Zabaniyah

The Zabaniyah (الزبانية) is the name of angels in Islam who are tasked to torture the sinners in hell. Their names appeared in many places in Quran, such as Al-Alaq 96:18. "Nineteen Angels of Hell" in At-Tahrim 66:6; Al-Muddaththir 74:30, where they are called "angels of punishment"; the "Guardians of Hell", "wardens of hell" (خَزَنَةِ جَهَنَّمَ ); "angels of hell" or the "keepers" according to Al-Mulk 67:8.

According to Al-Qurtubi, Zabaniyah is a plural name a group of an angel. Some consider the Zabaniyah to be the hell's angels' subordinates. As Angels, the zabaniyyat are, despite their gruesome appearance and actions, ultimately subordinate to God, and thus their punishments are considered in Islamic theology as just.

According to the Quran and the ahadith, the zabaniyyat are nineteen in number and Maalik is their leader.

In Islamic traditions
The Zabaniyah angels were described as torturer of sinners in hell, where, according to Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar, were led by an angel named Maalik, who has once met by Muhammad, and archangel Gabriel, where they found Maalik always frowning and never smiled. Mujahid ibn Jabr defended the idea that zabaniya are angels against contrary assertions.

In Mi'raj literature, the zabaniyah are under command of the nineteen angels of punishment. Ertan Ürkmez from Hacettepe University quoting traditions from the Mi'raj literature, they are given different names including Suhâil, Tufail, Tarfail, Tuftuil, Samtail, Satfail, Sentatayil, Şemtayil, Tabtayil, Tamtail, Tantail, Sasayil, Tuhayil, Sutail, Bertail, and Istahatail, Each of them has seventy thousand soldiers with black faces and blue eyes under their command. A Zabaniyah angel called Susāʾīl shows Muhammad the punishments of hell. However, the authority from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim has narrated that the one which Muhammad met during Mi'raj were Maalik himself, the leader of Zabaniyah.

Etymology
There are several interpretation according from exegesis and linguistical experts regarding the etymology of Zabaniyah name. Al-Qurtubi has recorded the interpretation from classical era Quran exegete Qatada ibn Di'ama. According to Qatada, the term of Zabaniyah were taken from al-Zabn, which was synonymous with Arabc verb of "payment" or "retribution". However, Qatada also stated that there are alternate meaning of Zabaniyah according to Arabian linguistic, as it was also translate as "those who lead the struck first during battle" or Shock troops.

Al-Mubarrad suggested, zabāniya could derive from the idea of movement and the Zabaniyah are those who "push somebody [back]". This assertion also narrated by traditional Arabic linguist, Ibn Qatiya, and Epigraphy expert, Ahmed ibn Muhammad bin Ali Al-Fayoumi, in his explanation of "Z-b-n" or "act of push" in that Quranic verse mentioned Zabaniyyah according to the root of Arabic language, where it is root are similar to the Arabic expression. Ahmed described the sting of a scorpion which it used to strike with a pushing movement of its tail, were also called Zabani, which is the same root of the angels act of Zabani or pushing sinners to hell".

Ibn Taymiyya quoted all of classical interpretations from Qatada, Ahmed ibn Muhammad, and others, in his work, ar-Ra'd 'Ala al-Manthiq, which used by Ibn Taymiyya to argue against the scholars of Kalam regarding Quranic tafseer about Zabaniyah.

Ibn Hisham asserted in his chronicle, that Zabaniyah linguistically means "helpers", which singular noun are Zibniyah.

PERSIS, Ahmad Hassan, in his exegesis work Tafsir al-Furqan, he interpret Zabaniyah etymologically as "mighty soldiers of Allah". Ahmad Hassan derived this interpretation from view of Al-Qurtubi's personal interpretation which translate Zabaniyah as a police.

German modern historian Rudi Paret argues that the grammar of the term zabani indicates a characteristical action personified in a type of spirit. In that case, the zabani would refer to a spirit whose function is pushing someone back.

