Maalik
Chief angel of Hell in Islamic belief, guardian of Jahannam.
Maalik (Arabic: مَٰالِكُ, romanized: mālik) is an angel in Islamic belief who serves as the chief guardian of Hell (Jahannam). He is mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:77, where he responds to the pleas of the damned, and is assisted by other angel guards known as Zabaniyah. Maalik is a significant figure in Islamic eschatology, representing the unrelenting nature of divine punishment.
- Field
- Islamic angelology, eschatology
- Known for
- Chief angel of Hell, guardian of Jahannam
- Role
- Guardian of Hellfire
- Mentioned in
- Qur'an 43:77, 66:6; Hadith
- Associates
- Zabaniyah, Jibra'il
Lore & Background
In the Qur'an, Maalik is directly addressed by the inhabitants of Hell in Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:77, who cry out, 'O Mâlik! Let your Lord finish us off.' He replies, 'You are definitely here to stay.' Surah At-Tahrim 66:6 describes the angels of Hell as 'formidable and severe,' who never disobey God's commands. Some qira'at (canonical recitations) read the word in 43:77 as 'malak' (meaning 'angel'), though the earliest Qur'anic codices consistently write it as 'Mālik' with a long alif, suggesting that the ambiguity over whether Maalik is a proper name or a title arises from recitation traditions rather than manuscript spellings.
According to Islamic tradition, the prophet Muhammad encountered Maalik during his heavenly journey (Isra' Mi'raj). All angels greeted Muhammad with a smile except Maalik, whom Jibra'il identified as the guardian of Hell who never smiles. Muhammad then asked to see Hell, and Maalik opened its gates to show him a glimpse of the suffering within. Medieval hagiographer Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham both narrated versions of this encounter.
Abbasid jurist Ibn Qutaybah reported that Maalik's number of fingers equals the number of sinners thrown into Hell, and that each finger is so hot it would melt the sky if it touched it. Al-Suyuti stated that Maalik's strength has grown infinitely each day since his creation a thousand years before Hell's formation. Ibn Hisham narrated that Muhammad described Maalik's face as disgustingly ugly, and that any human who saw his true face would die in suffering and anguish.
Reader's Guide
Maalik holds a central place in Islamic eschatology as the personification of divine justice and the permanence of punishment for the wicked. His role is defined by the Qur'anic verse 43:77, where he denies the pleas of the damned, emphasizing that their suffering is unending and deserved. The figure of Maalik reinforces the Islamic concept of Hell as a place of absolute, unrelenting torment, overseen by angels who are utterly obedient to God's will.
In hadith literature, Maalik's character is further developed through his encounter with Muhammad during the Isra' Mi'raj. His refusal to smile and his terrifying appearance underscore the severity of Hell and serve as a warning to believers. The descriptions of his immense strength and the heat of his fingers, as reported by Ibn Qutaybah and al-Suyuti, amplify the horror of the afterlife and the power of its guardians.
Maalik's significance extends beyond mere guardianship; he embodies the finality of God's judgment. Unlike the angel Ridwan, who guards Paradise, Maalik represents the consequences of rejecting truth. His presence in both the Qur'an and hadith makes him a key figure in Islamic theology, reminding the faithful of the stakes of moral choice and the reality of divine retribution.
More in Individual angels 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced