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{{Multiple issues|OR=June 2008|refimprove=February 2009}}
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[[File:Mort.jpg|thumb|300px|A Western depiction of Death as a [[skeleton]] carrying a [[scythe]].]]
[[File:Mort.jpg|thumb|300px|A Western depiction of Death as a [[skeleton]] carrying a [[scythe]].]]
'''Life''' as a [[Sentience|sentient]] entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, [[Death]] is often given the name '''Grim Reaper''' and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large [[scythe]] and clothed in a black cloak with a hood. It is also given the name of the '''Angel of Death''' ({{lang-he-n|מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת}} ''Malach HaMavet'') stemming from the Bible.
'''Life''' as a [[Sentience|sentient]] entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, [[Death]] is often given the name '''Grim Reaper''' and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large [[scythe]] and clothed in a black cloak with a hood. It is also given the name of the '''Angel of Life''' ({{lang-he-n|מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת}} ''Malach HaMavet'') stemming from the Bible.


This is all crap.
In some cases, the Grim Reaper is able to actually cause the victim's death,<ref>[[Hallucination]]s of the Grim Reaper may cause death especially in a person who is very sick and close to dying by destroying that person's confidence that he/she can survive, see [[Nocebo effect]].</ref> leading to tales that he can be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's life, such as in the case of [[Sisyphus]]. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a [[psychopomp]], serving to sever the last ties between the soul and the body and to guide the deceased to the next world without having any control over the fact of the victim's death.

In many languages (including English), Death is personified in male form, while in others, it is perceived as a female character (for instance, in [[Slavic languages]]).

==Indo-European folklore / mythology==
===Hellenic===
[[File:Column temple Artemis Ephesos BM Sc1206 n3.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Thanatos]] as a winged youth, c. 325–300&nbsp;BC, at [[Temple of Artemis|Temple]] [[Artemis|of Artemis]], [[Ephesus|Ephesos]]]]
Ancient Greece found Death to be inevitable, and therefore, he is not represented as purely evil. He is often portrayed as a bearded and winged man, but has also been portrayed as a young boy. Death, or [[Thanatos]], is the counterpart of life; death being represented as male, and life as female. He is the twin brother of [[Hypnos]], the god of sleep. He is typically shown with his brother and is represented as being just and gentle. His job is to escort the deceased to the underworld [[Hades]]. He then hands the dead over to [[Charon (mythology)|Charon]] (who by some accounts looks like the modern Western interpretation of the Grim Reaper, having a skeletal body and black cloak), who mans the boat that carries them over the river [[Styx]], which separates the land of the living from the land of the dead. It was believed that if the ferryman did not receive some sort of [[Charon's obol|payment]], the soul would not be delivered to the underworld and would be left by the riverside for a hundred years. Thanatos' sisters, the [[Keres (Greek mythology)|Keres]], were the spirits of violent death. They were associated with deaths from battle, disease, accident, and murder. They were portrayed as evil, often feeding on the blood of the body after the soul had been escorted to Hades. They had fangs, talons, and would be dressed in bloody garments.

===Celtic===
To the Welsh, he is Angeu and [[Ankou]] to Bretons. He appears as a man or a skeleton in a hooded robe (invariably black), sometimes carrying a scythe, riding a cart in which he collects the dead.

===Poland===
In [[Poland]], Death, or ''Śmierć'', is appeared to be like the normal Grim Reaper, but instead of a black robe, Death has a white robe. Many believe the Polish Death is a female, but this is not true. In Poland, Death is genderless.

===Baltic===
[[Lithuanian people|Lithuanians]] named death ''Giltinė'', deriving from word ''gelti'' ("to sting"). Giltinė was viewed as an old ugly woman with a long blue nose and a deadly poisonous tongue. The legend tells that Giltinė was young, pretty and communicative until she was trapped in a coffin for seven years. The goddess of death was a sister of the goddess of life and destiny, [[Laima]], symbolising the relationship between beginning and end.

Later, Lithuanians adopted the classic Grim Reaper with a scythe and black robe.

===Hindu Scriptures===
[[File:Yama's Court and Hell.jpg|thumb|[[Yama (Hinduism)|Yama-bunta]], the Hindu lord of death, presiding over his court in hell]]
In [[Hinduism|Hindu]] scriptures, the lord of death is called [[Yama (Hinduism)|Yama]], or Yamraj (literally "the lord of death"). Yamaraj rides a black buffalo and carries a rope lasso to carry the [[soul]] back to his abode called ''"[[loka|Yamalok]]"''. There are many forms of reapers, although some say there is only one whom disguises itself as a small child. It is his agents, the [[Yamadut]]s, who carry the souls back to Yamalok. Here, all the accounts of the person's good and bad deeds are stored and maintained by [[Chitragupta]], which allow Yamaraj to decide where the soul has to reside in his next life, following the theory of [[reincarnation]].
Yama is also mentioned in the [[Mahabharata]] as a great philosopher and devotee of Supreme [[Brahman]].

