Azrael (angel)

Azrael is a spiritual being who is viewed as the “angel of death” in Judaism, Islam, and some new age belief systems. Azrael is not named in the Christian Bible and is not part of official Christian religious teachings. The name Azrael is Hebrew, meaning “whom God helps.” In Islam, he is known as Malak al-Maut, literally the “Angel of Death.” In modern times, the angel of death has often been confused with the skeletal grim reaper, a figure said to claim a person’s soul at the time of death. While some books in the Hebrew Bible describe Azrael as an avenging soldier taking lives at God’s command, the angel is most often portrayed as a compassionate figure. Azrael’s role is to help souls transition from life to death and comfort those who have lost a loved one.

Background

The belief in spiritual beings likely originated among prehistoric cultures and predates the first human civilizations. The earliest organized religions featured more ordered systems of gods, goddesses, and lesser spiritual beings. Some of these spiritual beings were seen as evil creatures, while others were considered to be forces of good. The Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians believed that some spirits acted as helpers for more powerful, benevolent deities. The ancient Greek term daimon eventually became the word demon, but to the Greeks, a daimon was not evil. It was simply a “lesser god” that acted as a servant to the greater gods.

Eventually, some spiritual beings began to be viewed as intermediaries between humans and the gods. This concept is illustrated in the names used to describe such beings. The word angel comes from the Greek angelos and means “messenger.” In Hebrew, an angel was known as malakh, which also means “messenger.” In ancient Persia, the beings were called angaros, or “couriers.” The various incarnations of angels were often depicted as human-like beings of great power. To convey angels traveling from the heavens in the sky to Earth, ancient artists often pictured them with bird-like wings. By the medieval period, angels were almost universally portrayed as radiant winged humans.

Overview

Azrael is identified as an angel of death in Judaism, though that title has also been applied to other figures in Jewish religious teachings. The name Azrael itself is not often used in Jewish texts. Several books of the Old Testament make repeated references to an “angel of the Lord” who is sent by God to destroy his enemies. In the biblical story of Moses, it was this angel that God sent to kill the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. Humans are said to be powerless in the face of the angel, who carries out his task only upon God’s orders.

In other Jewish texts, the angel of death was said to have been created by God on the first day and resides in the third level of heaven. The angel is depicted as having twelve wings and a body covered in eyes. Upon receiving orders to take a life, the angel is said to stand in front of the person with a drawn sword. The sword’s tip contains a drop of poison, which the angel throws into the person’s mouth, killing him or her and separating the soul from the body.

Azrael appears prominently in the religion of Islam, much of which was based on the teachings of Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, Azrael is considered to be one of the four archangels, along with Gabriel, Michael, and Israfel. According to Islamic belief, God instructed Gabriel, Michael, and Israfel to journey to Earth to get seven handfuls of dirt so that God may create the first man. The angels were unable to accomplish the task and returned empty-handed. God then gave the mission to Azrael who succeeded in bringing the dirt back to God. For his role in bringing life to humankind, Azrael was given the honor of separating the soul from the body at the time of death.

The Islamic version of Azrael is said to have four thousand wings and seventy thousand feet. He is covered in eyes and tongues equal to the number of souls on Earth. When Azrael blinks an eye, it is said that a person dies on Earth. The angel is also said to be continually writing the names of those who are born into a large book and erasing those names at the time of death. Azrael does not know when a person is about to die. He is informed of an impending death when a leaf bearing a person’s name falls from a tree at foot of the throne of God. Azrael then has forty days to claim that person’s soul.

Roman Catholic and Christian teachings acknowledge the existence of angels, though only three—Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael—are mentioned by name in the Bible. As such, Azrael is not officially recognized as an angel in Christianity. However, some modern Christians and followers of new age beliefs view Azrael as one of seven powerful archangels. This belief is loosely inspired by the work of medieval scholars who placed angels in hierarchies based on their perceived importance and role in the order of heaven. At the top of these lists were seven chief angels known as archangels. Azrael was not one of the medieval Christian archangels, but in modern times, some believers have granted him that status.

In this view, Azrael is seen as a merciful angel of death who meets the souls of the newly deceased and escorts them to heaven. He is said to help those who have died transition into the afterlife. At the same time, he comforts family and friends to help them overcome the grief caused by the death of a loved one. He is also said to aid those who provide spiritual counseling in the wake of a death. Some followers believe that Azrael assists the living in any difficult period of transition, such as after the breakup of a relationship or a change in career.

Bibliography

Davidson, Gustav. “Azrael.” Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. 1967. Free Press, 1994, pp. 64–65.

Demers, Dawn. “The 7 Archangels and Their Meanings.” Belief.net, www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/angels/galleries/the-7-archangels-and-their-meanings.aspx?p=7. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Gontis, Jim. “Catholic Teaching on Angels.” Diocese of Harrisburg, 6 Aug. 2012, www.hbgdiocese.org/catholic-teaching-on-angels/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Harris, William. “How the Grim Reaper Works.” How Stuff Works, 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/grim-reaper2.htm. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Hopler, Whitney. “Archangel Azrael.” Thought Co., 25 Aug. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/meet-archangel-azrael-124093. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Kishkarov, Ihsan. “How Does Azrael, the Angel of Death, Take a Person’s Soul?” Islam Today, 30 Sept. 2015, eng.islam-today.ru/islam-in-the-world/how-does-azrael-the-angel-of-death-take-a-persons-soul/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Kohler, Kaufmann, and Ludwig Blau. “Death, Angel of.” Jewish Encyclopedia, 2011, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5018-death-angel-of. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

Rees, Valery. From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels. I.B. Tauris & Co.