Page:Thomas Patrick Hughes - Notes on Muhammadanism - 2ed. (1877).djvu/101

 80 Gabriel—a fact which may be cited as an additional proof, that when Muhammad availed himself of Jewish traditions, he quoted or adopted them with the same want of accuracy as when he appealed to the Divine word of God.

There are also the two recording angels called the Muaʾqqibát, or the angels who continually succeed each other, who record the good and evil actions of a man, one standing at his right hand and another on his left. These are also called the Kirám-ul-Kátibín (the exalted writers). The angel who has charge of Heaven is Rezwán and the angel who presides over Hell is Málik.

Munkar and Nakír are described by Muhammad as two black angels with blue eyes who visit every man in his grave, make him sit up, and examine him as to his faith in God and in Muhammad his prophet. If the answer is satisfactory, he will be allowed to sleep on in peace, but if he replies that he knows nothing of "God's Apostle," then he will be struck with an iron hammer called Mitraqat, and he will roar out, and his cries will be heard by all animals that may be near his grave, excepting