Interestingly, Yama is also known as [[Yama (Hinduism)|Dharmaraj]], or king of [[Dharma]] or justice. One reasoning is that justice is served equally to all&nbsp;whether they are alive or dead, based on their [[karma]] or fate. This is further strengthened by the fact that [[Yudhisthira|Yudhishtra]], the eldest of the [[pandava]]s and considered as the personification of justice, was born due to [[Kunti]]'s prayers to Yamaraj.

==Japanese mythology/folklore==
In [[Kojiki]], after giving birth to the fire god [[Kagu-tsuchi|Hinokagutsuchi]], the goddess [[Izanami-no-Mikoto|Izanami]] dies from wounds of its fire and enters the perpetual night realm called [[Yomi]]-no-kuni (the underworld) that the gods retire to and where [[Izanagi]], her husband, travels to in a failed attempt to reclaim her. He discovers his wife as not-so beautiful anymore, and, in a brief argument afterwards between them, she promises to take a thousand lives every day, signifying her position as the goddess of death.

Another popular death personification is Enma ([[Yama (Buddhism and Chinese mythology)|Yama]]), also known as {{Nihongo|閻魔王||''Enma Ou''}} and {{Nihongo|閻魔大王||''Enma Daiou''}} meaning "King Enma", or "Great King Enma" which are direct translations of ''Yama Rājā''. He originated as Yama in [[Hinduism]] and later became Yanluo in China and Enma in Japan.
Compare [[Chinese Buddhism]]. Enma rules the underworld, which makes him similar to [[Hades]], and he decides whether someone dead goes to heaven or to hell. A saying parents{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} use to scold children is that Enma will cut off their tongue in the afterlife if they lie.

There are also death gods called [[shinigami]], which are closer to the Western tradition of the Grim Reaper. Shinigami (often plural) are common in modern Japanese arts and fiction and essentially absent from traditional mythology.

==In Abrahamic religions==<!-- This section is linked from [[Angel]] -->
In the [[Bible]], the fourth horseman of Revelation 6 is called Death and is pictured with Hades following him. The "[[Angel of the Lord]]" smites 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp (II Kings 19:35). When the Angel of Death passes through to smite the Egyptian first-born, [[God]] prevents "the destroyer" (''shâchath'') from entering houses with blood on the lintel and side posts ([[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 12:23). The "destroying angel" (''{{unicode|mal'ak ha-mashḥit}}'') rages among the people in Jerusalem (II Sam. 24:16). In I Chronicles 21:15 the "angel of the Lord" is seen by [[David|King David]] standing "between the earth and the [[heaven]], having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over [[Jerusalem]]." The biblical [[Book of Job]] (33:22) uses the general term "destroyer" (''[[#Memitim|memitim]]''), which tradition has identified with "destroying angels" (''mal'ake Khabbalah''), and Prov. 16:14 uses the term the "angels of death" (''mal'ake ha-mavet''). [[Azrael|Azra'il]] is sometimes referred as the Angel of Death as well.

===Memitim===
[[File:Mort du fossoyeur.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''La mort du fossoyeur'' (Death of the gravedigger) by [[Carlos Schwabe]]]]
The memitim are a type of angel from biblical lore associated with the mediation over the lives of the dying. The name is derived from the ancient [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word ''mĕmītǐm'' and refers to angels that brought about the destruction of those whom the [[guardian angel]]s no longer protected.<ref>Olyan, S.M., A Thousand Thousands Served Him: Exegesis and the Naming of Angels in Ancient Judaism, page 21.</ref> While there may be some debate among religious scholars regarding the exact nature of the memitim, it is generally accepted that, as described in the [[Book of Job]] 33:22, they are killers of some sort.<ref>Gordon, M.B., Medicine among the Ancient Hebrews, page 472.</ref>

