Thread by @aaolomi

In the Islamic apocalypse, the angel of death has an important role in reaping the souls of all, bringing life to an end…even the lives of the angels.

A thread on the angel of death and the end of days-

A minor and contested narration found in Suyuti attributed to Anas and transmitted by al-Bayhaqi and ibn Mardawayh relates how in the end of days only God and the angels will remain.

God will command Israfil to blow the Trumpet and herald the end of time and creation.

All will perish except for God and the four chief angels: Jibra’il, Mik’ail, Israfil and the Angel of Death, sometimes called Azra’il.

God will then turn to the Angel of Death and ask who remains?

To which the celestial servant will respond, Your Merciful and Eternal Face remains and Your servants, Jibra’il, Mika’il, Israfil, and I, the Angel of Death.”

God will then command, take the soul of Israfil.

The Angel of Death will reach out its hand and thus Israfil the Angel of the Trumpet will end.

Then God will ask again, who remains?

To which the celestial servant will respond, Your Merciful and Eternal Face remains and Your servants, Jibrai’l, Mika’il, and I, the Angel of Death.

God will then command, take the soul of Mika’il.

The Angel of the Death will reach out its hand and reap Mika’il the angel of rains and mercies.

Then God will ask again, who remains?

To which the celestial servant will respond, Your Merciful and Eternal Face remains and Your servants, Jibra’il and I, the Angel of Death

God will then command, take the soul of Jibra’il.

The Angel of the Death will reach out its hand and thus Jibra’il the leader and messenger of the angels will die.

In the end only God and the Angel of Death will be left.

So, God will ask again, who remains?

To which the celestial servant will respond, Your Merciful and Eternal Face remains and Your servant, I, the Angel of Death.

God will then command, “Die” and so, Azra’il will finally taste the very thing it granted others: death.

Then only God remains.

“Thus as I began creation, I have taken it back.”

From this nothingness God will resurrect all of creation and then the Day of Judgement begins.

The narration recounted in the medieval period fills outs details of the End of Days which are only allusively referred to in the Qur’an.

It reveals a complex angelology and eschatology taking shape over the course of centuries and likely through an interaction of cultures in the Late Antique and medieval period.

If you are interested in all things apocalypse check out my patreon where I’ve done several podcasts on the apocalypse in Islamic eschatology. I have also just released the first episode in a 3-part series on the history of early astronomy and astrology: patreon.com/headonhistory

I will cover Islamic eschatology and history in future threads.