Azrael (Azrail, Ashriel, Azriel, Azariel, Azaril, Murdad [Persian]), according to Islamic lore, is the Angel of Death stationed in the third Heaven (or in the Northern portion of Heaven). He is considered one of the chief Angels of Destruction. His name in Hebrew means “whom God helps” or “vow of God,” and he is sometimes equated with Raphael. He is also called “Azriel the Ancient” and Mahniel (“mighty camp”). Traditionally, he is said to have 4000 wings and 70,000 feet and as many eyes and tongues as there are men in the world.
In Arabic lore, Azrael is said to be forever writing in a large book and erasing what he writes. This is the book of life and death. He writes a person’s name upon their birth and erases it upon their death. When God was creating Adam, he told Michael, Gabriel, and Israfel to gather seven handfuls of earth for the project. Each failed at this, but Azrael succeeded. For this reason, he was given the task of separating the soul from the body at death. To do this, he holds an apple from the Tree of Life to the nose of a dying person. In Jewish mysticism however, Azrael is the embodiment of evil.
In the Book of Protection, he is one of three Angels (with Gabriel and Michael) invoked in Syriac charms. As Azriel, his name is inscribed on charms designed to ward off evil and as Azra’il in Arabic lore, he is a guardian Angel invoked during exorcisms. In the Cabala, he is invoked to cure stupidity. As Azariel, he is noted in the Talmud as governing the waters of the Earth. In occult circles, he is also listed among the twenty-eight angels governing the twenty-eight mansions of the Moon. As Murdad, he is the Angel of the seventh day and of the seventh month.