===In Judaism===
====Form and functions====
According to the [[Midrash]], the Angel of Death was created by God on the first day.<ref>[[Midrash]] [[Tanhuma]] on [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 39:1</ref> His dwelling is in [[heaven]], whence he reaches earth in eight flights, whereas Pestilence reaches it in one.<ref>[[Talmud]] [[Berakhot (Talmud)|Berakhot]] 4b</ref> He has twelve wings.<ref>[[Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer]] 13</ref> "Over all people have I surrendered thee the power," said God to the Angel of Death, "only not over this one which has received freedom from death through the Law."<ref>[[Midrash]] [[Tanhuma]] on [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 31:18</ref> It is said of the Angel of Death that he is full of eyes. In the hour of death, he stands at the head of the departing one with a drawn sword, to which clings a drop of gall. As soon as the dying man sees Death, he is seized with a convulsion and opens his mouth, whereupon Death throws the drop into it. This drop causes his death; he turns putrid, and his face becomes yellow.<ref>[[Talmud]] [[Avodah Zarah]] 20b; on putrefaction see also Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 54b; for the eyes compare Ezekiel 1:18 and [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 4:6</ref> The expression "to taste of death" originated in the idea that death was caused by a drop of gall.<ref>[[Jewish Quarterly Review]] vi. 327</ref>

The soul escapes through the mouth, or, as is stated in another place, through the throat; therefore, the Angel of Death stands at the head of the patient ([[Adolf Jellinek]], l.c. ii. 94, Midr. Teh. to Ps. xi.). When the soul forsakes the body, its voice goes from one end of the world to the other, but is not heard (Gen. R. vi. 7; Ex. R. v. 9; {{unicode|Pirḳe R. El.}} xxxiv.). The drawn sword of the Angel of Death, mentioned by the Chronicler (I. Chron. 21:15; comp. Job 15:22; Enoch 62:11), indicates that the Angel of Death was figured as a warrior who kills off the children of men. "Man, on the day of his death, falls down before the Angel of Death like a beast before the slaughterer" ([[Grünhut]], "{{unicode|Liḳḳuṭim}}", v. 102a). R. Samuel's father (c. 200) said: "The Angel of Death said to me, 'Only for the sake of the honor of mankind do I not tear off their necks as is done to slaughtered beasts'" ('Ab. Zarah 20b). In later representations, the knife sometimes replaces the sword, and reference is also made to the cord of the Angel of Death, which indicates death by throttling. Moses says to God: "I fear the cord of the Angel of Death" (Grünhut, l.c. v. 103a et seq.). Of the four Jewish methods of execution, three are named in connection with the Angel of Death: burning (by pouring hot lead down the victim's throat—similar to the drop of gall), slaughtering (by beheading), and throttling. The Angel of Death administers the particular punishment that God has ordained for the commission of sin.

A peculiar [[Mantle (vesture)|mantle]] ("idra"-according to Levy, "Neuhebr. Wörterb." i. 32, a sword) belongs to the equipment of the Angel of Death ([[Ecclesiastes Rabbah|Eccl. R.]] iv. 7). The Angel of Death takes on the particular form which will best serve his purpose; e.g., he appears to a scholar in the form of a beggar imploring pity (The beggar should receive [[Tzedakah]].)({{unicode|M. Ḳ.}} 28a). "When pestilence rages in the town, walk not in the middle of the street, because the Angel of Death [i.e., pestilence] strides there; if peace reigns in the town, walk not on the edges of the road. When pestilence rages in the town, go not alone to the synagogue, because there the Angel of Death stores his tools. If the dogs howl, the Angel of Death has entered the city; if they make sport, the prophet Elijah has come" ({{unicode|B. Ḳ.}} 60b). The "destroyer" (''{{unicode|saṭan ha-mashḥit}}'') in the daily prayer is the Angel of Death (Ber. 16b). Midr. Ma'ase Torah (compare Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 98) says: "There are six Angels of Death: [[Gabriel]] over kings; {{unicode|[[Ḳapẓiel]]}} over youths; [[Mashbir]] over animals; {{unicode|[[Mashḥit]]}} over children; {{unicode|Af}} and {{unicode|[[Ḥemah]]}} over man and beast."

====Death and Satan====
[[File:Cholera.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Drawing]] of Death bringing [[cholera]], in ''[[Le Petit Journal]]'']]
[[File:Death on the Rail.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Death on the Rail'', 1873, a [[wood engraving]] from ''[[Harper's Weekly]]'']]
The Angel of Death, who is identified by some with [[Satan]], immediately after his creation had a dispute with God as to the light of the [[Messiah]] ({{unicode|Pesiḳ. R.}} 161b). When Eve touched the tree of knowledge, she perceived the Angel of Death, and thought, "Now I shall die, and God will create another wife for Adam."<ref>[[Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer]] 13, end; compare [[Targum Jonathan]] to Genesis 3:6, and [[Yalkut Shimoni]] 25)</ref> Adam also had a conversation with the Angel of Death (Böklen, "Die Verwandtschaft der Jüdisch-Christlichen mit der Parsischen Eschatologie", p.&nbsp;12). The Angel of Death sits before the face of the dead (Jellinek, l.c. ii. 94). While Abraham was mourning, for Sarah the angel appeared to him, which explains why "Abraham stood up from before his death".<ref>Genesis 23:3; [[Genesis Rabba]] 63:5, misunderstood by the commentators</ref> Samael told Sarah that Abraham had sacrificed Isaac in spite of his wailing, and Sarah died of horror and grief.<ref>[[Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer]] 32</ref> It was Moses who most often had dealings with the angel. At the rebellion of Korah, Moses saw him (Num. R. v. 7; Bacher, l.c. iii. 333; compare Sanh. 82a). It was the Angel of Death in the form of Pestilence who snatched away 15,000 every year during the wandering in the wilderness (ib. 70). When Moses reached heaven, the angel told him something (Jellinek, l.c. i. 61).

