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Azrael is considered the "Angel of Death" in various religious traditions. The name Azrael is an English rendering of the Arabic ʿAzrāʾīl (Arabic: عزرائيل), and is sometimes spelled Izrail, Azra'il, or Ezrael. The name is often translated as "God’s helper".
The Qur'an does not mention the name Azrael; the Qur'an instead refers to "Malak al-Mawt" (Arabic: مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ), meaning "the Angel of Death":
| “ | Say, the Angel of Death who is set over you will take your soul, then you will be returned to your Lord. | ” |
Islamic teachings hold that this angel takes the souls of the deceased by the command of God. While the name Azrael does not appear in the Qur'an or authentic hadith (including Hadith Qudsi), it is found in later Islamic literature, influenced in part by Jewish and Christian apocryphal sources (Isra'iliyyat).
Some Islamic scholars later adopted the name Azrael in theological writings, though others caution against relying on non-Qur’anic sources.
The Qur'an also suggests that other angels may assist the Angel of Death during the process of soul retrieval, especially for the righteous or the wicked (as in Qur'an 6:61, 16:28). However, these "helpers" are not referred to as "angels of death."
In Jewish mysticism, Azrael appears in some apocryphal and Kabbalistic texts as the Angel of Death. Azrael is sometimes described as one of the four archangels (along with Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael). In some rabbinic writings, Azrael is said to have a book with a record of the fate of all souls, and a duty to separate the soul from the body at death.
Azrael is not mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and references to Azrael vary across different Jewish sources.
In mainstream Christian doctrine, the Angel of Death is not personified by name in canonical scripture. In Christian folklore and intertestamental literature, Azrael is sometimes mentioned as the angel responsible for separating soul from body.
Some Gnostic texts, Catholic apocrypha, and later medieval writings refer to Azrael by name, assigning him a role similar to that found in Islamic or Jewish tradition.
The angel Azrael has been depicted in various forms of literature, art, and film. He is often portrayed as a solemn, hooded figure with wings. Some consider the symbol of Death — a skeletal being holding a scythe — a depiction of Azrael, although such imagery is rooted more in Western artistic tradition than in religious texts.
Fictionalized versions of Azrael have been used in comic books, video games, and novels, where the character may represent death, justice, or vengeance.