be malevolent, so they believe genies are not all benevolent.
Also, linguistically there are a number of definite connections between the Islamic term 'jhina' and the Pali term 'jhana.' 1) Phonologically there is a strong parallel between the 2 terms. 2) Both terms are used for spiritual phenomena and domains. 3) At about the time Mohamed was alive there was a resurgence of the term 'jhana' in Sri Lanka with the arising of an arahant there. He and his closest disciples were burned along with their temple by the priesthood of Buddhism, who rose up against them in rage for reviving the term 'jhana.' After that the Vissudhimaga was published to subvert the arahant's use of the term 'jhana.' So, it is my opinion that somehow the term 'jhana' made it to the Arabian peninsula and influenced Mohamed.
Also, while on the topic of angels and divine beings and linguistics and how they are represented culturally, the Pali term 'kasina' is used in southeast Asia in the same way the the term 'jhina' is used in Islam, with the same collective fear of invoking a spirit being who may or may not be malevolent. However, in southeast Asia spirit beings (kasinas) are represented as spheres of light, not anthropomorphs, so I think their representation is closer to reality.
Otherwise I find most of what passes for Angelology is fictional, so I did not pay much attention to it. The fiction is summed up in the argument of "how many angels can fit on the head of a pin." The immaterial domains are dimensionless, so the question is completely irrelevant.