When the Angel of Death came to Moses and said, "Give me thy soul," Moses called to him: "Where I sit thou hast no right to stand." The Angel retired ashamed and reported the occurrence to God. Again, God commanded him to bring the soul of Moses. The Angel went and, not finding him, inquired of the sea, of the mountains, and of the valleys; but they knew nothing of him.<ref>[[Sifre]] Deuteronomy 305</ref> Really, Moses did not die through the Angel of Death, but through God's kiss (''{{unicode|bi-neshiḳah}}''); i.e., God drew his soul out of his body (B. B. 17a; compare Abraham in Apocryphal and Rabbinical Literature, and parallel references in Böklen, l.c. p.&nbsp;11). Legend seizes upon the story of Moses' struggle with the Angel of Death and expands it at length (Tan., ed. Stettin, pp.&nbsp;624 et seq.; Deut. R. ix., xi.; Grünhut, l.c. v. 102b, 169a). As Benaiah bound [[Asmodeus|Ashmedai]] (Jew. Encyc. ii. 218a), so Moses binds the Angel of Death that he may bless Israel.<ref>[[Pesikta de-Rav Kahana]] 199, where ''lifne moto''(Deuteronomy 33:1) is explained as meaning "before the Angel of Death")</ref>

[[Solomon]] once noticed that the Angel of Death was grieved. When questioned as to the cause of his sorrow, he answered: "I am requested to take your two beautiful scribes." Solomon at once charged the demons to convey his scribes to [[Luz]], where the Angel of Death could not enter. When they were near the city, however, they both died. The Angel laughed on the next day, whereupon Solomon asked the cause of his mirth. "Because," answered the Angel, "thou didst send the youths thither, whence I was ordered to fetch them" (Suk. 53a). In the next world, God will let the Angel of Death fight against [[Pharaoh]], [[Sisera]], and [[Sennacherib]].<ref>[[Yalkut Shimoni]] 428</ref>

====Scholars and the Angel of Death====
[[File:Black angel iowa city2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Black Angel, [[Oakland Cemetery (Iowa City, Iowa)]]]]
Talmud teachers of the fourth century associate quite familiarly with him. When he appeared to one on the street, the teacher reproached him with rushing upon him as upon a beast, whereupon the angel called upon him at his house. To another, he granted a respite of thirty days, that he might put his knowledge in order before entering the next world. To a third, he had no access, because he could not interrupt the study of the Talmud. To a fourth, he showed a rod of fire, whereby he is recognized as the Angel of Death (M. K. 28a). He often entered the house of Bibi and conversed with him ({{unicode|Ḥag.}} 4b). Often, he resorts to strategy in order to interrupt and seize his victim (B. M. 86a; Mak. 10a).

The death of [[Joshua ben Levi]] in particular is surrounded with a web of fable. When the time came for him to die and the Angel of Death appeared to him, he demanded to be shown his place in paradise. When the angel had consented to this, he demanded the angel's knife, that the angel might not frighten him by the way. This request also was granted him, and Joshua sprang with the knife over the wall of paradise; the angel, who is not allowed to enter paradise, caught hold of the end of his garment. Joshua swore that he would not come out, and God declared that he should not leave paradise unless he was absolved from his oath; if not absolved, he was to remain. The Angel of Death then demanded back his knife, but Joshua refused. At this point, a heavenly voice (''{{unicode|bat ḳol}}'') rang out: "Give him back the knife, because the children of men have need of it" (Ket. 77b; Jellinek, l.c. ii. 48-51; Bacher, l.c. i. 192 et seq.).

====Rabbinic views====
The [[Rabbi]]s found the Angel of Death mentioned in [[Psalm]] 134:45 (A. V. 48), where the Targum translates: "There is no man who lives and, seeing the Angel of Death, can deliver his soul from his hand." Eccl. 8:4 is thus explained in [[Midrash]] Rabbah to the passage: "One may not escape the Angel of Death, nor say to him, 'Wait until I put my affairs in order,' or 'There is my son, my slave: take him in my stead.'" Where the Angel of Death appears, there is no remedy ([[Talmud]], Ned. 49a; Hul. 7b). If one who has sinned has confessed his fault, the Angel of Death may not touch him ([[Tanhuma|Midrash Tanhuma]], ed. Buber, 139). God protects from the Angel of Death (Midrash [[Genesis Rabba]]h lxviii.).

