The Creation of Adam - Version Two The Obedience of the Angel of Death

1675 [The angel Azrael1 said to the Earth,] "Don't consider

(making any further) plea to me, and don't make another plea

except to that Compassionate and Justice-Giving King.2

1676 "I am the slave of the (Divine) Command; I will not cause the

abandoning (of) His Command, which raises dust from the ocean.

1683 "Don't seek mercy, foolishly, from the spear 3 -- (but) seek (it)

from the King, since that (spear) is in His hand.

"How could you make (such) a plea to the spear or sword?-- since

it is (merely) a captive in the hand of that Exalted One.

1685 "He is (like) Azar4 in workmanship, and I am (like) the idol:

whatever object He makes of me, I become that.

"If He makes me (into) a cup, I become a cup. And if He makes

me (into) a dagger, I become a dagger.

"If He makes me (into) a fountain, I give water. And if He makes

me (into) fire, I give heat.

"If He makes me (into) rain, I give harvest stacks, And if he makes

me (into) a small arrow, I spring into the body [of someone's

enemy].

"If He makes me (into) a snake, I spew poison. And if He makes

me (into) a friend, I perform service.

1690 "I am like a pen in between "Two Fingers" (of the

Merciful). I am not mediocre5 in the row of obedience6 (to Him)."

Azrael diverted the Earth by (these) words, and grabbed a handful

(of clay) from the old Earth.

Magician-like, he seized (clay) from the world (while) the Earth

was preoccupied by (his) speech, like those (who are) enraptured.

He took the unwilling clay to God, so that the runaway (was

brought back) to school.

God said: "By My Glorious Knowledge, I will make you the

executioner7 of these creatures."

1695 (Azrael) said, "O Lord, the creatures will take me (to be

their) enemy when I squeeze the creatures' throats at (the time of)

death.

O Supreme Lord, do You consider it suitable that You should

make me hated and (like) an enemy in appearance?"

(God) said, "I will produce certain causes (which are) clearly

visible, among (which are) fever, dysentery, delirium, and

spear (wounds).

"Since I will turn their gaze (away) from you to the diseases and

the various causes (of death)."8

(Azrael) said, "O Lord, there are also (those of Your) servants who

can tear (apart such) causes, O Almighty."

1700 (The vision of) their eye passes through causes, (and) by the

Grace of the Lord, it has passed beyond veils.

It has found the collyrium of Unity9 from the eye doctor of

(spiritual) states (and is) freed from disease and being sickly.

They don't look at fever, dysentery, and tuberculosis (since) they

don't give these causes a way into (their) hearts.

Since there is a remedy for every one of these diseases-- (but) if

the remedy is not accepted, that is the act of Destiny.

Know for certain (that) every disease has a remedy, (such) as the

remedy for the suffering of cold (is) a fur garment.

1705 (But) if God Wills that a man should freeze (to death),

coldness passes through even a hundred fur garments,

(And) puts a trembling into his being which will not become better

with clothing or from the nest (of his warm home).

(For) when Destiny comes, the physician becomes ignorant (about

providing a cure) and the medicine also becomes lost in

(delivering) benefit.

The seeing intelligence (of the mystic) never becomes veiled from

these causes (which are) a veil for catching fools.

The eye sees the root (of the cause) when it is perfected, (but)

when a man is cross-eyed, he sees (only) the branch [of the effects].

1710 God said,10 "The one who is aware (only of) the root and

origin will never see you in the middle.

"(For) although you have hidden yourself from (the eyes of) the

common (people), before the bright-seeing17 (mystics) you are also

a veil."

And regarding those for (whom) the moment of death is (sweet as)

sugar, their gaze will never be drunk with the changing conditions

(of life).

1713 To them, bodily death is not bitter since they are going from

a dungeon and a prison to a green meadow.

Notes on the text: 1. Azrael, the angel of firm resolution [`azm] and strong mind [Hazm], The "Captain of the Divine Decree" - {Laws of God; Compare to Ezra} Of special interest, notice the translation offered here is not the Hebrew meaning "Help... of God"? I believe that this angel, who resembles Ezra's character so precisely, was either inspired by him, or confused with him. 2. The "Merciful and Justice-Giving King" refers to God.  There is an embedded lesson that no one may pray to an angel directly since angels are only but the messages of God. 3. "Don't seek mercy, foolishly, from the spear": This is taken from the well-known Arabic proverb;  'The wall said to the nail, "why are you splitting me?" The nail replied, "Look at him who is hitting me!"' Again, a lesson to reinforce the idea that all prayer is for God alone. 4. Azar was the father of Abraham (Qur. VI 74), and is described as an idolater and maker of idols." Abraham said to his father Azar, 'Do you take idols for gods? Truly, I see (that) you and your people have clearly gone astray.'" (Qur'an 6: 74) 5. Azrael claims that he is not "mediocre" - Nicholson has translated as meaning, "I am not a waverer" (Literally, 'betwixt and between'). 6. The term "in the row of obedience" refers to the ranks of the obedient servants or soldiers, as well as in the rows of worshippers in the Islamic ritual prayer, obeying the Divine command to worship. This can also be related to the heirarchies of angels in other material. 7. The executioner:  this story explains how God appointed Azrael to be the angel of death (after he proved his firmness) for future mankind. 8. The various causes (of death):  literally, "three-fold causes." which, according to the commentators, is 'physical, mental, and spiritual'. 9. The "collyrium of Unity" - Collyrium is a medicinal powder,  made from the dust of certain stones, especially those containing antimony. It was used as an eye wash to heal disorders of the eye which hindered good eyesight. The term refers to witnessing Divine Unity... their eyes are no longer suffering from double vision, which limits human vision to seeing only duality. It is often a metaphor for improved discrimination, insight, and judgment. 10. Oh Azrael, for you are but a (secondary) cause, although you are more concealed than those (other) causes.'  And maybe you are not concealed from the sick (dying) man, for He (God) is nigher [closer] to him than you are, but you do not see. 17. The "bright-seeing" applies to the belief that the eye sees by means of an inner light - which is especially luminous, by the Grace of God, in the case of the mystics.

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