Number
Regarding the numbers of Zabaniyah, The number nineteen is found both in Quran, and Hadith Qudse. Another hadith which recorded by Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Aḥmad ibn Mūsá Ibn Mardawayh has reported that the number of nineteen also appeared when Muhammad being tested by group of that era contemporary Jewish Rabbi to prove if was he truly a prophet, by questioning how many guardians of hell there were, which Muhammad responded as nineteen.

However, al-Qurtubi has reported another classical exegesis addendum that their number is nineteen thousands, which the exegete scholar based its from the additional interpretation from 31th verse of al-Muddathir that stated "none know their numbers except Allah.". Meanwhile, modern Saudi Grand mufti Abd al-Aziz Ibn Baz has mentioned number of 4.900,000,000 angels which keeping hell, where each 70,000 of them holding a bridle from 70,000 bridles which restraining Jahannam. This was based on Hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim.

The concilliatory explanation regarding conflicting numbers has reported by al-Qurtubi, that the nineteen angels refers to the leaders of those angels, including Malik, While the insurmountable numbers was referring to the hell angels which were led by those nineteen Zabaniyah. Muhammad Sulaiman al-Asqar, professor from Islamic University of Madinah, further argued the nineteen refer to the nineteen types of punisher angels in hell.

Physical description
There are several features of Zabaniyah which describe their physical according various traditions and classical Quranic exegesis:


 * Face. Several Hadith as recorded that Muhammad has met Malik, the leader of Zabaniyah, in one occasion and described that Maalik has sickeningly ugly face. Ibn Hisham also recorded another Hadith transmission of questionable authority, the true face of Zabaniyah angels are so repulsive beyond comprehension, to the point that any living human could die by the shock of only looking at their face. Aside from those Isra' and Mi'raj tradition, Muhammad also noting the gruesome appearance of Malik in his dream, in another tradition which recorded in Fath al-Bari commentary by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, that he said as "very unpleasant".
 * Ibn al-Mundhir quoted Abu Bakr Ibn Mujāhid that the eyes of Zabaniyah were like lightning and their mouths were like Spurs of chicken, while their hairs is so long to the point its dragged under their feets. This also noted by modern researcher Christian Lange from the classical exegesis works, that zabaniyah have "repulsive faces, eyes like flashing lightening, teeth white like cows horns, lips hanging down to their feet, and rotten breath".


 * Size. Tafsir al-Qurtubi gave commentary about the 18th verse of Al-Alaq, that the Zabaniyah, which the verse mention, are the largest type of angel. Al-Tabari also describing that the distance between Zabaniyah shoulders are 500 years. For the similar case, Ibn Rajab also brought other narration which traced from Tabi'un Abu Imran al-Jawni. Another classical scholar, Abdullah ibn Ahmad, also narrated that the size of Zabaniyah were described that the distance between each of their shoulders were as long as the distance of 100 years of travels. Al-Baladhuri comments on this narration, that the angels which protected Muhammad were twelve zabaniyah as tall sky. Similar narration also quoted by medieval Hadith expert, Ibn Abi Hatim, quoted narration from Atharist source that The Zabaniyah has very large size that their head has reaching the sky.


 * Tools. According to Ibn al-Jawzi, Zabaniyah angels carrying tools such as iron beater or Mirzabba(مِرْزَبَّة) with two prongs, and whip made of fire. The Zabaniyah angels used these tools to punish the sinners vigorously. According to Hasan al-Basri, the Zabaniyah will drive the sinners into hell with "iron hooks".
 * Strength. Ibn Abi Hatim has recorded a Hadith narration from Abdullah ibn al-Harith that Muhammad said the Zabaniyah are the most powerful among angels. Abu Ishaq al-Tha'labi gave his commentary about the Asbab al-Nuzul (revelation) of Quran chapter Al-Muddaththir of 30th verse, that even if entire mankind joined forces, they would not be able to defeat a single Zabaniyah angel. After the judgment day, One of Zabaniah were described as being able to drag entire sinners who are judged to enter hell while carrying a mountain on his shoulder, which he used to crush the sinners beneath that mountain, after they all entered hell. Both Ibn Rajab, and Al-Qurtubi narrates in his exegesis on Surah 66:6 that the angels of hell were created from anger, and that tormenting creatures is to them like food for the children of Adam. Modern contemporary scholars also highlighting the Quran verse of At-Tahrim: Al-Baghawi gave commentary of this verse in his book, Tafsir al-Baghawi, that the Zabaniyah's strength allow them to shove seventy thousand people towards hell in one sweep.