By acts of benevolence, the anger of the Angel of Death is overcome; when one fails to perform such acts the Angel of Death will make his appearance ({{unicode|Derek Ereẓ Zuṭa}}, viii.). The Angel of Death receives his order from God (Ber. 62b). As soon as he has received permission to destroy, however, he makes no distinction between good and bad ({{unicode|B. Ḳ.}} 60a). In the city of Luz. the Angel of Death has no power, and, when the aged inhabitants are ready to die, they go outside the city ({{unicode|Soṭah}} 46b; compare Sanh. 97a). A legend to the same effect existed in Ireland in the Middle Ages (''[[Jewish Quarterly Review|Jew. Quart. Rev.]]'' vi. 336).

===In Christianity===
[[File:Taby kyrka Death playing chess.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Medieval painting of Death playing chess from [[Täby|Täby Church]] in Sweden]]
Death is, either as a metaphor, a personification or an actual being, referenced occasionally in the [[New Testament]]. One such personification is found in [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] 2:24&nbsp;– "But God raised Him [Jesus] from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Death to keep its hold on Him." Later passages, however, are much more explicit. [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 5 speaks of Death as having "reigned from the time of [[Adam]] to the time of [[Moses]]," and various passages in the [[Epistle]]s speak of Christ's work on the [[Christian cross|cross]] and His [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]] as a confrontation with Death. Such verses include [[Epistle to the Romans|Rom.]] 6:9 and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Tim.]] 1:10.

Despite Jesus' victory over it, Death is still viewed as enduring in Scripture. [[First Epistle to the Corinthians|1 Cor.]] 15:26 asserts, "The last enemy to be destroyed is Death," which implies that Death has not been destroyed once and for all. This assertion later proves true in the [[Book of Revelation]].

The author of the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] declares that [[Satan]] "holds the power of Death" (Heb. 2:14). It is written that [[Son of God|Son]] became human that by his death he might destroy the devil; this is the head of the [[Antichrist|Beast]] referred to as, "One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed" (Rev. 13:3) as well as the head of the serpent as preemptively referred to in Genesis 3:15 - "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel". If the head that was fatally wounded but healed refers to Death, this accords with 2 Tim. 1:10, which states that Jesus "has destroyed Death", and the implication that Death was yet to be destroyed in 1 Cor. 15:26. The victory over Death is also referred to as "[[Immortality|Eternal Life]]"

The final destruction of Death is referenced by [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] in the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians; he says that after the [[Resurrection of the dead|general resurrection]], the prophecies of Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14&nbsp;– "He will swallow up Death forever", and "Where, O Death, is your sting?" ([[Septuagint]]), will be fulfilled. According to Paul, the power of Death lies in sin, which is made possible by the Law, but God "gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." That victory over Death is also discussed in the Revelation of John.
[[File:Mexico.DF.BarrioChino.01.jpg|thumb|200px|A life sized figure of ''Santa Muerte'' stands outside a [[Fortune-telling|fortune teller's]] storefront in [[Mexico City]]'s [[Chinatown]]]]

In the visions of [[John of Patmos|John]], Death is used as one of the metaphorical [[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]. Rev. 6:8 reads, "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth". In Rev. 20:13-14, in the vision of judgment of the dead, it is written, "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death." This describes the destruction of the last enemy. After this, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Rev. 21:4).

In [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]], the archangel [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]] is viewed as the good Angel of Death (as opposed to [[Samael]], the controversial Angel of Death), carrying the souls of the deceased to Heaven. There, he balances them in his scales (one of his symbols). He is said to give the dying souls the chance to redeem themselves before passing as well. In Mexico, a popular [[Folk Christianity|folk-Catholic]] belief regards the Angel of Death as a [[saint]], known as [[Santa Muerte]], but this local cultus is not acknowledged by the Church.

===In Islam===
Whilst the preceding Abrahamic religions offered little detail on the passage of souls from one dimension into another, Islam provided detailed information. Previously, the lack of scripture tended to categorize Death with the supernatural or evil, a natural consequence of humanity's fear over the unknown. However, with the onset of Islam, the concept of death as a celebratory event as opposed to one to be dreaded became manifest. It is the passage of the everlasting soul into a closer dimension to its creator that is seen as a point of joy, rather than misery, obvious mortal grief and sadness not withstanding. Indeed, the [[Prophets of Islam|Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]] demonstrated that grief was an acceptable form of what makes us human, however prolonged mourning at the expense of the living is inappropriate, especially in the light of the transition from one world to the next.

