Angels of Death in various cultures

[Zarasis]

The Islamic Angel of Death

An angel of death is basically characterised as angel which brings the death to people and takes the souls of the dead to the realm of the dead or receives them there, sometimes he also judges them. In most cultures supernatural beings are handed down as soul companions. In Qur'an an angel of death (Mālak al-Maut = translated "Angel of Death") is expressly mentioned.

There is still disagreement about the true identity of this angel of death. The historical documentations which are available for the copyists in the Islamic tradition are contradictory. Although there is no authentic passage in Qur'an which confirms this unquestionably, the Islamic angel of death is identified as Azrael which is also the angel of death in the Jewish-Christian tradition and ethnic studies.

Azrael is the English form of the Arabic name "Azra'il", the name literally means "Whom God helps". It is sometimes also spelt Izrail, Izrael, Ezraeil, Azraille, Azryel, or Ozryel.

Nevertheless, the main part of the legend of Azrael is not described in the official religious doctrines, but is delivered only by the national faith. So the information is often accordingly contradictory and different.

According to some sources Azrael wings have 4000 tongues and eyes. According to other sources he has four faces and 4000 wings. His whole body is made up of eyes and tongues whose number is conform to the number of people living in the world.

He writes down the name of a person in his birth and deletes it after the death of the person. According to other reports he only keeps an account of the male. He is known as the first and the last and snatches the soul of a person namely on the day that is registered on the board of the divine resolution.

[Zarasis]

Shinigami – the Japanese Angel of Death

The term Shinigami comes from the Japanese culture and is translated as “Death deity”, “Death spirit” or “Angel of Death”. Shinigami is the personification of death and is comparable to the European Godfather Death (Grim Reaper).

The Japanese term “Kami” (“…gami”) is different to the European concept and understanding of divine beings. So it’s more accurate to use it for angels of death and death spirits.

Shinigami are characterised as death “deities” which escort the souls of dead people, who are still bound to the living world, to the realm of the dead. In Japanese culture the Shinigami are not considered to be omnipotent, as those beings are in Western traditions and legends. They are souls themselves and do not cause death on living people.