Lena Rivera
In Islamic tradition, Archangel Israfel, or Israfil, is one of the four archangels, alongside Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael. He is often depicted in art as an angel holding a trumpet, which followers believe he will sound on the Day of Resurrection or Judgment. The painting of the archangel Israfel by Claude Buck, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is one such artistic representation. This painting may have been inspired by the poem Israfel by Edgar Allan Poe, capturing the sense of mystery and spiritualism evoked in the poem's description of heaven.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Islam |
| Type of Being | Archangel |
| Number of Archangels | 4 |
| Names of Other Archangels | Michael, Gabriel, Azrael, Raphael (in Christian tradition) |
| Role | Heralding the Day of Resurrection/Judgment by blowing a trumpet |
| Dress | Oriental |
| Gender | Usually male, but depicted as female in one painting |
| Weapon | Pen (qalam) |
| Location | Jerusalem |
| Artistic Inspiration | Edgar Allan Poe's poem "Israfel" |
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What You'll Learn
- The archangel Israfel is believed to herald the Day of Resurrection in Islam by blowing a trumpet
- Israfel is one of four Islamic archangels, along with Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael
- In Islamic art, Israfel is usually portrayed wearing Oriental dress and holding a trumpet
- The painting by Claude Buck may have been inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem, 'Israfel'
- In the poem, Poe describes a vision of heaven with giddy stars and a moon that blushes with love
The archangel Israfel is believed to herald the Day of Resurrection in Islam by blowing a trumpet
The archangel Israfil, or Israfel, is believed by Muslims to announce the Day of Resurrection by blowing a trumpet. Although unnamed in the Quran, he is one of the four archangels in Islamic tradition, alongside Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael. The "Book of the Dead" describes Israfil as the oldest of all archangels.
In Islamic belief, as in Christianity, archangels will play a key role in the Last Judgment. On the Day of Resurrection, Israfel will blow his trumpet from the sacred rock in Jerusalem, calling all creatures to assemble. This act will signal Qiyamah (the Day of Judgment) in Islam.
Israfel is commonly thought of as the counterpart to the Judeo-Christian archangel Raphael. He is also associated with the Christian angel Uriel. In addition to his role as a herald, Israfel is believed to have been sent, along with the other three Islamic archangels, to collect dust from the four corners of the earth to form Adam, the first man and prophet.
Israfel has been depicted in art and literature, such as in the painting "The Angel Israfel" by Claude Buck, which may have been inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem of the same name. The painting depicts Israfel as a female angel in a white gown, against a swirling sky and a glowing red moon.
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Israfel is one of four Islamic archangels, along with Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael
The painting of the Archangel Israfel symbolises the Day of Judgment in Islamic belief, also known as the Day of Resurrection or Qiyamah. In Islamic eschatology, it is believed that Archangel Israfel will herald this day by blowing a trumpet, calling all creatures to assemble in Jerusalem.
Israfel is, indeed, one of the four Islamic archangels, alongside Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael. Although unnamed in the Quran, Israfel is mentioned in the hadith, or the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and in tafsīr literature. He is described as having a huge, hairy body, covered with mouths and tongues, that reaches from the seventh heaven to the throne of God.
Israfel is commonly associated with the Day of Judgment, but he also has other roles and significance in Islamic tradition. He is believed to be the nearest angel to God and mediates God's commands to the other archangels. With one wing, he writes the destiny of humans and the commands of God with a pen (qalam), while with the other wing, he covers his face, unable to look directly at God.
Israfel is also said to have been sent, along with the other three archangels, to collect dust from the four corners of the earth. However, only Azrael succeeded in this task, and from this dust, Adam, the first man and prophet, was formed.
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In Islamic art, Israfel is usually portrayed wearing Oriental dress and holding a trumpet
In Islamic art, the Archangel Israfel is often depicted wearing Oriental dress and holding a trumpet. This is because, in Islamic belief, he is the angel who will blow the trumpet to signal the Day of Judgment or the Day of Resurrection. Although the name 'Israfel' does not appear in the Quran, he is one of the four archangels in Islamic tradition, alongside Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael.
Israfel is also believed to have been sent, along with the other three archangels, to collect dust from the four corners of the earth to form Adam, the first man and prophet. In Islamic and Christian beliefs, archangels will play a significant role in the Last Judgment.