Death is represented by [[Azrael|Azra'il]], one of Allah's [[archangel]]s in the Quran:

6:93: "If thou couldst see, when the wrong-doers reach the pangs of death and the angels stretch their hands out, saying: Deliver up your souls."

32:11: "Say: The Angel of Death, who hath charge concerning you, will gather you and afterward unto your Lord ye will be returned."

The irony of the Angel of Death refers to his involvement in the creation of life. In these verses the Angel of Death and his assistants are sent to take the soul of those destined to die. Who is the Angel of Death? When God wanted to create Adam, he sent one of the Angels of the Throne to bring some of the Earth's clay to fashion Adam from it. When the angel came to earth to take the clay, the earth told him: "I beseech you by the One Who sent you not to take anything from me to make someone who will be punished one day." When the angel returned empty-handed, God asked him why he did not bring back any clay. The angel said: "The earth besought me by Your greatness not to take anything from it." Then God sent another angel, but the same thing happened, and then another, until God decided to send Azra'il, the Angel of Death. The earth spoke to him as it had spoken to the others, but Azra'il said: "Obedience to God is better than obedience to you, even if you beseech me by His greatness." And Azra'il took clay from the Earth's east and its west, its north and its south, and brought it back to God. God poured some water of paradise on this clay and it became soft, and from it He created Adam.

He is mistakenly known by the name of "Izrail" (not to be confused with ''Israel'', which is a name in Islam solely for Prophet Ya'qoob/Jacob), since the name Izrael is not mentioned in the Quran nor Hadith, the English form of which is [[Azrael|Azra'il]]. He is charged with the task of separating and returning from the bodies the souls of people who are to be recalled permanently from the physical world back to the primordial spiritual world. This is a process whose aspect varies depending on the nature and past deeds of the individual in question, and it is known that the Angel of Death is also accompanied by helpers or associates.

Apart from the characteristics and responsibilities he has in common with other [[Islamic view of angels|angels in Islam]], little else concerning Angel of Death can be derived from fundamental Muslim texts. Many references are made in various Muslim legends, however, some of which are included in books authored by Muslim poets and mystics. For instance, the following tale is related in the Naqshbandi order of Sufism on the practicalities of sweeping up human souls from the expanse of the earth:
{{Quotation
|The Prophet Abraham once asked Azra'il who has two eyes in the front of his head and two eyes in the back: "O Angel of Death! What do you do if one man dies in the east and another in the west, or if a land is stricken by the plague, or if two armies meet in the field?" The angel said: "O Messenger of God! the names of these people are inscribed on the lawh al-mahfuz: It is the 'Preserved Tablet' on which all human destinies are engraved. I gaze at it incessantly. It informs me of the moment when the lifetime of any living being on earth has come to an end, be it one of mankind or one of the beasts. There is also a tree next to me, called the Tree of Life. It is covered with myriads of tiny leaves, smaller than the leaves of the olive-tree and much more numerous. Whenever a person is born on earth, the tree sprouts a new leaf, and on this leaf is written the name of that person. It is by means of this tree that I know who is born and who is to die. When a person is going to die, his leaf begins to wilt and dry, and it falls from the tree onto the tablet. Then this person's name is erased from the Preserved Tablet. This event happens forty days before the actual death of that person. We are informed forty days in advance of his impending death. That person himself may not know it and may continue his life on earth full of hope and plans. However, we here in the heavens know and have that information. That is why God has said: 'Your sustenance has been written in the heavens and decreed for you,' and it includes the life-span. The moment we see in heaven that leaf wilting and dying we mix it into that person's provision, and from the fortieth day before his death he begins to consume his leaf from the Tree of Life without knowing it. Only forty days then remain of his life in this world, and after that there is no provision for him in it. Then I summon the spirits by God's leave, until they are present right before me, and the earth is flattened out and left like a dish before me, from which I partake as I wish, by God's order."
|
|, Naqshbandi.net)
}}

==Sikhism==
In [[Sikhism]], the Death is portrayed as being one of God's angels often used as a personification for the bringer of Death and one of Waheguru's (God's) servants. Some of [[Guru Nanak Dev|Guru Nanak]]'s Hymns display that in the fourth watch of the night, (Old age) The Angel of Death will snatch thy soul and no one will know of the mysteries of where you have gone. Said by Guru Nanak, after that moment all your wailing will be of no use before God's Kingdom in Heaven. According to a collection of prophecies in Sikh holy book of [[Dasven Padshah Da Granth|Dasam Granth]] Sahib, in future, when Mankind will sink in sins and there will very little hope for God's rule on Earth. Then God shall order Death to take birth in human form on Earth and tell It to kill all sinners of Earth. Those who will have had God's name engraved in their hearts shall be left unharmed.