 * Fingers. According to the interpretation of Ibn Qutaybah in his work, Uyun al Akhbar, he quoted Tawus ibn Kaysan records in his description that each of the Zabaniya angels possessed fingers which number equal to the number of the sinners that will be thrown into hell after the judgment day. Ibn Qutaybah also further added that the fingers of the leader of Zabaniyah, Maalik, is so hot to the point that if one his finger touched the sky; that finger will cause the sky to melt. Meanwhile, the tradition from Diya al-Din al-Maqdisi narrated in his book, Shifah an-Nar, the quote of Hadith from Anas ibn Malik that Zabaniyah were created 1,000 year before hell created, and their strength increases everyday, to the point that each of Zabaniyah fingers could squeeze a human from each of their crowns to their ankles.
 * Wings. Scholars noted several traditions that Zabaniyah possessed wings, as according to the hadiths of Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, the Zabaniyah were appeared before Abu Jahl, as Muhammad prayed in the Kaaba, They scared Abu Jahl when he tried to trample on Muhammad's neck with his foot. A similar narration, authorized by ibn Abbas, appears in Sahih Bukhari. Here, Muhammad explains Abu Jahl's retraction that Abu Jahl felt the presence of the zabaniyah. In his Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explores this event in greater detail, stating that Abu Jahl was asked about his retreat whereupon he answered that he suddenly saw winged terrifying monster in a trench filled with flames, between him and Muhammad.

Roles
Both modern, and classical scholars has interpreted the verse of Al-Muddaththir 69:30 about how the group of Zabaniyah throwing the sinners into Jahannam. Similarly, Hasan al-Basri has described that the task of Zabaniyah is driving sinners to enter hell. Frederick S. Colby quoted some Isra' and Mi'raj traditions: the zabaniyyat landscape of the first layer of hell and the fiery seas within, as Malik explains to Muhammad that the zabaniyya were created by God inside hell so they have no desire to leave this place and feel comfortable in it. Classical scholars such as Muqatil ibn Sulayman and al-Mawardi interpreting surah An-Naba 78:21 mentioned those angels who guard hell dwell in hell and actively monitoring the infidels until their descent into Hell, while Muhammad Sulaiman al-Ashqar from Islamic University of Madinah also highlights these roles in the same verse. Colby also recorded the description from traditional exegesis that God would have made them hardness into their hearts, for they may have no mercy towards the inmates.

Ibn Kathir further described that each zabaniyya restrained the sinners who were fated to be thrown to hell are shackling each sinner's arms to their neck before dragging them down. Al-Qurtubi also adds that the zabaniyya is an angel who performs their job by using both of their hands and feet to drag and torture sinners in hell. Ibn Kathir narrated in his Al-Bidaya wa l-Nihaya, that the zabaniyyat will drag the face of those they torture.

Muhammad al-Bukhari, in his commentary of his collection of Hadiths regarding afterlife, added that the Zabaniyah will also inflict punishments towards peoples who commit Riba or usury by pelting their mouth with rocks while forcing them to swim in river of blood. This hadith described the situation of peoples who commit usury in Barzakh, or a realm of afterlife, before the judgment day. Adam ibn Abd al-aziz describes the zabaniya as angels of death who, according to the Quran (4:97, 32:11), conduct the souls of sinners and question them in the grave. Similar to the angelic pairs Nāzi'āt and Nāshiṭāt and Munkar and Nakir, they are assisting Azrael and seize the souls of the injust. Ghazali states, they appear as black shadows to the dying person, pull their souls out of their bodies, and drag them to hell.

