Izrail

Izrail (also transliterated as Izra'il, Izrael, Isra'il, or Israil) is a name used in some Islamic and Turkic traditions to designate the Angel of Death, the celestial being tasked by God with taking the souls of the living at the time of death and reporting back on the timing and circumstances of death. The Qur’an speaks of an angel of death in general terms but does not assign a specific personal name; the attribution of a named figure to this role appears in later Islamic exegesis (tafsir), hadith literature, and folk or devotional writings.

In traditional Islamic theology, Izrail is described as a subordinate to God, a created being endowed with the knowledge and power to carry out divine command, yet operating within God’s will. The exact nature and appearance of Izrail are not defined in canonical texts, and descriptions vary across cultures and literary traditions. Some depictions portray him in human or semi-angelic form; others emphasize the moment of death and the process of souls passing to the afterlife rather than physical attributes.

Cultural usage also varies. The name Izrail is common in Turkish, Persian, and broader Arab literary and popular contexts, and it appears in art, poetry, and fiction with varying emphasis on mercy, severity, or mystery surrounding death. It is distinct from Azrael, the angel of death found in Judaic and Western Christian and secular traditions, where the character and etymology differ.