==In popular fiction==

<!-- Commented out: [[File:DeathSeventhSeal.png|thumb|right|100px|Death in ''[[The Seventh Seal]]'' (1957)]] -->
A personified character of Death has recurred many times in popular fiction. The character can be found in early pieces, such as the fifteenth century [[morality play]] ''[[Everyman (play)|Everyman]]''.

In the present day, death is portrayed in many mediums of popular fiction. One of the most iconic portrayals is that of the 1957 film ''[[The Seventh Seal]]'', by [[Sweden|Swedish]] director [[Ingmar Bergman]]. It is an influential (and heavily symbolic) movie depicting one of the most famous moments in the portrayal of Death. In the movie, a medieval knight returning from a crusade plays a game of [[chess]] with Death, with the knight's life depending upon the outcome of the game. American film critic [[Roger Ebert]] remarked that this image "[is] so perfect it has survived countless parodies."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000416/REVIEWS08/401010358/1023 |first=Roger |last=Ebert |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |title=:: rogerebert.com :: Great Movies :: The Seventh Seal |accessdate=2007-07-28 |date=2000-04-16}}</ref>

An atypical personification of Death appears in ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'', a series of [[comic book]]s written by [[Neil Gaiman]], in which [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]], one of the [[The Endless|Endless]], is depicted as a woman whose image and attire change to match with the human styles of the times.<ref>[http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20100212/NEWS/100219897/1005Tuscaloosanews.com Tuscaloosanews.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/07/after-watchmen-whats-unfilmable-these-legendary-texts/ Wired.com]</ref>

In the ''[[Final Destination (film series)|Final Destination]]'' franchise of films, the Grim Reaper is personified as a force that pursues those who evade their fates; in this case, one such person has a premonition of an impending doom, and subsequently takes action in order to prevent his/her deaths. "Death", then proceeds to hunt them down to kill them in events of a complex fashion (somewhat resembling a Rube Goldberg machine).

In [[J.R.R. Tolkien's]] mythology of [[Middle-earth]] and [[Valinor]], Death is shown to be one of the [[Valar]], the angels who were created at the beginning of the Universe. Death's name in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' is Namo, but he is more commonly named Mandos after his dwelling place. Here he is shown as a prophesier and a psychopomp, but he is also one of the wisest of all the Valar, knowing the fate of the human race after the Apocalypse, something the other Valar do not know.

[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]] features the Grim Reaper (voiced by [[Greg Eagles]]) as one of the main characters. Here, he is portrayed as a skeleton with a Jamaican accent, who appears at [[Billy]]'s house to reap his hamster. He loses in a game of limbo and becomes their enslaved "Best Friend Forever".

Another appearance of Death in popular fiction, is in [[Terry Pratchett]]'s [[Discworld]] series of novels. The character of [[Death (Discworld)|Death]] has appeared in almost every one of the series' 36 books. Donal Clarke of the [[The Irish Times|Irish Times]] called Death the most famous of Pratchett's characters and said that this version is "somewhat less fearsome than the version of the character in, say, Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal."<ref>{{cite news | last = Clarke | first = Donal| title = From fantasy to new reality| pages = 18| publisher = Irish Times| date = 2009-01-09| url = lexisnexis.com| accessdate = 2009-06-03 }}</ref>

In [[Piers Anthony]]'s On a Pale Horse, a character named Zane takes on the office of Death after he accidentally kills his predecessor.

In ''[[Family Guy]]'' Death appears in Numerous Episodes as Peter's Friend.

In the ''[[Bakugan: Battle Brawlers]]'' TV series,there is a skeleton based Bakugan named Reaper, who also carries the axe associated with the character.

In [[Atsushi Okubo]]'s manga series ''[[Soul Eater]]'', and in the anime adaptation by Studio Bones, Death appears as the principal of an academy dedicated to the slaying of evil demons known as Kishin. In this adaptation, Death is portrayed as an uncharacteristically friendly and cartoonish being, which belies his incredible power. Also, in Soul Eater, the Grim Reaper has a son by the name of Death The Kid.

[[Death (Discworld)|Death]] is a fictional character in [[Terry Pratchett]]'s [[Discworld]] series and a parody of several other personifications of death. Like most Grim Reapers, he is a black-robed skeleton usually carrying a scythe. He does not appear to be Death in the universal sense; his jurisdiction, so to speak, appears to be only the Discworld itself.

In the ''[[Twisted Metal]]'' video game series, the character Mr. Grimm was the Grim Reaper. In the game, Mr. Grimm drives a motorcycle and his special was known as "Screaming Soul", which shoots screaming restless souls towards the target.