The depiction of Israfel holding a trumpet in art symbolizes the belief that he will sound this trumpet on the Day of Resurrection, calling all creatures to assemble in Jerusalem. This idea is further reinforced by references in Islamic hadith, which mention a celestial being, believed to be Israfel, who will blow a trumpet from the sacred Rock in Jerusalem.
The portrayal of Israfel in Oriental dress likely stems from the cultural and artistic influences of the time and region where these beliefs originated. The fusion of artistic styles and religious beliefs results in the distinctive representation of Israfel in Islamic art.
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The painting by Claude Buck may have been inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem, 'Israfel'
The painting "The Angel Israfel" by Claude Buck depicts Israfil, one of the four archangels in Islam, as an apparently female angel in a white gown. In Islamic belief, Archangel Israfil will herald the Day of Resurrection by blowing a trumpet, calling all creatures to assemble in Jerusalem.
The painting may have been inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem "Israfel", which was published in 1827 when the poet was 18 years old. The poem describes a heavenly spirit or angel, whose "heart-strings are a lute", and who sings so wildly and beautifully that even the stars and moon pause to listen. The poem's vision of heaven, with its ""giddy stars" and moon "blushing with love", may have influenced Buck's swirling sky and glowing red moon in the painting.
Poe appended a note to the poem to clarify Israfel's significance, stating that the angel's "heartstrings are a lute, and who has the sweetest voice of all God's creatures—Koran". The poem explores the beauty of Israfel's music and the themes of creativity and artistry, reflecting the concerns of Romantic poets such as Lord Byron and John Keats. It also contrasts the divine joy of Israfel's existence with the earthly struggles of the speaker, resulting in a bitter reflection on the nature of art and existence.
Buck was very interested in Poe and created many paintings based on the writer and his works. The painting "The Angel Israfel" may be one such example, drawing inspiration from Poe's poem to capture the supernatural and dynamic nature of the subject matter.
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In the poem, Poe describes a vision of heaven with giddy stars and a moon that blushes with love
The painting 'The Angel Israfel' by Claude Buck depicts Israfel, one of the four archangels in Islamic tradition, usually portrayed in Oriental dress holding a trumpet. In Islamic belief, as in Christianity, archangels will play a key role in the Last Judgment. On the Day of Resurrection, the angel Israfil will herald the beginning by blowing his trumpet and calling all creatures to assemble in Jerusalem.
The painting by Buck may have been inspired by the poem "Israfel" by Edgar Allan Poe, in which he describes a vision of heaven with "giddy stars" and a moon that "blushes with love". This is reflected in Buck's swirling sky and glowing red moon. The poem by Poe continues:
> "The ecstasies above
> With thy burning measures suit—
> Thy grief, thy joy, thy hate, thy love,
> With the fervour of thy lute—
> Well may the stars be mute!
> Yes, Heaven is thine; but this
> Is a world of sweets and sours;
> Our flowers are merely—flowers,
> And the shadow of thy perfect bliss
> Is the sunshine of ours.
> If I could dwell
> Where Israfel
> Hath dwelt, and he where I,
> He might not sing so wildly well
> A mortal melody,
> While a bolder note than this might swell
> From my lyre within the sky."
Here, Poe imagines the bliss of heaven, where the flowers are more than just flowers, and the joy and love of the angels make our happiness seem like a shadow. The speaker wishes to dwell where the angel Israfel has dwelt, believing that they could sing more wildly and beautifully than the angel, whose lyre is in the sky.
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Frequently asked questions
The painting of the archangel Israfel represents the Islamic belief that, on the Day of Resurrection, the archangel will blow a trumpet from the holy rock in Jerusalem, calling all creatures to assemble.
The name comes from Islamic tradition, where he is one of the four archangels, along with Michael, Gabriel, and Azrael.
The painting's style is often described as "dynamic" and "expressive", with a sense of mystery and spiritualism.
Israfel is often referred to as the "Angel of Song" and the "Burning One".
The painting may have been inspired by the poem "Israfel" by Edgar Allan Poe, which describes a vision of heaven with "giddy stars" and a moon that "blushes with love".
