George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)
are Gabriel, to whom they give several titles, particularly those of the holy spirit 1, and the angel of revelations 2, supposing him to be honoured by God with a greater confidence than any other, and to be employed in writing down the divine decrees 3; Michael, the friend and protector of the Jews 4; Azräel, the angel of death, who separates mens souls from their bodies 5; and Israfîl, whose office it will be to found the trumpet at the resurrection 6. The Mohammedans also believe that two guardian angels attend on every man, to observe and write down his actions 7, being changed every day, and therefore called al Moakkibât, or the angels who continually succeed one another.
This whole doctrine concerning angels Mohammed and his disciples have borrowed from the Jews, who learned the names and offices of those beings from the Persians, as themselves confess 8. The ancient Persians firmly believed the ministry of angels, and their superintendence over the affairs of this world, as the Magians still do) and therefore assigned them distinct charges and provinces, giving their names to their months and the days of their months. Gabriel they called Sorûsh and Revân bakhsh, or the giver of souls, in opposition to the contrary office of the angel of death, to whom among other names they gave that of Mordâd, or the giver of death; Michael they called Beshter, who according to them provides sustenance for mankind 9. The Jews teach that the angels were created of fire 10; that they have several offices 11; that they intercede for men 12, and attend them 13. The angel of death they name Dûma, and say he calls dying persons by their respective names at their last hour 14.
The devil, whom Mohammed names Eblîs from his despair, was once one of those angels who are nearest to God’s presence, called Azazîl 15, and fell, according to the doctrine of the Korân, for refusing to pay homage to Adam at the command of God 16.
Besides angels and devils, the Mohammedans are taught by the Korân to believe an intermediate order of creatures, which they call Jin or Genii, created also of fire 17, but of a grosser fabric than angels;
2 See the notes, ib. p. 13.
3 V. Hyde, Hist. Rel. vet. Pers. p. 262.
4 V. ib. p. 271. & not. in Kor. p. 13.
5 V. not. ib. p. 4.
6 Kor. c. 6, 13, and 86. The offices of these four angels are described almost in the same manner in the apocryphal gospel of Barnabas; where it is said that Gabriel reveals the secrets of God, Michael combates against his enemies, Raphael receives the souls of those who die, and Uriel is, to call every one to judgment on the last day. See the Menagiana, Tom. 4. p. 333.
7 Kor. c. 10.
8 Talmud Hierof. in Roth hashana.
9 V. Hyde, ubi sup. c. 19, and 20.
10 Gemar. in Hagig. & Bereshic rabbah. &c. V. Pfalm civ. 4.
11 Yalkut hadash.
12 Gemar. in Shebet, & Bava Bathra, &c.
13 Midrash, Yalkut Shemûni.
14 Gemar. Berachoth.
15 V. Reland. de Rel. Moh. p. 189, &c.
16 Korân, c. 2. p. 5. See also c. 7, 38, &c.
17 Kor. c. 55. See the notes there.
