Editing Munkar and Nakir (section)

==Cultural interpretations ==
{{Synthesis|section|date=May 2023}}
Munkar and Nakir bear some similarity to Zoroastrian divinities. Some of these, such as [[Mithra]], [[Sraosha]] and [[Rashnu]] have a role in the judgement of souls. [[Rashnu]] is described as a figure who holds a set of scales, like some angels of the grave. E.G. Brown has suggested that a continuity exists between Rashnu and Munkar and Nakir.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/yearamongstpersi00browuoft|title=A year amongst the Persians; impressions as to the life, character, and thought of the people of Persia, received during twelve month's residence in that country in the years 1887-8|first=Edward Granville|last=Browne|date=September 12, 1893|publisher=London, Black|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> [[Sebastian Günther]] also points out it. He writes that "the image and function of Munkar and Nakīr carries certain echoes of the Zoroastrian concept of the angels Srōsh (“Obedience”) and Ātar (“Fire”)".<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/42153092|title=The Work of Heavenly Agents According to Muslim Eschatology|first=Sebastian|last=Guenther|journal=The Intermediate Worlds of Angels: Islamic Representations of Celestial Beings in Transcultural Contexts|date=January 2019 |via=www.academia.edu}}</ref> A mythical figure in [[Mandaeism|Mandaean]] religion, [[Abathur]] Muzania is similar to Rashnu. He has the same position in the world of the dead and he holds a set of scales. ''Muzania'' means scales ([[mizan]]) in Aramaic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/TheMandaeansOfIraqAndIran|title=THE MANDAEANS OF IRAQ AND IRAN|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

According to a recent research, it is hypothesized that Munkar and Nakir were derived from astrological figures that originally associated with the Mesopotamian astral god Nergal.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/35372440|title=Mezopotamyalı Tanrı Nergal'den Zerdüşti Kutsiyetlere Münker ile Nekir'in Garip Maceraları (On the Astrological Background and the Cultural Origins of An Islamic Belief: The Strange Adventures of Munkar and Nakir from the Mesopotamian god Nergal to the Zoroastrian Divinities)|first=Gürdal|last=Aksoy|via=www.academia.edu}}</ref>{{Self-published source|date=September 2022}} This is based on idea that the Mesopotamian god [[Nergal]] has almost the same characteristics as Munkar and Nakir. First of all, Assyrian nakru which means 'enemy', was an epithet of Nergal. The Assyrian ''nakru'', like the names Munkar and Nakir, comes from the same root, that is, it comes from the proto-Semitic NKR which derived some negative terms.<ref>There is another opinion by Wensinck and Burge on this issue, although it lacks any analysis. Burge, S. R. (2010). Angels in Islam: a commentary with selected translations of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī’s Al-Ḥabā’ik fī akhbār almalā’ik (The Arrangement of the Traditions about Angels), pg. 89
"The origin of the names is not at all clear, although some have suggested that both the names are related to the base root NKR, but Wensinck felt this was unlikely." However, according to Sebastian Günther, their names can be translated as “Reprehensible” and “Reproachful” (or “The Denied” and “The Denier”). Sebastian Günther, p. 326</ref> Some scholars use a different spelling; ''nakuru''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/beginselenderast00snij|title=Beginselen der astrologie : handleiding bij de A-cursus van het Nederlands Astrologisch Genootschap|first=C. J.|last=Snijders|date=September 12, 1949|publisher=Amsterdam : Becht|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> which is almost the same as Nakir. Moreover, Nergal is a lord of the Underworld and the grave (Assyrian ''qabru'': grave). Like Munkar and Nakir, he has a terrifying voice that can cause panic among men and gods. He holds a shining mace and his breath can burn his enemies. Because he is related to fire most scholars suggest that he was originally a sun god. Furthermore, he is identified with the celestial twins (''Gemini'') in the Babylonian [[astral mythology]] which forms a direct link to Munkar and Nakir.<ref name="auto">Aksoy, ''On the Astrological Background and the Cultural Origins of An Islamic Belief: The Strange Adventures of Munkar and Nakir from the Mesopotamian god Nergal to the Zoroastrian Divinities''</ref>

The Mesopotamians still believed in the sun god [[Shamash]], as well as [[Nergal]] and several other Babylonian gods at the time Islam was introduced.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/1383806|title=The Iconography of Early Islamic Lusterware from Mesopotamia: New Considerations|first=Ulrike|last=Al-Khamis|journal=Muqarnas|date=January 1990 |doi=10.2307/1523124 |jstor=1523124 |via=www.academia.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/39767937|title=Helenistik ve Enohçu Yahudilik Bağlamında Kehf Suresi; Musa, Hızır ve Zülkarneyn (Bir Revizyon)-ANA METİN/Surat al-Kahf in the Context of the Hellenistic and Enochic Judaism; Moses, Khidr and Dhu'l-Qarnayn (A Revision)-THE MAIN TEXT|first=Gürdal|last=Aksoy|date=January 2019 |via=www.academia.edu}}</ref>{{Self-published source|date=September 2022}}Thus, [[Nergal]] the god of the Underworld who is symbolized by the planet Mars, is a possible prototype for Munkar and Nakir. Astrologically, Munkar and Nakir share more clues in their Martian characteristics which connect them to Nergal.<ref name="auto" />

In stark contrast, scholar A. J. Wensinck found the association of Munkar and Nakir to the root NKR to be unlikely.<ref>Burge, S. R. (2010). Angels in Islam: a commentary with selected translations of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī’s Al-Ḥabā’ik fī akhbār almalā’ik (The Arrangement of the Traditions about Angels), pg. 89 "The origin of the names is not at all clear, although some have suggested that both the names are related to the base root NKR, but Wensinck felt this was unlikely."</ref><ref>Wensinck, A. J. (1993). "MUNKAR wa-NAKIR". ''The encyclopaedia of Islam''. Gibb, Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen; Bearman, Peri J. Leiden: Brill. p. 577. {{ISBN|90 04 09419 9}}.</ref> Similarly, scholar John MacDonald believes the names of the two angels have not been satisfactorily explained, although given that they are in the passive form, they may be understood as "unknown" or "disguised", much in the same way how angels visit graves in disguise in Judaism.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=MacDonald|first=John|date=1965|title=The Twilight of the Dead|journal=Islamic Studies|volume=4|pages=55–102}}</ref> [[Rabbinic literature]] offers many traditions about punishing angels, chastising the dead.<ref>Eichler, Paul Arno, 1889 ''Die Dschinn, Teufel und Engel in Koran [microform]'' p. 105-106 (German)</ref>