Ishim (angel)

The Ishim or Eshim are a class of angels said to be the closest to the affairs of mortals. The Ishim are also comparable with the Erelim or the Bene Elim/Bene Elohim. The closest analogue in Christian angelology is the order of Thrones or Angels.

Muhammad encounters the Angel composed of fire and ice during his Night journey. Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai's Nahj al-Faradis from "The David Collection".

In Kabbalah

The leader of the Ishim in the Zohar is said to be either Azazel or Zephaniah, but as they are incarnations of the tenth sephirah Malkuth, the Ishim are often reputed to be governed by Sandalphon (or sometimes Metatron).[1][2]

In Islam

In Islam, an angel composed of half ice and half fire, usually named Habib,[3] was encountered by Muhammad during his night journey, in the first heaven. Gabriel told him, this angel offers advice to the believers on earth and prays for them.[4]

References

  1. Davidson, "Is(c)him". pg. 151.
  2. Guiley, "Issim". pg. 192.
  3. Christiane Gruber The Ilkhanid Book of Ascension: A Persian-Sunni Devotional Tale I.B.Tauris 2010 ISBN 978-0-857-71809-9 page 11
  4. "Ahadith, the Traditions". 27 September 2012.

Sources

  • Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free Press. 1971.
  • Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Angels, Second Edition. Visionary Living, Inc. 2004.
  • Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik Routledge 2015


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