The Zabaniyya () are the "Wardens of hell" (), who torture the sinners or carry of the souls of the wicked. They are identified with the "Nineteen angels of Hell",At-Tahrim and "Angels of punishment",Al-Muddaththir and "Guardians of Hell", and "Angels of hell".
According to the Quran and the ahadith, the Zabaniyah are nineteen in number and Maalik is their leader.
As angels, the Zabaniyya are, despite their gruesome appearance and actions, ultimately subordinate to God, and thus their punishments are considered in Islamic theology as just.
Islamic traditions According to Al-Qurtubi, Zabaniyah is a plural name a group of an angel. According to ibn Barjan, the angels of punishment are those angels who said „Will you [God] place therein one who will cause corruption and shed blood?“ questioning the creation of Adam.Muhammad Ali Baydoun „Tafsir Ibn Barjan“ Volume 1 Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah Lebanon p. 178
Mujahid ibn Jabr defended the idea that the Zabaniyah are angels against contrary assertions. In the Turkish Mi'raj literature, the Zabaniyah are under command of the nineteen angels of punishment.Ürkmez, Ertan. "Türk-İslâm mitolojisi bağlamında Mi ‘râç motifi ve Türkiye kültür tarihine yansımaları." (2015).
Based on a Hadith transmitted by Umar, the second Rashidun caliph, Excerpts from:
Al-Muzani and Ibn Kathir has stated that the belief to the existence of the angels who guarding hell as a part of the second article of Six Articles of Faith in Islam. Excerpts from:
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).Jane Dammen McAuliffe Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān Brill 2001 p. 118Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb The Encyclopaedia of Islam: NED-SAM Brill 1995 page 94 However, this distinction are not universally accepted among Muslim scholars. 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. Some consider the Zabaniyah to be the hell's angels' subordinates.Mohammed Rustom The Triumph of Mercy: Philosophy and Scripture in Mulla Sadra SUNY Press 2012 p. 90
Names
A tradition from At-Tadhkirah, a book authored by Al-Qurtubi, recorded that one of Zabaniyah was named Daqä'il () accompanied the Angel of Death whenever he take the soul of a sinner.Addendum: al-Albani deemed this Hadith of Al-Qurtubi as weak in authenticity; Dha'if al-Jami'; p.301
A Zabaniyah angel called Susāʾīl shows Muhammad the punishments of sinners in hell. However, the authority from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim has narrated that the one which Muhammad met during Mi'raj and shown Muhammad about hell was Maalik himself, the leader of Zabaniyah.Sahih Bukhari chains: from Muhammad ibn Bashar->Ghandar->Shu’bah->Qatada ibn Di'ama->Khalifa->Yazid bin Zurayi->Sa’id->Qatada->Abu Al-Aliyah,-> Ibn Abbas->Muhammad.Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim; Sahih al-Jami Al-Albani grading: Authentic.
Etymology There are several interpretation according from exegesis and linguistical experts regarding the linguistic etymology of Zabaniyah: 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 Arabic verb of "payment" or "retribution". However, Qatada also stated that there are alternate etymology of Zabaniyah according to Arabian linguistic, which is also translated as "those who lead the first strike during a 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 Zabaniyah according to the root of Arabic language, where it is root are similar to the Arabic expression. German modern historian Rudi Paret also noted the similar meaning 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. Ahmed described the pushing movement of scorpion's pincers or Chelae, were also called Zabani, which is the same root of the angels act of Zabani or pushing sinners to hell". correspondingly, an 8th-century Arabic grammar expert from Kufa, , also stated the word of Zaban was used in Arabic to describe the claws part of Scorpius constellation. Ibn Ashur using different analogy of the word, as he said in his work, al-Tahrir wa'l-Tanwir, the word of Zaban was derived from the kicking movement of a camel's leg. Ibn Taymiyya quoted classical interpretations from Qatada, Ahmed ibn Muhammad, and others scholars about the interpretation of zabaniyah in his work, ar-Ra'd 'Ala al-Manthiq. Those arguments were used Ibn Taymiyya to argue against the scholars of Kalam regarding Quranic tafseer about the nature of angels. Ibn Hisham asserted in his chronicle, that Zabaniyah linguistically means "helpers", which singular noun are Zibniyah. Ahmad Y. Hassan, one of founders of PERSIS, has interpreted in his exegesis work Tafsir al-Furqan that the 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.
