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Azrael (angel of death) is the archangel of death. It is an English form of the Arabic name Azra'il or Azra'eil (عزرایل), the name traditionally attributed to the angel of death in Islam, although the Qur'an never uses this name, usually using instead Malak al-Maut (which translates directly as angel of death). It is also spelled Izrail, Izrael, Azrail, Azraille, or Ozryel. Chambers English dictionary uses the spelling Azrael. The name literally means Assistant (helper) of God.
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Background
Azrael was the descendant of the high priests of Aaron. He served as a scribe for the Babylonian exile and second Temple Jerusalem period. During the early Christian period he became known as Esdras, the prophet who bears witness to the coming of the Messiah. It was this early Christian story that claimed Azrael ascended into heaven without tasting death. He was also mentioned in the Christian heretic Marcion's records concerning the "Angel of Law". He is generally depicted as an archangel under the command of God rather than in the fashion of the figure of Death personified. Depending on the outlook and precepts of various religions in which he is a figure, Azrael is portrayed as residing in the third Heaven. He has four faces and four thousand wings, and his whole body consists of eyes and tongues, the number of which corresponds to the number of people inhabiting the earth. He will be the last to die, recording and erasing constantly in a large book the names of men at birth and death, respectively.[1]
Azrael in art and literature
Azrael, as both a character or a more abstract concept has been adopted by many different artists, musicians, poets, and authors over the centuries to express or evoke a variety of different meanings or emotions in the reader – often drawing on the cultural resonance of the name for effect.
In literature, Azrael has been featured by a variety of authors, across a broad range of styles and countries. In the West, he has been written about by Terry Pratchett in both Reaper Man and Good Omens, which was coauthored by Neil Gaiman. He also forms part of the underworld pantheon in the Dragon King series by Stephen Lawhead. The playwright Arthur Miller wrote in Azrael as a character in "The Creation of Life and Other Business", while the Mexican poet Amado Nervo wrote a poem entitled Azrael. The character has even found a place in popular culture – emerging as a costumed superhero named Azrael in the fictional Batman universe, and in the French graphic novel "Poulet aux prunes". He even formed the title of the CSI: NY episode "Here's To You, Mrs. Azrael", featuring a homicidal mother. Also, he appeared as a character played by Jason Lee in the Kevin Smith movie Dogma. In music, Azrael has been written about in both songs and albums by such varied acts as Demons & Wizards, Coil, The Nice, and VNV Nation – classically, Asrael is a symphony by Czech composer Josef Suk, dating from 1906. In the comic book genre, writer Marc Guggenheim wrote Azrael as the warrior/angel of death whom Wolverine has to fight every time he suffers a lethal wound in order to save his soul, which is returned to his physical body if he is victorious.[2]. It is also the name of the Wizard Gargamel's cat in the cartoon The Smurfs. Azrael is also the name of the leader of the fictional group from games workshop known as the dark Angels (Warhammer 40000). The name of the character Lord Asriel from Phillip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials is possibly derived from Azrael.
See also
- Death (personification)
- Angels in Islam
- Thanatos - the Messenger of Death in Greek Mythology
- Adam Bourque
Notes
- ^ Hastings, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics IV, 617
- ^ Wolverine, vol.3, #58, writer Marc Guggenheim, artist Howard Chaykin, color artist, Edgar Delgado (Oct. 2007)