==See also==
*[[Banshee]]
*[[Danse Macabre]]
*[[Death deity]]
*[[Count Dracula|Dracula]]
*[[Personification]]
*[[Prehistoric religion]]
*[[Psychopomp]]
*[[Santa Muerte]]
*[[Satan]]
*[[Scythe#Mythology|Scythe]]
*[[Shinigami]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
{{JewishEncyclopedia|article=Angel of Death|author=[[Kaufmann Kohler]] and [[Ludwig Blau]]|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=D&artid=178}}
*{{cite journal | first=A. P. | last=Bender | title=Beliefs, Rites, and Customs of the Jews, Connected with Death, Burial, and Mourning | journal=The Jewish Quarterly Review | volume=6 | issue=2 | month=January | year=1894 | pages=317–347 | doi=10.2307/1450143 | url=http://jstor.org/stable/1450143}}
*{{cite journal | first=A. P. | last=Bender | title=Beliefs, Rites, and Customs of the Jews, Connected with Death, Burial, and Mourning | journal=The Jewish Quarterly Review | volume=6 | issue=4 | month=July | year=1894 | pages=664–671 | doi=10.2307/1450184 | url=http://jstor.org/stable/1450184}}
*{{cite book | first=Ernst | last=Böklen | title=Die Verwandtschaft der Jüdisch-Christlichen mit der Parsischen Eschatologie | location=Göttingen | year=1902 | publisher=Vendenhoeck & Ruprecht}}
*{{cite book | first=August | last=Dillmann | authorlink=August Dillmann | title=Handbuch der alttestamentlichen Theologie | year=1895 | location=Leipzig | publisher=S. Hirzel}}
* Gordon, M.B., Medicine among the Ancient Hebrews. Isis, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Dec., 1941), pp.&nbsp;454–485.
*Hamburger, R. B. T. i. 990-992:
*{{cite book | first=David | last=Joël | title=Der Aberglaube und die Stellung des Judenthums zu Demselben | location=Breslau | year=1881 | publisher=F.W. Jungfer's Buch}}
*{{cite book | first=Alexander | last=Kohut | authorlink=Alexander Kohut | title=Ueber die Jüdische Angelologie und Dämonologie in Ihrer Abhängigkeit vom Parsismus | location=Leipzig | year=1866 | publisher=Brockhaus}}
*{{cite book | first=John | last=Milton | authorlink=John Milton | title=[[Paradise Lost]]}}
*Olyan, S.M., A Thousand Thousands Served Him: Exegesis and the Naming of Angels in Ancient Judaism. 150 pp. J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), Tübingen, 1993.
*{{cite book | first=Moïse | last=Schwab | authorlink=Moïse Schwab | title=Vocabulaire de l'Angélologie d'Après les Manuscrits Hebreux de la Bibliothèque Nationale | location=Paris | year=1897}}
*{{cite book | first=Erik | last=Stave | title=Ueber den Einfluss des Parsismus auf das Judenthum | location=Haarlem | year=1898 | publisher=E. F. Bohn}}
*{{cite book | first=F. W. | last=Weber | title=Jüdische Theologie auf Grund des Talmud und verwandter Schriften, gemeinfasslich dargestellt | location=Leipzig | publisher=Dörffling & Franke | year=1897}}
*Winer, B. R. ii. 383-386;

{{commons|Death reaper|personification of Death}}

{{Interludes}}
{{Death}}
{{Theology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Death (Personification)}}
[[Category:Death]]
[[Category:Personifications of death|*]]

[[cs:Smrtka]]
[[de:Sensenmann]]
[[es:Muerte (personificación)]]
[[eo:Mortulo]]
[[fr:La Mort (mythologie)]]
[[is:Maðurinn með ljáinn]]
[[it:Morte personificata]]
[[he:האנשה של המוות]]
[[lv:Nāve (personāžs)]]
[[lt:Giltinė]]
[[nl:Magere Hein]]
[[nds:Knakenmann]]
[[pl:Śmierć (personifikacja)]]
[[pt:Morte (personificação)]]
[[ru:Образ смерти]]
[[fi:Kuolema (henkilöitymä)]]
[[sv:Liemannen]]
[[vi:Thần chết]]
[[bat-smg:Gėltėnė]]

Revision as of 21:03, 8 October 2010

"Grim Reaper" redirects here. For other uses, see Grim Reaper (disambiguation).
A Western depiction of Death as a skeleton carrying a scythe.

Life as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood. It is also given the name of the Angel of Life (Template:Lang-he-n Malach HaMavet) stemming from the Bible.

This is all crap.

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