Ka'b al-Ahbar has narrated a long and detailed tradition of Non-canonical regarding the Zabaniyah role during the judgment day, where they were tasked to gather and suppress all the sinners, both Muslims and non-Muslims. As for Muslim sinners which has committed huge sins and never repented during their life, The Zabaniyah tasked to shackles more leniently than non-Muslim, and torture them until all of their sins has paid off with the punishments inflicted, thus release them from hell and sent them all to heaven. Meanwhile, for the non-Muslim, Ka'b has described the Zabaniyah shackle and drag them more severely than Muslim sinners into hell while burning them as they walked in, then punish them for eternity. Ibn Kathir claimed there are several canon Hadith that supported this narration from Ka'b. Furthermore, ibn Kathir, adding commentaries from narration of hadith transmitted from Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, that whoever wants to be saved from the torture after judgment day should recite the basmala frequently during their life, as it consists of 19 letters in accordance of the number of zabaniyyat.

Another task of Zabaniyah angels were found in Ibn Barrajan (d. 1141) commentary on Sura At-Tur that Moses and Aaron are protected by zabaniyah. Ibn Abi Hatim also described Zabaniyah are leading other angels in the sky during battle. Sufism tradition narrates regarding the fate after death has narrates that an army of angels of punishment battled against the angels of mercy over the soul of a sinner. In some Turkish lore, it is believed that when both groups battle, their strikes cause thunder. Scottish orientalist H. A. R. Gibb has recorded a tradition that while the angels of mercy are said to be created from light (nur), the angels of punishment are usually said to be created from fire (nar). However, this distinction is not universally accepted among Muslim scholars.

Cultural interpretation
Islamic art commonly pictures them as horrifying demons with flames leaping from their mouth. As part of Isma'ili eschatology, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi identified the zabaniya with the seven planets, who administer the upper barzakhs, indicating that there is a kind of hell within the celestrial spheres. Accordingly, impure souls remain imprisoned within bodies, missing salvation in purely intellectual existence. The Houris appear as counterparts of the zabaniya, who are, in contrast to the zabaniya, items of knowledge from the beyond.

Alternatively, it has been argued the term might have denoted a class of pre-Islamic demons. Al-Khansa is said to have written a poet mentioning zabaniya. Similar to the jinn, they would ride on animals (eagles). Hubert Grimme raised the possibility that zabaniya originally referred to a class of Arabian demons. In favor of this theory is, that the poetress convert al-Khansa mentions zabaniya in one of her poems as supernatural creatures similar to Sa'aali (a type of jinn). Further, al-Mubarrad associates zabaniya with demons. He states that afarit (a type of underworld demon) were sometimes called "ʿifriyya zibniyya". Another theory holds that this term may derive from Sumerian zi.ba.an.na ("The Scales") and Assyrian zibanitu (also referring to scales).

However, Ibn Kathir has his commentary quoting Quran Al-Muddaththir, that the guardians of hells are only from angel race, none other. Christian Lange also argued, since none of the older codices of the Quran (Mus'haf) contain variants of this term, it is unlikely it has been changed over time. Although Lange also suggested the word Zabaniyah may have been derived from the syriac shabbāyā. Ephrem used this term for angels who conduct the souls after death.

Another suggestion attributes the origin to rabbāniyya referring to the lords angelic council.

As for the number nineteen, independent researcher Gürdal Aksoy suspects it refers to the sum of the seven planets and twelve signs of the zodiac, as found in Mandaen literature, which, while suggestive, is ultimately inconclusive. Scholars such as Richard Bell has found the evidence adduced for this apparent association to lack direct correspondence. In a similar vein, Angelika Neuwirth sees the Qur'an's reference to nineteen as an "ostentatiously enigmatic element", whereas Alan Jones suggests that "initially the meaning of 'nineteen' would have been vague."

Similarities with other religion
The idea of punishing angels appears in earlier Abrahamic literature. In the Hebrew Bible, God sents punishing angels to smite enemies (for example, Exodus 12:23). According to the Apocalypse of Paul, an angel casts the sinners into hell. In hell, such angels inflict pain on the inmates with iron hooks.

The Book of Enoch mentions punishing angels called satans who act as God's executioners on both sinful humans and fallen angels. The Apocalypse of Peter also mentions angels torturing the sinners in a place of punishment.