Israfil(Arabic:إِسْـرَافِـيْـل,ʾIsrāfīl) orIsrafel[1]is theangelwho blows the trumpet to signalQiyamah(theDay of Judgment) inIslam.[2]Though unnamed in theQuran,he is one of the fourarchangelsin Islamic tradition, along withMichael,Gabriel,andAzrael.[1]The "Book of Dead" described Israfil as the oldest of all archangels.[3]He is commonly thought of as the counterpart of theJudeo-ChristianarchangelRaphael.[4][5]

Israfel blows anafirinZakariya al-Qazwini'sThe Wonders of Creation(1570s).

Israfil is portrayed as writing the destiny of humans and all commands ofGodto the (other) archangels with thepen(qalam), which he carries with one wing; with the other wing, Israfil covers his face, unable to look at God.[6]

In religious tradition

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Israfil is mentioned in ahadithas the angel nearest to God, mediating the commands of God to the other archangels.[7]Although the nameIsrafildoes not appear in the Quran, a figure blowing a trumpet is repeatedly alluded to, and is assumed to be this figure:

And the trumpet shall be blown, so all those that are in the heavens and all those that are in the earth shall swoon, except him whom Allah will; then it shall be blown again, then they shall stand up awaiting.

Kitab Aḥwāl al-Qiyāma,states:

Know that Israfil is the master of the horn [al-qarn]. God created the preserved tablet [al-lawḥ al-maḥfuz] of white pearl. Its length is seven times the distance between the heaven and the earth and it is connected to the Throne. All that exists until the day of resurrection is written on it. Israfil has four wings--one in the East, one in the West, one covering his legs and one shielding his head and face in fear of God. His head is inclined toward the Throne.... No angel is nearer to the throne than Israfil. Seven veils are between him and the Throne, each veil five hundred years distance from the next; seventy veils are between Jibril and Israfil. While he is standing the trumpet [ṣur] is placed on his right · thigh and the head of the trumpet on his mouth. He awaits the command of God, and when God commands he will blow. And when the period of the world is completed, the trumpet will be brought near the face of Israfil and he will fold his four wings and blow the trumpet.[8][9]

Due to his beautiful voice, he is also theMuezzinof those in Heaven.[10]

Kitab Aḥwāl al-Qiyāmastates he has four wings, however, another tradition mentions that he has twelve.[11]

Israfil is also said to have been sent along with the other three Islamic archangels to collect dust from the four corners of the earth,[9]though only Azrael succeeded in this mission.[12]It was from this dust thatAdam,the first man andProphetwas formed.[13]

A few reports assume that Israfil had visited Muhammad before Gabriel did.[14]

Israfil has been identified as with angels of Christian tradition, includingUriel[4]andRaphael.[5]

See also

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Appendix

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^abLewis, James R.,Evelyn Dorothy Oliver, and S. Sisung Kelle, eds. 1996.Angels A to Z.Visible Ink Press.ISBN0-7876-0652-9.p. 224.
  2. ^Webster, Richard (2009).Encyclopedia of angels(1st ed.). Woodbury, he will blow the trumpet when the day comes to the end Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. p. 97.ISBN9780738714622.
  3. ^Shaikh Muhammad ibn Habib translated by Aisha Abd- ar Rahman at-TarjumanaIslamic Book of Dead Hadith Concerning the Fire and the Garden,Diwan Press, 1977,ISBN0950444618,pp. 33–34
  4. ^ab"Gabriel."Jewish Encyclopedia.
  5. ^ab"Israfil"(revised).Encyclopædia Britannica.[1998] 2020.
  6. ^Abilkhamitkyzy, R., and L. B. Begalieva. "Түркі әлеміндегі періштенің көркем бейнесі: кеше және бүгін." Keruen 75.2 (2022): 104-116.
  7. ^Burge, Stephen. 2015.Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik.Routledge.ISBN978-1-136-50473-0.p. 92.
  8. ^Kitab aḥwāl al-qiyāma,pp. 49-50 quoted inSmith, Jane I.; Haddad, Yvonne Y. (1981).The Islamic Understanding of Death and Resurrection.Albany, N Y: SUNY Press. pp. 70–71.
  9. ^abDavidson, Gustav.1967. "Israfel."Pp. 151–52 inA Dictionary of Angels, Including The Fallen Angels.New York: Free Press.ISBN9780029070505.LCCN66-19757.
  10. ^Tottoli, Roberto."Isrāfīl".In Fleet, Kate;Krämer, Gudrun;Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John;Rowson, Everett(eds.).Encyclopaedia of Islam(3rd ed.). Brill Online.doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_32620.ISSN1873-9830.
  11. ^Al-Suyuti(2021). Muhammad as Said Basyuni, Abu Hajir; Yasir, Muhammad (eds.).Misteri Alam Malaikat(Religion / Islam / General) (in Indonesian). Translated by Mishabul Munir. Pustaka al-Kautsar. pp. 17, 30–32.ISBN978-979-592-951-2.Retrieved6 February2022.Quoting Ibnul Mubarak from a book ofaz-Zuhd;ad Durr al-Manshur, chain narration from Ibnul Mubarak to Ibn SHihab (1/92)
  12. ^Weil, Gustav.1863. "Adam."Pp. 19 inThe Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud or Biblical Legends of the Mussulmans.viaInternet Sacred Text Archive.
  13. ^Noegel, Scott B., and Brannon M. Wheeler. 2010.The A to Z of Prophets in Islam and Judaism.Scarecrow Press.ISBN978-1-461-71895-6.p. 13.
  14. ^Kraemer, Joel L. 1993.Israel Oriental Studies, Band 13.Brill.ISBN9789004099012.p. 219.

Bibliography

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