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 he is truly a prophet, by questioning how many guardians of hell there were, which Muhammad responded as nineteen.
However, Islamic scholars all agreed that the number of nineteen here only meant for the archangels, or leaders of the angels of hell. al-Qurtubi has reported another classical exegesis addendum that their number is nineteen thousands. 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.
The concilliatory explanation regarding conflicting exegesises about numbers according to 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. While modern scholar Muhammad Sulaiman al-Ashqar, professor from Islamic University of Madinah, further explained it meant as nineteen types of punisher angels in hell, which the exegete scholars based its from the additional interpretation from the following verse, the 31st verse which stated "none know their numbers except Allah.".
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, that 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 recorded by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, The face of Maalik is "very unpleasant".Fath al-Bari commentary by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani. 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 feet.Al Haba'ik Fi Akhbar Al Mala'ik, al-Suyuti; Hadith transmitted by Ibn al-Mundhir from Abu Bakr Ibn Mujāhid. 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. The Zabaniyah, are the largest type of angel.Tafsir al-Qurtubi commentary of Al-Alaq Al-Tabari also describing that the distance between Zabaniyah shoulders are 500 years. 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. While al-Baghawi records their shoulders are as wide as 1 year of journey. For the similar case, Ibn Rajab also brought a similar tradition.Hadith narration which traced from Tabi'un . Ibn Rajab reported this narration contain weakness as there is transmitter named Ibn Lahi'ah, who was notable for the weakness in memorization. However, Ibn Rajab recorded according to his colleagues that this tradition is trustworthy since it is traced before the library of Ibn Lahi'ah burned in an accident; and it was only traditions from after his library being burned that Ibn Lahi'ah's tradition were considered untrustworthy. Al-Baladhuri comments on this narration, that the angels which protected Muhammad from Abu Jahl's aggression near Ka'ba were twelve zabaniyah as tall sky. has narrated:Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the authority of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn Abi Shaybah; on the authority of "The Zabaniyah angels have their head in the sky and their feet on the lowest earth". Almost similar narration which also authored by Abdullah ibn al-Harith was quoted by medieval Hadith expert, , which transmitted through an anonymous Atharist, although with slightly different textual: "The Zabaniyah angels have ". One of Zabaniyah has its chest as wide as one of the gate of Jahannam. 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". Other than that, they also carrying hot chains for torturing inmates. Strength. Ibn Abi Hatim has recorded a Hadith narration from Abdullah ibn al-Harith that the Zabaniyah are the most powerful among angels. The Zabaniyah angels also characterized being created by Allah to be able to perform any tasks commanded upon them to torture the inmates of hell.Tahrim 66:6; Tafsir Al-Qur’an Al-‘Azhim, Ibn Kathir 7:322; narrated from Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from his father, who transmit it from Salamah ibn al-Shabib, who transmit it form Ibrahim ibn Al-Hakam ibn Aban, who transmit it from his father, who hard the narration from IkrimahTafsir as-Sa'di. Tahrim: 6 citations from: Ibn Kathir has explained that Allah has granted Zabaniyah the abilities to manage a torture for sinners which no one can emulate; and gripping strength that so severe, which no creatures could match.Al-Fajr 89:25Al-Fajr 89:26 =أي وليس أحد أشد قبضا ووثقا من الزبانية citation from: 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. The Zabaniyah's strength allow them to shove seventy thousand people towards hell in one sweep.Tafsir al-Baghawi al-Muddathir 74:30 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 will use to crush the sinners with the said mountain, after all of them entered hell.